Strikes away Planning and enjoying Last minute gift guide Cranford youth bowls your holiday party at home L% ' IEV this week's Procrastinators' delight offers See Sodrts. oage B-l Special pull-out section inside V Thursday, December 19,1991 Vol. 98, No, 51 A Forbes Newspaper 50 cents GRANFORD • GARWOOD • KENILWQRTH Recreation may feel the pinch of budget cuts By BRIAN FLORCZAK which would eliminate the annual July 4th works display, the townshj^jwould save an park. fireworks display. estimated $7,000. Township committee THE CHRONICLE ' . .: Among the activities to be continued In addition, the township committee members agreed that the fireworks ex- would be the Jaycees Firecracker Run, chil- Cranford Township residents could be getr heard budget reports calling for a cutback hibition was benefiting not only Cranford residents, but hundreds of spectators from dren's races, canoe races and the annual ting a lot less bang for their bucks (literally) on library hours and the closing of the town- July 4th parade, which concludes at Me- ship's day tennis courts on Springfield Av- other towris aswelL under the proposed 1091-92 municipal bud- morial Park. get.. ./• .;.. ••,-•• . .•• .••- •. enue. Another program which could be dis- According to Frank D'Antonio, director of • The Township Committee heard a number continued under the new budget is- Volun- recreation and parks, the township would The fireworks display, according to Mr. of budget presentations Tuesday night, in- teer Recognition Night continue its July 4th tradition of holding D'Antonio,. draws 9,000-12,000 spectators an- -duding-one from the recreation department By cutting funding for .the-annual fire- picnics and other holiday, festivities at the (Please turn to page A"3) Consultants suggest A special first Troop 1 swii receive holiday gift to seven-period day The red bags covering the town- ;' ship's parking meters are designed , By BRIAN FLORCZAK made in a staffing study released to save. Cranford shoppers some to-4he board by'the Fogelsville, Pa. THE CHRONICLE green. consulting firm. Continuing an almost two-decade , The elimination of six teaching In addition. Dr. Robert Fleischer tradition, the retail division of the , Becata* of tho faintest S*- positions and changing the school suggested to the board that it elim- Cranford Chamber of Commerce is day at Cranford High from eight inate one period per day at the offering two-hour free parking to periods to seven . ' • high school those visiting the township. were among the - ' • . •'. and lengthen Approxunateiy 320 street meters, > . wddropcflwit* recommendations see related story the remaining plus 87 meters in Lot Seven (be-, w Kin Strwt 8(816 end of tb& hind Gentlemen's Corner on Miln parfc and Shop lot and «*3t8 made to the otl page A-5 classes by Cranford Board seven minutes. Street), will be covered until Christ- of Education By doing so, mas, i Monday niglit ~ —"*" Dr. , Fleischer The bags are purchased by town- Doll exhibit -SMp_retailers_at_a_-cost_of_$L75,, Fleischer Management Assod- told the board that a high school teacher's "daily contact time" with each. Then, two weeks before Dec. ates, Inc. told the board that it 25, the meters throughout Cranford could save $210,000 by eliminating their pupils would be increased by almost 10 percent are covered by store owners. • six teaching positions at the high "It's a gift to the shoppers," said schooL The recommendations were (Please turn to page A-3) Marta Person, assistant township administrator, when asked about the free parking. wxl abroad. The does > "We've gotten calls from West- In age from ftw. to 40 Will Family Care be able • field residents telling us they Eave even more of an abominable park- ing, siWfttion than we have. to irestfclf ^ TheyVe been telling us how nice the parking situation in Cranford is By CHERYL MOULTON HEHL stretch the neatly wrapped gifts that have been donated by the and how Westfield is now covering THE CHRONICLE more fortunate. Mrs. Sidoti sighs their meters," Ms. Person said. With just a few days to Christ- as she gazes around the two tiny The red bags are inscribed with mas, Silvia Sidoti is wondering rooms in the basement of the mu- the holiday message "Seasons nidpal building and wonders if this Greetings. Two Hours Free Park- how she will provide 96 families ing.*1 - and 112 children with presents; year will be the year the gifts do Girls roundbalt not stretch. 'Will there be a child or -BRIAN FLORCZAK But each year, despite the odds, family without presents under the Cougare she somehow does it She is hop- tree? Without a tree? •.