The Westfield Leader Newspaper
The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

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Editor’s Note: The following column is generated from campaign news from Seventh Congressional District candidates running in the June 6 Democratic and Republican Party primaries. Four Democrats and four Republicans are seeking to replace Congressman Bob Franks who has opted to pass on reelection to his House seat in order to run for the U. S. Senate.

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Seventh District Congressional contender Michael J. Lapolla of Westfield, a Democrat, has received the endorsement of Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, Chairman of the National Democratic Congressional Campaign. This is the first year the DCC has made a primary endorsement. Four candidates nationwide have been endorsed by the committee.

Mr. Kennedy stated that Mr. Lapolla could bring the Democrats one step closer to winning the six additional seats necessary for Democrats to gain majority of the House of Representatives and make Congressman Richard Gephardt of Missouri the next Speaker of the House. Republicans have held the majority the past six years following 40 plus years of Democratic control.

One of Mr. Lapolla’s opponents,

Maryanne S. Connelly of Fanwood,

called the endorsement simply an establishment vote for Mr. Lapolla.

Seventh Congressional Update

Democrat Maryanne S. Connelly

of Fanwood has begun a campaign of radio ads broadcast over 101.5 F. M. The 60second advertisement, to be run through the end of the June 6 Primary Election, focuses on her support for licensing hand guns, full funding of Head Start, tougher academic standards and protection for Social Security and Medicare. The candidate said in the ad that she opposes privatizing the Social Security Trust Fund as proposed by U. S. Senate candidate Jon Corzine.

Candidate Michael Lapolla said a statement in the ad giving Ms. Connelly credit for writing the first Megan’s Law in the state is a “outright lie.” Mr. Lapolla noted that Ms. Connelly was referring to a local ordinance adopted by the Fanwood Borough Council which setup voluntary registration for those persons convicted of sex crimes.

Megan’s Law requires notification of area residents of persons moving into their neighborhood who have been released from jail after serving time for sex crimes against children. Assistant Prosecutor when the law was enacted, Mr. Lapolla said the Fanwood law was a wellintentioned but unenforceable.

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Republican Patrick Morrisey of Westfield said last week that if elected he would introduce legislation to eliminate the Department of Energy and merging some of its functions with the Department of Defense. He also said he would not be afraid to focus on entitlement reform.

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Michael Ferguson of Warren has received criticism for a direct piece mailed last week by this campaign. An officer in the Westfield Republican Committee stated that the piece falsely indicates Congressman Bob Franks support for Mr. Ferguson in his bid to replace Mr. Franks in the House of Representatives.

Mr. Franks is running for the open U. S. Senate seat of retiring Senator Frank Lautenberg.

A spokesman for Mr. Ferguson said the piece, which shows a large picture of Mr. Franks with Mr. Ferguson, does not say that the Congressman has endorsed Mr. Ferguson. The spokesman said the mail piece simply seeks voters supports for both Mr. Franks and Mr. Ferguson. Mr. Franks has not made any endorsement in the race.

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Republican Joel Weingarten has criticized Michael Ferguson of Warren of for using campaign literature with photographs of supporters from Monmouth County that were used in his 1998 Sixth District campaign against Democrat incumbent Frank Pallone. Mr. Ferguson moved to the Seventh District in January after originally filing with the Federal Election Commission for another run against Congressman Pallone.

County Freeholders Approve Flood Wall in Union By PAUL J. PEYTON

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

ELIZABETH — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders last week approved an agreement with Union Township whereby the county will pay up to $1 million of the costs for a flood wall along the East Branch of the Rahway River in the Vauxhall section of Union.

The agreement formalizes a ceremonial check which was presented to township officials when the project was first announced in February.

The agreement comes on the heels of massive flooding which occurred along the river in Union and Millburn during Tropical Storm Floyd last fall. The Township of Millburn is also building a flood wall.

The Union County flood wall will be built along a twoblocklong area of Franklin Street near the Maplewood border. The neighborhood saw flood waters reach five feet during Floyd.

“This should correct the problem,” County Manager Michael J. Lapolla said following last Thursday’s meeting.

On another board matter, the freeholders passed an ordinance setting golf fees at county park facilities for the year.

Freeholder Chairman Daniel P. Sullivan noted that the ordinance includes the first increase in golf fees in several years.

“The golf fees in Union County still remain, I believe, the lowest or closest to the lowest in the entire state of New Jersey,” said Freeholder Nicholas P. Scutari, Chairman of the Policy Committee that recommended the fee change to the entire board.

Mr. Sullivan said the increase in golf fees is the first since 1994. He noted that the county has spent around $8 million over the past few years in upgrading county golf courses.

