The Westfield Leader Newspaper

OUR 110th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 35110 FIFTY CENTS (908) 2324407 Thursday, May 4, 2000 USPS 680020 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N. J. Published Every Thursday

Since 1890

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus

INDEX

A& E.............. Page 20 Business ........ Page 17 Classifieds ..... Page 19

County .......... Page 2 Editorial ........ Page 4 Obituary ........ Page 10

Religious ....... Page 11 Social ............ Page 6 Sports ............ Page 13

Ingrid McKinley for The Westfield Leader LACING UP FOR A VERY IMPORTANT WALK… Local residents have volunteered their time to participate in Avon’s 3Day walk for breast cancer. They are joining thousands of women and many men in Avon’s effort to raise money to fund nonprofit, communitybased programs that provide educational programs on breast cancer and support early detection. Pictured, left to right, are: Barbara Karp, Karen Simon, Deana Sroka and Julia Black. Sacrificing Selflessly, Local Residents Commit

Themselves to Avon’s Walk for Breast Cancer

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

By SUSAN M. DYCKMAN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

There are people who talk about the things they want to do to make the world a better place, but never quite get around to making the commitment.

Then there are the doers like Dianna Cassidy of Scotch Plains, her cousin and niece, Olga and Jennifer Sica of Rahway, and Julia Black, Barbara Karp, Deana Sroka and Karen Simon of Westfield who put talk into action to participate in Avon’s 3Day walk for breast cancer.

Of course, there are more, many more. From around the corner and across the country, thousands of women and many men have joined Avon’s effort to raise money to fund nonprofit communitybased programs that provide educational programs on breast cancer and support early detection. The tremendous success of 3Day events in the U. S. has enabled Avon to broaden its reach to fund research on breast cancer and other diseases that affect women.

Ms. Cassidy, who lost her mother to breast cancer 13 years ago, was moved to walk the 60mile trek from Bear Mountain, New York to Manhattan in 1999.

She recalled the feeling of help lessness that hit as her mother died,

and saw the 3Day as “a good way I could do something.”

“The experience was unbelievable,” she said. “It was something very important in my life. I’d like to do it again, but the first time could never be duplicated.”

Wanting to stay connected to the 3Day, but not quite ready to log another 60 miles, Ms. Cassidy is registered as a volunteer for the 2000 event which will take place October 1315.

She could not say enough about how wellorganized and how warm the reception was from wellwishers in the many towns the 2,000 walkers passed through on their journey last summer.

Ms. Cassidy chronicled her experience in a scrapbook filled with photos, facts and captions that will preserve the memorable moments and miles of the 3Day such as the place at mile 17 on Day 1 where she twisted her knee or the cheering welcome from fellow walkers as she entered the campsite at each day’s end or rising each day at 4 a. m. to packup, have breakfast and hit the road and the “sweeper bus.”

“It actually had brooms attached,” said Ms. Cassidy of the bus, which was always available to pick up walkers who felt they could not continue

to the next stop. “If you really felt you couldn’t make it, the bus would drive you to the next point. A lot of people were picked up for dehydration.” With a hint of pride, she added,

“We were tempted, but we never took the sweeper bus.”

On Day 3 of the walk, Ms. Cassidy, Olga and Jennifer donned specially made Tshirts that bore the names of

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Board Approves Restaurant For Vacant Elm St. Building

By DEBORAH MADISON

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

The Westfield Planning Board unanimously approved an application Monday for a 350seat steak house restaurant to be housed in the large, threestory building at 1 Elm Street, on the corner of Elm and North Avenue.

The applicant, Harold Rosenbaum, agreed to meet numerous conditions stipulated by the Planning Board as part of the approval. These conditions addressed employee parking areas, loading zones and a variety of other architectural details.

The major concern for both the Planning Board and several community residents who attended the meeting was a lack of sufficient parking in the area, which required the restaurant to obtain a parking variance.

For an establishment of this size, the required number of spaces greatly exceeds the 10 available spaces on

the site to the rear of the building. However, the Westfield Town Council has struck an agreement with the developers to provide 60 permit spaces for valet parking for customers in the lot on the north side of the train station, known as Lot 9.

