Spring Has Sprung! (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, March 21, 2002 Published Every Thursday Since 1890 OUR 112th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 28-112 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] FIFTY CENTS WARNER BROS. MAY FILM ‘ANALYZE THAT’ IN TOWN BOE OKs Westfield Council Tentative Continues Talks Budget By ROBERT COAKLEY Specially Written for The Westfield Leader The Westfield Board of Education On Porch Issue approved a tentative 2002-2003 school year budget of $65.4 million during a highly attended public meeting Tues- By LAUREN S. PASS from the Board of Education for day night. Members of the public Specially Written for The Westfield Leader safety and security reasons. Coun- were told what was included in and On Tuesday the Westfield Council cilman Kevin Walsh stated that using excluded from the budget. Students held its conference session, where Stoneleigh Park for parking was not asked to keep Westfield High School’s the council continued its conversa- the intention of the council. Fire television technician position, while tion on property coverage, including Chief John Castalano was on hand, parents and board members asked porches. The council is considering citing that Stoneleigh is a narrow that the All-City Band, Orchestra and a change in the local property cover- street, with only one entrance and Chorus programs be kept. age ordinance, from a limit of 20 exit. Chief Castalano went on to say Superintendent of Schools Dr. percent lot coverage, to a limit of 28 that having cars parked there would William Foley presented the tenta- percent, or an addition of 400 square create a safety hazard, due to the tive 2002-2003 budget to the public. feet, whichever is smaller. The pur- narrowness of the roadway, the lad- The base budget tax levy was $55.9 pose of the change in ordinance would der truck would no longer fit with million, about 23 cents per $100 of be to preserve wrap around porches. cars parked on one side. assessed property value. Councilman Matt Albano objected The council spent time discussing This year the residents will feel the to the 28/400 limit stating, “by al- the proposed parking lot behind the full weight of the High School Bond. lowing the proposed ordinance to go armory, but since it is the Board of This year’s debt service also includes through, (it is) putting further strain Education’s decision and expendi- the bond for the elementary school on the infrastructure.” Councilman ture, it was decided that the council VICTORY LAPS…Branch Manager, David Morozoff, and Assistant Branch Manager, Maria Fuentes, of the Fleet Bank additions approved by voters in 1998. Rafael Bentancourt voiced his con- would call another meeting. The in Westfield congratulated the Westfield High School (WHS) Boys Swim Team on their recent State Championship. The increase for the debt service is 4 cern that this ordinance would defeat council would like to include Pictured, left to right, are: front row, Tim Kolenut, Dan Chabanov, Jeff Dresely, Sam Gurdus, Zach Coppa, Keith cents per $100. The total tax levy is the work that the council had done to Westfield High School Principal Dr. McCloskey, David Hedman; second row, Carl Baron, Ryan Cahill, John Chiesa, Chris Heinen, Ryan Bartholomew, Rob Eckman, Mr. Morozoff; third row, Sean O’Neill, Jon Williams, Rob Freundlich, Brandt Miller, Josh Schoenfeld, Ms. $57.7 million, or 27 cents per $100. stop “shoe horning”, or subdivision Robert Petix, and Superintendent Dr. Dr. Foley explained that the tax in- of property in Westfield. The council Fuentes; fourth row, WHS Swimming Coach Bruce Johnson, Sean Baran, Andrew Prunesti, Vincent Shen, Greg CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Matthews and Kevin Hobson. Not pictured are: Devon Power, Andrew Ruotolo and J.J. Sobala. crease for the average assessed home looked at the last years worth of of $180,000 equaled $487 per year, applicants to the board of adjust- $41 a month, $9.37 a week. According ment, where no wrap around porches to Dr. Foley this is the first time in 25 had to be torn down, and the resi- years that the state has frozen state aid dents were able to work within the 20 East Broad St. Tenants, Town Officials for schools. Westfield would have nor- percent lot coverage. Both Mayor mally received an increase in state aid, Gregory McDermott and council- alleviating part of the tax increase. man Betancourt questioned why the The total budget consists of the gen- ordinance should be changed if the Form Coalition, Schedule First Meeting eral fund, limited by a cap, and a debt current ordinance was working. By DEBORAH MADISON Mrs. Anderson said that she has violations have been properly cor- not to get involved in landlord/tenant service, not under the cap, to pay off