There will be no increase in identification card or teetime reservation fees. Identification cards cost $30 for county cards, $80 for seasonal cards, $25 for senior citizens, $25 for youth and $15 for replacement cards. Teetime fees are $2 for

resident members, $3 per round for associate members, $4 for nonUnion County residents and $5 for no shows.

Green fees have gone up as follows for Union County residents: county weekday passes, $14 from $12; county passes for weekends and holidays, $16 from $14; weekday seasonal fees, $11.50 from $9.50; weekends and holidays, $13.50 from $11.50; senior citizen weekday fees, $9 from 8, and $16 from $13.50 for weekends and holidays.

Youth fees for county residents have increased to $9 from $8 for weekdays and $13 from $12 for weekends/ holidays.

Outofcounty adults will now pay $28 for weekday green fees from $24, and $32 for weekends/ holidays from $28. NonUnion County senior weekday fees have risen to $18 from $16, and $32 from $27 for weekends/ holidays. Youth fees in this category have gone up to $18 from $16 for weekdays, and $26 from $24 for weekends/ holidays.

Golf lesson fees have jumped to $32 from $29 per half hour; $165 from $159 for six halfhour lesson bookings; $25 from $10 to replace a lost or broken golf club, and $90 from $60 for playing lessons. The three halfhour booking fees for golf lessons has been eliminated.

Rental fees have increased to $3 from $2.50 for hand carts, $15 from $14 for golf carts for nine holes of golf and $24 from $22 for 18 holes.

“It’s (the golf fees) a small increase to help defray the expenses associated with maintaining the golf courses,” Freeholder Sullivan explained.

In other business, Freeholder Lewis Mingo, Liaison to the Advisory Board on the Disabled, said the board wants to recognize businesses and facilities, such as churches and nonprofit organizations, that have been helpful in accommodating the disabled, according to the requirements of the federal Americans With Disabilities Act. Applications must be received by Friday, May 19.

The board will honor those nominated individuals at an awards ceremony later this year.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL... Democratic Seventh Congressional District candidate Michael J. Lapolla of Westfield, center, and Westfield Mayor Thomas C. Jardim met with a fairgoing during Sunday’s Spring Fling street fair.

Alan Augustine to Address Annual Hunger Rally Walk

WESTFIELD — State Assemblyman Alan M. Augustine (R22nd) will be the guest speaker at the Eighth Annual Rally Walk to End Local Hunger this Sunday, May 7, at Mindowaskin Park in Westfield.

The event is being sponsored by the Coalition for Hunger Awareness of Union and Somerset Counties, an interfaith group of congregations, civic and nonprofit organizations founded by the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey’s Jewish Community Relations Council in 1992 to end hunger in the local area.

The walk will begin at 1 p. m. for the fivemilers, 1: 30 p. m. for the threemilers and 2 p. m. for the one milers.

Entertainment will be provided by a barber shop quartet, a deejay, a gospel choir, a clown and sumo wrestler Mike Munford.

Mr. Augustine, a Scotch Plains resident, will address the walkers upon their return to the park. Other political dignitaries are also expected to attend.

The 1999 Walk was the most successful event to date with almost 300 walkers generating $16,000 to 11 recipient feeding programs and soup kitchens, all based in the local area.

To participate in the walk please call (908) 8895335, Extension No. 310.

Area Businesses Learn Keys Of Building Contacts By PAUL J. PEYTON

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

CLARK – Developing a oneminute introduction for potential clients to looking people in the eye when first meeting were among just a few of the suggestions recommended to homebased business owners during a Union County Chamber of Commerce and Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored seminar held last week.

A group of several dozen homebased business owners gathered April 28 at the Holiday Inn Select in Clark to hear networking suggestions that can build their businesses.

The event was attended by persons in businesses ranging from résumé producing to computer services to corporate healthcare education.

The event helped kick off HOTLINC, a new service offered by the chamber to serve homebased companies. HOTLINC stands for Home Office Training Leads Information Networking and Community.

The new group is headed by Susan Jacobson, Vice President of Member Services for the Union County Chamber, and Debbie Schmidt, Executive Director of the Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

The breakfast program, entitled “Successful Networking,” was conducted by Georgene Brazer and Virginia Newman Littell of Brazer & Littell, a firm that helps build contacts for their contacts from the business world to government. They also serve as a “third

party” in plugging their clients to potential new business contacts. The women gave some basic tips on how best to make new business contacts.

An important part of networking, they both emphasized, is in presentation. This involves everything from how one dresses and approaches others to the condition of their business cards.

“Perception is reality,” stated Ms. Blazer.

Ms. Blazer said when giving an opening introduction about one’s company and its services, it is important to be enthusiastic in order to peak the interest of potential new clients.

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