Special Election Edition - Storm Sandy Report Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, November 1, 2012 OUR 122nd YEAR – ISSUE NO. 44-2012 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SEVENTY FIVE CENTS Sandy Causes Massive Blackout, Downed Trees, Gas Shortage Editor’s Note: Union County sus- not be interrupting water service. your neighbor. tained serious damage from Hurri- November 1, 6 a.m. - General: October 31, 11 p.m. - Mayor cane Sandy this week along with a Many people, homes, businesses and Quattrocchi, Garwood: We have set massive blackout that included most government sectors remain without up three locations for residents to of Westfield, Scotch Plains, and power. Emergency crews are work- charge cell phones, laptops etc. for as Fanwood. The following is an ac- ing tirelessly. It will take several days long as the emergency warrants: count as reported by towns. to restore power. Driving is difficult, Garwood Borough Hall Council October 31, 6 a.m. - Area - Union many traffic lights, if working, are Chambers, the Garwood Library, and County officials have been in contact operating on portable generators. Garwood Police Headquarters.- with New Jersey American Water. Public transportation is down. Po- Garwood Schools will remain closed They have confirmed that there are lice, fire and rescue are fully opera- through the end of the week. At this no plans to turn water off in any tional. Schools, many public offices time the plan is to reopen them on Union County municipality. Custom- and businesses are closed. Postal ser- Monday, November 5. Lincoln ers may experience periods of low vices are curtailed. Many streets are School does have power, but condi- water pressure because they are op- impassible. Local communication is tions are such that allowing children erating on generator power however, interrupted. People are hanging tough to walk to school could pose a hazard New Jersey American Water Co. will and are getting the job done. Help with downed wires and unstable trees. Additionally, Westfield has their un- der pass closed causing additional traffic to use our roadways and un- derpass, reported Police Chief Bruce Underhill. Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark is also closed for the remainder of the week.Governor Horace Corbin for The Westfield Leader Chris Christie today signed an execu- HAPPY HALLOWEEN...Storm Sandy clobbered Halloween this election year for everyone so the staff of The Westfield tive order to postpone Halloween until Leader and The Times from the last Presidential Election (2008) wish everyone a Happy Halloween, a quick storm recovery Monday, November 5, because of — and remind everyone to vote next Tuesday, November 6th. unsafe conditions throughout New Jersey in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Garwood, of course, is abiding by Voters to Decide November 6; that order.We will have our regular garbage and recycling pick-up schedules.Our residents who com- Local Mayor, Council Races Up mute to the city using NJ Transit By PAUL J. PEYTON and a member of the Garwood Plan- districting, the Seventh District has services should know that as of 8:30 Specially Written for The Westfield Leader p.m. Wednesday, 79 to 80 percent of ning Board, and his running mate, expanded more into Hunterdon bus services are scheduled to be reac- REGION — Area voters will go to Anne Palmer, a former member of County where the Congressman re- David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader tivated Thursday. However, the trains/ the polls this Tuesday, November 1, the Garwood Board of Education. sides and Warren County. The dis- EVERYWHERE...Storm damage with fallen trees and downed power lines are light rail and Path have suffered ex- to decide races for President, United The borough council is split 3-3. trict no longer includes Scotch Plains everywhere from Monday’s massive storm. Area fights to recover. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 States Senate, two Congressional Councilman Lou Petruzzelli is not and Fanwood, which has been moved seats as well as a mayoral race in seeking reelection. to the 12th Congressional District Scotch Plains and council races in Cranford voters will decide a race currently represented by seven-term Cranford, Garwood, Fanwood, and between Republican W. Scott Mease, Rep. Rush Holt (D) of Mercer County. RVSA Looks to Settle Scotch Plains where control of the a former township committee mem- Mr. Lance is being challenged six- councils is at stake. Four newcomers ber who owns a mechanical engi- term Democratic state Assemblyman and two incumbents are also on the neering company, and Democrat Upendra Chivukula. The assembly- Passaic River Litigation ballot for three seats on the Union Tom Hannen, co-owner of a co- man is a former Franklin Township County Board of Chosen Freehold- owner of a manufacturing company councilman who served as mayor