The restaurant will pay $1,000 per month for these spaces, which will only be used by the restaurant after 6 p. m., when commuters and daytime employees have vacated the lot.

As revealed in a letter read before the Planning Board by the applicant’s attorney, Art Attenasio, the parking contract is for five years, with an option to renew for another five years. However, the town retains the right to move the spaces to another location after three years.

According to Town Administrator Thomas S. Shannon, this option affords the town the most flexibility in the event that parking needs for the downtown area should change.

This novel parking arrangement, between the town and a business, may become a more common occurrence, according to Third Ward Councilman Neil F. Sullivan, who told The Westfield Leader that he views this

contract as a very complementary and efficient use of the town’s parking space.

“The town is prepared to expect that in the future, other businesses may also request a similar arrangement,” Mr. Sullivan said. “We have to be willing to find creative solutions,” he added.

Mayor Thomas C. Jardim commented during the meeting that this application was a prime example of why Westfield needs to find a parking solution for the downtown.

“Parking has become an economic the vaulted ceiling exposed for both

the lower and upper floors. The third floor will remain unchanged and be used for internal office needs.

Other elements will include an opengrill area so that diners can view their food while it is being prepared and cooked, and a large bar area for diners waiting for tables.

Michael La Place, Executive Director of the Downtown Westfield Corporation (DWC), told the Planning Board that the DWC supports this application and that he believes development issue in Westfield. We

can let buildings sit empty or we can solve the parking problem,” he stated.

The building at 1 Elm Street, which has been vacant for more than a year, was built in the 1920s and previously was the location of a bank.

According to Mr. Rosenbaum, he and his partner, restaurateur Nenad Tamburin, intend to restore the original architecture and design elements, which are still intact beneath years of renovations.

They plan to remove the drop ceiling to reveal a large, threestory, vaulted ceiling, which, according to Mr. Rosenbaum, will give the restaurant “a magnificent and elegant atmosphere, which will complement the quality of food and service we intend on providing.”

Other renovation plans include restoring the original 1920s design elements to the windows, doors and walls of the establishment and retaining the 17ton door to the former bank safe as a part of the restaurant’s oldworld charm.

The second floor will have mezzanine table seating, which will overlook the dining floor below, leaving

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Pool Memberships Reported Sold Out for Summer 2000

By KIM KINTER AND LAWRENCE HENRY

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

Memberships are sold out to the Westfield Memorial Pool for the 2000 summer season.

The last 1,800 individual memberships were sold by about 11: 30 a. m. on Tuesday and a waiting list is now being maintained. As of Tuesday afternoon, seven people were on the waiting list.

Monday represented the last chance to purchase memberships to Westfield’s Memorial Pool for the 2000 season. The remaining 1,800 memberships, or 20 percent of the pool’s 9,000 total membership, were available to all Westfield residents, as well as nonresidents.

James Gildea, Assistant Recreation Director, said that although he had not had a chance to absolutely determine the various residencies of those who purchased memberships this week, he thought it was a “pretty good” mix of both residents and nonresidents. He estimated that about 60 percent of those who purchased memberships

were nonresidents and 40 percent were Westfield residents.

The Recreation Commission changed its pool signup process this year after memberships sold out last summer for the first time in the 30year history of the complex. Registration was formerly done by mail and those who were previous members had the first chance to reregister.

During the month of March, pool members from last year were given first crack at memberships for 2000, but had to sign up in person at the Recreation Department office. Accepted memberships were cut off once 60 percent, or 5,400 of the pool’s capacity of 9,000, was reached. The maximum of 5,400 was reached on March 28.

April was designated for Westfield residents who were not previous members and for previous members who did not sign up in March. Signups were taken for 1,800 additional individuals and that total was reached on April 4.

Recreation Commission mem

Easing Enrollment at WHS Would Necessitate Advisory Committee and Bond Referendum

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

By LAWRENCE HENRY

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

Westfield Schools Superintendent Dr. William J. Foley proposed expanding Westfield High School to accommodate a 36 percent increase in high school enrollment in the next seven years.

Delivering the report of the Westfield Board of Education’s Long Range Planning Committee at Tuesday’s regular board meeting, Dr. Foley reviewed the district’s enrollment increase.