Councilman Salisbury stated that the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader been having problems getting the rected. disputes,” the letter stated. “The win- bonds and loans. This year, the debt board of adjustment had not seen any Allegations of unlivable conditions Building Department’s Director However, Mr. Hirsch sent Mrs. dows in some apartments have been service is $2.3 million, a 38.6 percent of the cases in question, and that he and code violations by several ten- Frank Hirsch to return her calls to Anderson a letter on March 15 stat- painted shut and are impossible to increase from last year. The general felt it would be a crime to tear off ants who reside in two adjacent build- follow up. She told The Leader that ing that even though his department open; the walls have been patched fund is $61.9 million, a 5.7 percent parts of a wrap around porch. Town ings at 122 and 128 East Broad Street she would like Mr. Hirsch to inspect is responsible for insuring code com- with materials that do not meet fire increase from last year. When about Attorney, Robert Cockren stated that have resulted in town officials form- her apartment to verify that the code pliance, “my department has a policy CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 $1.1 million in federal projects is added the ordinance needed to have unifor- ing the Westfield Housing Code Com- to the general fund and the debt ser- mity for all zones in town. A draft of mittee, which includes the joint task vice, the grand total is $65.4 million. the ordinance will be drawn and the force of Councilman Carl Salisbury, Budget increases include instruc- laws and rules committee will meet Fire Department Representative Cap- Westfield/Mountainside Red Cross tion training at all levels, a 9th grade with the town planner to go over the tain Daniel Kelly, Director of the humanities program, a pilot program language and options. Health Department, Robert Sheer and for Gifted and Talented students, Approximately twenty residents Director of Housing Code Enforce- Chapter Is Thicker Than Blood new computers for the fifth grade from Stoneleigh Park were present ment George Dobber. and certain rooms at WHS and the to protest a rumor that the high school At the request of several of the By DEBORAH MADISON Disaster relief includes training in impressed by the tremendous out- intermediate schools, improved dis- students would be permitted to park Specially Written for The Westfield Leader tenants, the committee inspected the When most people think of the disaster response and preparedness pouring of volunteerism shown by trict fields, and updated curricula. on the street while construction was two buildings in February and issued for health care professionals, emer- the Westfield community. Within the Dr. Foley said some programs had going on at Westfield High School. American Red Cross, the activity the landlord numerous violations and that most often comes to mind is gency services personnel and any- first hours of 9-11, dozens of volun- to be eliminated to keep the budget Though public participation is not fines as a result of the conditions, one else wishing to be trained in teers showed up at the chapter’s door- under the cap, and that meant choos- permitted at conference sessions, the collecting blood. However, many of which they observed during their today’s local Red Cross chapters are ing to cut good programs. residents stayed through the council’s inspection. Budget cuts saved about $716,000. conversation pertaining to parking at not only about replenishing the A complete list of those viola- nation’s blood supply. A wide vari- The cuts members of the public dis- Westfield High School. The construc- tions, dated February 6, along with puted were; a TV technician that saved tion project is scheduled to begin on ety of community services and pro- abatement and re-inspection dates is grams are conducted by many of the $30,000, and the All-City Band, Cho- Monday, March 25, and a portion of available at the Building Department rus and Orchestra that saved $11,500. the parking lot, and some areas of 1,000 Red Cross chapters nation- for public inspection. Mr. Salisbury wide. There was also some discussion about Trinity Place will then be off limits told The Westfield Leader that he has the removal of lunchroom aides, a part to parked cars. Members of the Coun- The Westfield/Mountainside also been meeting with Town Ad- Chapter of the American Red Cross, time nurse, and professional services. cil and the Board of Education had ministrator James Gildea and Mayor Robert McGowan and David met earlier in the year to discuss the located at 321 Elm Street, has been Gregory McDermott, to keep them serving the community for over 80 Napiorski, two WHS students, and impending parking situation.