in By WAYNE BAKER velopments in the New Jersey De- The appellant’s brief was filed in Specially Written for The Westfield Leader ers. Two incumbent council mem- in Linden. They are vying for town- 2000. partment of Environmental Protec- July, and at meeting time, NJDEP’s bers are unopposed in reelection bids ship council seat of current Repub- Rep. Holt, a former research facil- RAHWAY — The Rahway Valley tion (NJDEP) versus Occidental brief was anticipated during October. to the Mountainside Borough Coun- lican Mayor David Robinson who is ity director ay Princeton University, Sewerage Authority’s (RVSA) Board Chemical Corporation, et al. case, NJDEP has approached all third-party cil. not seeking reelection. Republicans is being opposed by Middlesex of Commissioners recently heard of also known as the Passaic River Liti- defendants in an effort to settle them In addition to municipal races this have a 302 edge on the committee. County businessman Eric Beck. the possibility of a settlement of their gation. Several of the third-party de- out of the case, and RVSA has acted year, the school election has been Mountainside Council Republi- This year’s ballot also includes involvement in the so-called Passaic fendants have filed an appeal with the to participate in these discussions. A moved from April to the November can incumbents William Lane and school board candidates, all which River litigation. In addition, the have state’s Appellate Division asserting 90-day stay of all third-party pro- General Election ballot minus school Robert W. Messler are unopposed. are unopposed in the towns listed been some developments in RVSA’s that the intent of the state Legislature ceedings, including the September budgets. Candidates are running un- At the top of the ballot this year is below. In Westfield, incumbents Ri- legal efforts to recoup some of the in passing the New Jersey Spill Act 24 deadline for fourth-party claims. opposed for seats for the Westfield, the race for the White House where chard Mattessich, the BOE president, costs of the cogeneration and sludge was not to place liability on public A discussion between Cranford’s Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Cranford, Democratic President Barack Gretchan Ohlig and Lucy Biegler are drying facility they built at its waste- entities for hazardous substances in new commissioner, Mark Dugan, and Garwood, and Mountainside Board Obama is seeking a second term seeking fill, three-year terms. J. water treatment facility. their sewerage discharges when the Brian Hak, the authority’s counsel, of Educations. against former Republican Massa- Brendan Galligan is seeking the one- At RVSA’S October 18, informa- presence of these hazardous sub- revealed a bit about the status of the Scotch Plains Mayor Mary chusetts Governor Mitt Romney. year unexpired seat of former BOE tion was shared which revealed de- stances is not due to the public entity. litigation relating to the cogeneration DePaolla, a Republican who was ap- Polls have the President up between president Julia Walker. Scotch Plains- and sludge drying facility. Mr. Dugan pointed mayor this summer after seven and 15 points in New Jersey, Fanwood BOE incumbents Norman was questioning the addition of Nancy Malool resigned to become according to RealClearPolitics.Com. “Trip” Whitehouse, BOE president, $45,000 to the roughly $2.7 million head of shared services with the New In the race for U.S. Senate, Demo- Karen Kulikowski and Betty Anne spent on forensic accounting through Jersey Department of Community cratic incumbent Robert Menendez Woerner are seeking reelection. Cipolla & Co. Mr. Hak stated that this Affairs, faces a challenge from Coun- of Hudson County is seeking a sec- Mountainside BOE members Kate amount would cover review of about cilman Kevin Glover, a Democrat ond, six-year term against Republi- Motz and Jeane Parker are seeking 2,000 new documents which had been who lost to Mrs. Malool in the 2008 can state Senator Joseph Kyrillos of reelection as are Garwood BOE Presi- provided to the RVSA as part of the mayoral race. He was elected to coun- Monmouth County. Sen. Menendez dent Adele C. Lewis and Barbara legal discovery process. Mr. Hak said cil in 2006 and reelected in 2010. In defeated Republican State Senator Greet. Cranford BOE President Mary the documents give some of the “num- the council race, Republican Ed Tom Kean, Jr. of Westfield in 2006. Venditti and Vice-President Catherine bers behind the numbers” used dur- Saridacki, a former Scotch Plains- Polls have Mr. Menendez with Morgese are seeking reelection to ing the feasibility studies. Fanwood Board of Education mem- stretching his lead to over 20 points. full terms, as is incumbent Camille Mr. Hak informed Mr. Dugan that ber who joined the council this sum- As for local Congressional races, Widdows. Former BOE member Jill one main defendant had switched mer to fill the council seat when Mrs.