> ' DAnYL8TONE/THE CHRONICLE ing the ghost of miracles past re- Ryan Albert, 7 months, met Santa for the first time when turns. Some 56 years ago the Family the big man took time off from his toy making duties to Tree decked Fund at 60% It is hard to imagine children not Care Association was established visit Cranford. Santa, a guest of the Cranford Jaycees, was having presents to open on Christ- by caring and interested residents spotted at the Community Center on Saturday. mas morning, but this' year Cran- who had the foresight to know ,. _. ipwtterrt; ford Family Care is struggling to (Please turn to page A-3) with classic Pffts $206,000 0081 See page ornaments 4,000 Eastman Plaza earns accolades for design By BRIAN FLORCZAK area," said Adam Farrah, director of financial Wong's Ckjbvvt^ apon- By BRIAN FLORCZAK agement Corporation; Marta Person, downtown THECHHONICtB manager, and Claire Vecchio, junior engineer. programs for the Union County Economic De- THE CHRONICLE The Christmas tree at the Cran- w« presort $4,000 to According to Ms. Person, the award was a velopment Corporation. The refurbished Eastman Plaza ha3 been rec- tribute to all those who helped make the refur- "A renovation like this one makes a differ- ford Historical Sodety Museum is ognized for design excellence by a pair of New bishing of Eastman Plaza a reality. ence when you ask people what they think of attractive, but it's tiie ornaments Jersey organizations. "From a dilapidated park area in disrepair, Cranfotd," Mr. Farrah said. on it that make it unique. 5c0ut project The Union County Economic Development we now have a gem of an area to work with," The Downtown New Jersey Inc. organization For the 11th consecutive year, JofwOndrey of Troop 178 Corporation and the Downtown New Jersey Inc. Ms. Person said. "I'm really proud that we were presented its award to township officials Dec. 5. the sodety is spotlighting its an- organizations recently visited Cranford to able to win such an award." at its annual fall conference at the Gateway nual tree, which is decorated with * Scout Project H»* < Hilton in Newark. ornaments, some of which are over present awards to a number of township of- This is the first year that the Union County 100 years old. ficials. Economic Development Corporation has rec- Less than a week later, Meryl Layton of the Jbtf writer cftb»tw,S,S«atory« . ognized municipalities which it feels have con- No ornaments which say "Baby's ri h CCommunfty Bordering North Avenue and Eastman Street, organization made a formal presentation at the First Christmas" here. Don't visit photo on the Eastman <Plaza was refurbished at a cost of ducted noteworthy renovation projects. It pre- township committee's Dec. 10 meeting. sented township officials with a plaque Dec. 11. the museum if you wapt to look at $150,000. Work on the project began in October The criteria used to select Eastman Plaza decorations with Charlie Brown Many services 1000 and was completed last summer. That plaque will now be displayed in room were: favorable contribution to pedestrian and and Snoopy on them. Officials from the Union County Economic 108 of the Municipal Building. retail activities; contribution to a positive down- But it youjwould enjoy seeing )^Qmk Organization gathered at the Cranford Business "I think the improvement of the Plaza alone town image, physical appearance or use; adding the firstever glass Christinas or- Park last Wednesday (Dec. 11) to present their makes a major difference in one's impression or restoring downtown activities; economic suc- naments to be brought to the Unit- award to Brian Leddy of the Downtown Man- when going through the Cranford downtown cess; and ability to stimulate downtown growth. ed States, the Cranford Historical Stores open Sodety tree is for ybu. If decorations made of real roost- er feathers are more important to Public safety concept remains 'viable' you than plastic balls with "State College, Class of 1981," inscribed By CHERYL MOULTON HEHL light switch." He said, however, "we have just Arthur Kiamie provided additional details to on them, visit the museum at 124 touched the tip of tiie iceberg." substantiate Mr. Guertin's claims, and provide a delreITma!erstMdj^ A He said consolidation had so far resulted in a loarteU" "" Open Sundays from 2-4 p.m., the No pickups Public Safety Director Robert Guertin said- $145,323 savings for the township, with the de- museum will have its tree on dis- last week that $344,000 worth of cuts would letion of three police and fire personnel Chief Wilde used statistics to support keeping play until the second week of Jan- strongly impact his department and the level of through advancement, without replacement as staffing levels the same, alluding to the fact the uary. For those who might like to service police and fire personnel provide to res- township "has been visited by tiie crime which visit, but are unable to do so on d Wednawtey, Oea 25, b»- idents.