“These students are real. They’re here,” he said. Dr. Foley recapped some proposed ideas for using the National Guard Armory and Lincoln School as facilities that would serve as satellites to the high school.

He concluded, “I thought about legacy. Where do you want to invest your money? In the main campus or in satellite facilities? In the long run, when we’re long gone, people will thank us” for choosing to build a new wing on Westfield High School.

The proposed addition would be a twostory “science/ technology” wing on the Trinity Place side of the school, and would provide large, modern science labs. Former science labs elsewhere in the school outdated and too small, according to Dr. Foley would be converted to classrooms.

The expansion and renovation would yield a net 10 new classrooms, one new art room, four new science labs, one new computer lab, and three rooms for small group instruc tion. These small rooms would serve

the growing Special Education student population. The legal requirements for serving Special Education students have created extra pressure on the high school. Special Education classes are generally restricted to only five to nine students.

When asked by the The Westfield Leader, “How much time do you have?” Dr. Foley said construction needed to begin by mid2001.

Board President Darielle Walsh announced a series of steps designed to move the expansion project toward that target date.

First, said Mrs. Walsh, a Citizen’s Advisory Committee must be selected. The committee, she said, “will

meet through the summer with the goal of providing a report by September.”

Ms. Walsh called on board members to nominate people to serve on the Citizen’s Advisory Committee. She also asked for volunteers to get in touch with the Superintendent’s Office. The committee will total 2325 members, including parents of students at various school levels, high school faculty and students, citizens at large, and representatives of the school system.

Ms. Walsh, according to established practice, will chair the committee.

Dr. Foley said the ultimate proposal needs to “move to referendum by December.”

Dr. Foley and board members emphasized that Westfield High School not only needs more classrooms, it is overdue for serious renovation.

“It’s tired. It’s dark. It needs a renovation,” said Dr. Foley. Renovations will be a part of the bond issue referendum, too. These include:

·Repainting the interior of the entire building.

·Rekeying the entire building.

·Miscellaneous work on interior ceilings and lighting.

·Handicapped access for the band room.

·Refinishing gymnasium floors.

·Creating new storage space for athletic and musical programs.

·Providing better locker room

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader MOUNDS OF TASTY FRIES… This Spring Fling attendee gets ready to pile on some salt and ketchup to spice up his “Butterfly Fries” that were sold at the event on Sunday in downtown Westfield. Spring Fling was sponsored by the Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

Ingrid McKinley for The Westfield Leader SOON TO BE A STEAKHOUSE… Monday evening, the Westfield Planning Board unanimously approved an application for a 350seat steak house restaurant to be housed in the large, threestory building at 1 Elm Street, on the corner of Elm and North Avenue.

OFFICIALS SAY BROKERAGE FIRM WAS TO LEASE SPACES

Council Opts Not to Rescind Permits Issued to PaineWebber for Lot 2A By PAUL J. PEYTON

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

The Town Council decided Tuesday night not to rescind the issuance of permits to PaineWebber for 11 parking spaces behind the office space it leases at 109 North Avenue. Those spaces are located in municipal Lot 2A, better known as the Shell lot.

The 11 spaces are in addition to 24 spaces located on the property which is owned by R. E. D. Realty Inc. As a condition of approval of R. E. D. ’s application last year for a threestory building at the site, with retail on the bottom, the Planning Board stipulated that 11 spaces be leased to PaineWebber.

Municipal officials explained that spaces in the townowned lot were

marked as reserved without permission from the town. Town Clerk Bernie A. Heeney told

The Westfield Leader that 13 permits were issued to PaineWebber for use at its new North Avenue location.

This is in addition to permits currently held by PaineWebber employees. The company is relocating from East Broad Street to the North Avenue building.

Second Ward Councilman Matthew P. Albano, who served on the Planning Board which heard the case, stated that it was quite clear that R. E. D. Realty was to return before the Town Council to seek a lease agreement for the spaces per conditions set forth in approval of the application.

Mr. Albano explained that, facing the building from North Avenue, 15

spaces are located on the right side of the building for use by customers of Blockbuster, which will be located on the bottom floor. In addition, nine stacked spaces are located directly behind the building for PaineWebber employees, and another group of spaces are stacked behind that in the abutting Lot 2A.

