The Westfield Leader Newspaper
The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

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Bowcraft Park Application Postponed to October By DEBORAH MADISON

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

SCOTCH PLAINS — The tinuation of the application for the Bowcraft Amusement Park sion, scheduled for July 13, has been postponed. The next meeting for the continuation of that tion will be heard sometime in

October, according to Linda Lies Board of Adjustment secretary.

The unavailability of a witness was the reason given for the delay.

Bowcraft Amusement Park on Route 22 in Scotch Plains has been granted a grandfathered use ance to operate commercially in an

ML1 residential zone. The current convariance application is for an tension of the nonconforming use

expanvariance. The proposed 150,000 foot water park, to be located in the

applicanortheast cornerof erty, behind the existing pond,

would include several small, low pools, water slides, a tube ride, and spray fountains.

The renovations also call for eral party tents with tables, a snack bar, a volley ball court and a room/ locker room facility. variDozens of residents adjacent to

the park have turned out to several previous meetings to voice their objections to the expansion, citing increased noise, lights, traffic and devaluation of their properties as reasons for their objections. Many residents vigorously crossexam ined the witnesses who testified on Bowcraft’s behalf.

The current owners, the Marke family, wish to expand the park in order to accommodate their tomers on very hot, summer days.

The Markes have explained to the board that they are losing ers to municipal swimming pools

and the beach on very hot days. The application will continue with testimony from a professional planner, a traffic engineer and an

engineer. The application may also be extended to additional meetings if necessary.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

State Assemblyman Richard H. Bagger Eyes Next Post While Focusing on his Role as Appropriations Chairman

and roadways in the state over the next four years, including the South Avenue

extraffic circle in Westfield. He said New Jerseyhashundreds ofbridgeswhichare in poor structural condition.

squareTTFfunds transitprojects,NJTransit’s capital program as well as highway and

Bowcraft’spropstreetimprovements. Thestatebillpiggy backs thefederaltransportationprogram,

shalwhich supplies a couple billion dollars

to the Garden State each year. “The combined package of state and

sevfederal transportation funding probably

totals about $3 billion a year (in New bathJersey),” Assemblyman Bagger noted.

The Assemblyman said that the Ap propriations Committeeamendedthebill to include a “fix it first” section which sets as priorities the repair of structur allydeficient bridgesandroadways,such as Routes 22 and 1 and 9. The amend ment is geared toward paying for repairs to the aging infrastructure ahead of new highway projects.

One of the biggest pieces of legisla tion Mr. Bagger has been involved with isthederegulation oftheenergyindustry in New Jersey.

The first part of legislation to reduce cusenergy bills in the state was a cut in the

energy tax from 13 to 7 percent, which will be phased in over four years. It has been half implemented to date. Mr. Bag customger

said that action alone will reduce energy bills by 6 percent.

The second piece of legislation was the deregulation of the choice of energy suppliers.

“What we tried to do, and I think succeeded at, is to have a system with significant mandatedratereductions(for staying with one’s utility company) but still have competition so people can shoparound (tosaveadditionalmoney),” he explained.

One aspect included in the legislation was something known as aggregation, which allows government, private in dustry and organizations to band to gether to increase their purchase of elec tric power and gain a more favorable energy rate.

“I haven’t seen a lot of evidence of a lot of really effective aggregating going on. The bill was designed to allow mu nicipalities to form aggregation pools for their residents,” Assemblyman Bag ger said. He said municipalities feel they

can only gain a successful aggregation plan by requiring residents to participate in such a program.

Under aggregation, a group such as the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) could be an aggregator for its members to gain a better rate. Mr. Bagger said business associations and chambers of commerce are further along in forming purchasing pools than indi vidual and municipal groups.

“One reason is that because you get a bunch of businesses together, you get different types of electric use that you are aggregating together. That is a more attractive package (for electrical suppli ers to bid on),” he said.

One keyreasonAssemblymanBagger feels deregulation will work in New Jer sey is the mandated rate reductions coupled with the tax cut. Public Service Electric & Gas and GPU alone will offer savings of 18 percent on electric bills when these two parts of the deregulation are fully implemented over the next few years.

“It’s the bottom line on the bill. If you are paying $100 a month (now), you’ll be paying $82,” he further noted. While bills will not indicate the reduced tax rate, they will show the reduction in the energy charge as produced through de regulation.

He said electric bills are roughly 8 percent less than they were two years ago.

More recent legislation includes the school construction bill. Both that bill and the Transportation Trust Fund re newal came through the Appropriations Committee.

On the $1 billion construction bill, Mr. Bagger added an amendment to al low school districts like Westfield and Scotch PlainsFanwood, which are not entitled to receive any basic state aid, to borrow money from the state with no interest charged, thus reducing the amount of debt issued by a school dis trict.

He said that proposal evolved into the current legislation where the state will pick up 40 percent of the construction cost in the school districts.The money in the legislation would be spread out over 10 years. Currently, local taxpayers pick up100percent ofaconstructionproject’s cost, such as Westfield’s recent $11.7

million bonded schools expansion project.

“I hope that is going to survive in the final version of the bill,” Mr. Bagger added. “This (the bill) will be the most significant shift of educational expendi tures from local tax sources to state tax sources probably ever done (in New Jer sey).”

The bill, as proposed, would give a district the option of either having the state provide 40 percent of a construc tion cost up front or have the state pick

up 40 percent of the issued bonded debt over the course of the loan.

Recent bills sponsored by Mr. Bagger include an appropriation for a water abatement project in Cranford. He is also working to correct funding prob lems in the state’s charter school law.

Mr. Bagger said his goal is to correct the legislation so the charter schools don’t harm the local school districts in which they are located.

SAFER BOATING... As she proclaimed “National Safe Boating Week” recently, Governor Christine Todd Whitman also acknowledged Assemblyman Richard H. Bagger (R22nd) of Westfield for his leadership in sponsoring legislation that requires children aged 12 and under to wear life jackets while on board a vessel in New Jersey waters. Also on hand for the presentation were representatives of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary of New Jersey. Pictured, left to right, are: Governor Whitman and Assemblyman Bagger and Westfielders Harold S. Star 3rd, Barbara Star, their 8year old son, Kyle, wearing a life jacket and displaying the proclamation, and Trudy and Lois Bopp of Little Silver.

Westfield Newcomers Announce Barbecue

WESTFIELD — The Newcomers Club of Westfield will host its annual summer barbecue on Saturday, July 22, at 6: 30 p. m. at a member’s home.

Founded in 1944, the Newcomers Club is open to women who are new to Westfield or have had a recent lifestyle change such as a birth, marriage, job change, or move within the town.

The club offers agebased play groups and activities for children, a monthly dinner for women at a local restaurant, social events for couples and a monthly book group, as well as several committees.

Individuals interestedinattendingthe barbecue or in obtaining more informaacoustic tionmaycall AlexineTranquadaat(908) 2327753, Liz Colucci at (908) 7892955 or Lisa Dunlap at (908) 7892955.