“It’s another example of how people

Page 12 Thursday, May 4, 2000 The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 all the friends and supporters whose donations made it possible for them to take part in the fundraiser.

Walkers must generate $1,800 in contributions to participate in the 3Day. Today in Westfield, firsttime 3Day registrants Ms. Black, Wellness Director at the Westfield Y, and Barbara Karp, a Y member and selfemployed businesswoman, are taking cues from people like Ms. Cassidy, who have already walked the walk.

They are testing different kinds of socks, breaking in walking shoes and following the prescribed training to build up their endurance for the arduous 3Day. They are also collecting pledges.

Ms. Black has actually reached the $1,800 minimum. Collections are going a little slower for Ms. Karp, but she is not worried. “I have a summer group (of friends) to tap into,” she said with a smile.

When asked why she decided to register for the 3Day, Ms. Black said, “There’s so much more cancer around us. More and more people are affected. We see so many women at the Y who come here to take care of themselves after the diagnosis.” Ms. Black’s motherinlaw died of breast cancer, and she has a number of friends who have been treated for it.

She agreed, “It is almost like an epidemic.” “I just thought it was a fabulous cause and a great challenge,” added Ms. Karp. Of the women at the Y she knows who have endured breast cancer, she said, “I saw the suffering. Part of you wants to take it on.”

As part of their training, both women have opted to walk more and drive less. “I’m walking places instead of driving,” said Ms. Black, who recently chose to hike three miles into Cranford to a photo shop rather than hop in her car.

“If you have a mission, a purpose, that makes it easier,” explained Ms. Karp, who clocked eight miles last weekend. She started with a few turns around Tamaques Park, then headed out on her errands for the day.

They are enjoying the support of their husbands as they prepare for the 3Day. Ms. Black’s husband has signed up to “crew” the walk, which requires approximately 1520 hours’ worth of training sessions.

Ms. Karp’s husband, she said, has be come a “little coach.” As one who has

trained for marathon running, he has lots of tips.

Up to now, she has walked quickly, for aerobic exercise. Preparing for the 3Day, she has had to slow down her pace. According to the organizers, the walkers’ pace should be about 3.2 miles per hour.

Finding the time to train takes some doing. “I find it a timeconsuming thing to take a chunk out of the day,” said Ms. Black. Flex hours at the Y allow her to take a twohour lunch break on occasion, which she uses to go walking.

Confident they will be prepared to make the walk, both Ms. Black and Ms. Karp have their concerns about what the adventure will be like. “You will hear me whining if it’s really bad weather,” said Ms. Karp, who admitted she is “obsessing” about blisters.

Ms. Cassidy knows about those only too well. Having developed none during her months of training, she acquired her first blister just three hours into Day One. “In your fanny pack, make room for blister care,” she urged. “It was blister upon blister by Sunday.”

As a special treat, Ms. Cassidy and Olga’s husbands welcomed their wives back with a ride home in a hired white stretch limousine, which was secretly parked a few blocks from Central Park where the 3Day closing ceremonies were held. There was wine on ice, flowers. “A really nice ending,” said Ms. Cassidy.

Before entering Central Park, all the walkers were presented with new shirts. The majority wore blue, but there were hundreds who wore pink to signify they were breast cancer survivors or were currently undergoing treatment.

“We never knew during the walk. A lot were still going through chemotherapy and they walked. They still walked,” repeated Ms. Cassidy, even now awed by their courage.

There are 4,200 walkers registered for the October 3Day. For Ms. Black, Ms. Karp, Ms. Sroka and Ms. Simon, as for Dianna, Olga and Jennifer, every mile will be remembered, and every step will make a positive difference in the lives of countless individuals.

As one wellwisher shouted during last year’s walk, “You go, girls.”

Residents Commit to Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Recreation Director Says

Time Has Come to Tackle Parking at Tamaques Park

By LAWRENCE HENRY

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

“This is an accident waiting to happen,” said Recreation Director Glenn S. Burrell at the regular monthly meeting of the Westfield Recreation Commission.

Mr. Burrell was talking about Tamaques Park’s longstanding and longdebated parking and traffic problems.

Mr. Burrell’s unusual vehemence on the issue — he called for the Recreation Commission to go to the Town Council in a body and demand action — was provoked by a letter he had received from a resident who had been hit by a car in the park.

“Luckily, the lady was not seriously injured,” said Mr. Burrell, gesturing with the letter. “She was bumped in the hip. If it had been a fiveyearold, he would have been hit right in the noggin.”

The heavily used park’s traffic and parking problems have run into the basic issue of Westfield realpolitik for years. The facility could use more parking, and its popularity creates traffic hazards. But potential solutions run into objections from the park’s immediate neighbors.

“How long have you been talking about this?” Commission member Sal Antonelli asked fellow member Melvyn Coryn.

“Ten years,” Mr. Coryn shrugged. After more than 15 minutes of contentious debate, driven by Mr. Burrell’s passionate concern for park safety, Town Council representative Janis Fried Weinstein offered to read a letter from Mr. Burrell to the town’s Public Safety Commission.

“Draft me a letter and fax it to me,” she said to Mr. Burrell. “I’m on the Public Safety Commission. I’ll read it to them.”

Mrs. Weinstein specified that the letter should be confined to traffic safety at Tamaques Park, and should not include any discussion of the most recent parking proposal, for creating 21 new parking spaces.

In other action, the Commission voted 54, with a tiebreaking vote cast by Chairman Seymour Koslowsky, to tear down most of a concrete “bench wall” recently

built at Sycamore Park. The concrete wall had aroused the ire of neighborhood residents. Those residents, represented by Town Councilmen Neil S. Sullivan and Claire Lazarowitz, have “made their wishes clear,” in the words of Mr. Burrell: The wall had to go.

The commission figures that removing the wall will cost between $8,000 and $10,000; the Commission is not clear where the money will come from, but Mr. Burrell is confident it can be found. It will not come from the budget for Pocket Parks, Mr. Burrell emphasized.

In the public comment portion of the meeting, Westfield residents Caroline Loffredo and Kim Sokol asked when playground equipment would be installed at Sycamore Park.

Mr. Burrell said the order for the equipment had been placed, that the factory took six weeks to fill most orders and that installation could be expected in six to eight weeks.

Ms. Sokol asked whether landscaping Sycamore Park would involve heavy equipment, specifically trucks. Mr. Burrell assured her that most work would be done with hand tools.

In other business, Youth Services Coordinator Chuck Sopars described a problem at the Teen Center, which is located in the basement of the Municipal Building. Clogged drains have caused floor tiles to come loose. Mr. Burrell said some grant money may be available to fix the drains.

Late in the meeting, Mrs. Weinstein pointed out that local residents had complained about the condition of the grass outfields between baseball fields number five and six at Tamaques Park. Lacrosse and soccer games, sometimes played at the same time as softball and baseball, have chewed up the turf until “It looks like a sandlot in New York City.”

Mr. Burrell said he would look into the matter. But, he said, a real solution would require “skinning, rolling, and resodding,” and that would cost a lot of money and take the field out of play for a significant period.

bers felt this new arrangement was a way to guarantee each “wave” of membership a fair opportunity to purchase pool passes.

The Recreation Department staff had braced itself for a long waiting line for the last round of signups on Monday.

Mr. Gildea said the first person was in line at 4: 15 a. m. He said it was a Scotch Plains resident he knew. By 4: 30 a. m. there was a line, and by 8: 30 a. m. that line wound down East Broad Street.

A Westfield policeman had to direct traffic because of the number of cars and people crossing the street, Mr. Gildea said. Most in line, however, seemed in good spirits.

The seven earliest seekers of nonresident Westfield Memorial Pool permits, including the first in line, arrived together in a minivan caravan at 4: 15 a. m.

All women, they were mostly from Fanwood, with one each from Scotch Plains and Berkeley Heights. They brought coffee and discussed the minimal breakfasts they had eaten before coming for their pool passes. Two of the women were nine months pregnant.

Laura Lamastra, Lisa Endres, Pam Franks, Laura Burns, Joan Chemidlin, Ann Marie Erickson and Christine Ferris waited in the 49degree chill and discussed their space for a growing population of girl

athletes.

·Replacing damaged gymnasium wall heaters.

In recommending high school expansion over use of the Armory and Lincoln School, Dr. Foley and the board emphasized the importance of maintaining the high school’s high academic standards, while preserving the personal quality of studentteacher and studentstudent interaction.

The board wants to avoid fragmenting the student body and depersonalizing the high school experience.

During the comment period, several board members and members of the public spoke in favor of keeping class size small. The current class size limit at the high school is 25.

Cindy Cochrane of Westfield said, “You hear it in the carpools” that increasing class size limits student participation. Less aggressive students, she said, worry about not taking part in class discussion “if this is going to be part of my grade.”

During his presentation on ways to deal with the growing student population, Dr. Foley also had said that some students might have to be barred by audition from joining high school band or orchestra.

Board Member Annmarie Puleio objected to auditions for musical ensembles. She wondered what would happen to students who love music, but “who don’t make the cut.”

Public attendance at this meeting was small, primarily confined to Westfield residents who had already served on an earlier Citizen’s Advisory Committee for handling increased enrollment at the middle school level.

Dr. Foley displayed architect’s drawings of the proposed expansion, emphasizing that these plans “are only a sketch.”

But, he said, “I’ve gotten two sets of drawings from the architects in the last two days, and the more I see, the better it looks.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

BOE Mulls WHS Plans

children — and the wait. “This is a Westfieldism,” one of them said, at which all laughed.

By 7 a. m., the line was 92 strong, snaking around the front of the Municipal Building. By 8 a. m., people near the front of the line stayed cordial, ducking in and out to visit the Police Department bathroom or to warm up in cars.

Mr. Gildea said he went outside at 9 a. m. with a megaphone and informed everyone to continue waiting in line because if memberships were sold out that morning, the town would be maintaining a waiting list.

By the end of Monday, 1,740 of the 1,800 memberships had been sold.

Mr. Gildea reported to the Recreation Commission Monday night: “Before the pool even opens, we’ve got a successful season. We’ve finally figured out how to get people to show up early.”

The pool will open for the season on Saturday, June 3, from noon to 8 p. m. It will be open on Sunday, June 4, from 10 a. m. to 8 p. m. and during that week, June 5 through 9, it will be open in the afternoons from 4 to 8 p. m.

On Saturday, June 10, the pool will begin its regular seasonal hours of 10 a. m. to 8 p. m. on weekends and noon to 8: 30 p. m. on weekdays.

Pool Memberships Reported Sold Out for Summer 2000

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

it is ideal in keeping with Westfield’s Master Plan to preserve historically significant buildings whenever possible.

“This building is an architectural legacy and the applicant is demonstrating a commitment to appreciating and restoring its heritage,” Mr. La Place stated.

When asked what the DWC’s position was on the parking deficit for this site, Mr. La Place commented that any use of this building will have parking needs, for which the town will have to find a solution.

A previous application to house office space in the building was denied due to the extreme demand for daytime parking, which that application would have required.

Board member Robert Newell said he agreed that this usage would be beneficial for Westfield, predicated on the applicant meeting numerous conditions. The major concern, he stated, was that restaurant employees would be required to park in a specified lot, away from the central business district’s highdemand areas.

According to Mr. Rosenbaum, the restaurant would require approximately 25 employees on site during its peak hours of operation on Friday and Saturday nights. He estimated that lunch time would require approximately 10 to 12 employees.

Mr. Newell also commented that 350 seats was an “enormous” capacity for any establishment and that he didn’t know if 60 parking spaces were going to be adequate.

“If you are successful, you will need a lot more parking,” Mr. Newell told the applicant.

Mayor Jardim told the board that this application would be beneficial for improving Westfield’s night life and the survival of other businesses.

“Short of knocking down this building and putting a parking deck there, this is the best usage for this location,” the Mayor joked.

Other concerns voiced by board members included traffic congestion being aggravated by the intended valet parking in front of the building on Elm Street.

Mr. Rosenbaum stated that there was room for four cars to be pulled

over, then driven down Elm Street directly into the North Avenue train station lot. The return trip would involve circling around the block to bring the vehicles back to the building’s Elm Street side.

Board member Anthony LaPorta pointed out that parking and traffic congestion problems were preferable to having a dead business district with no traffic problems.

During questioning of the applicant, Ray Schmiel, Director of Design and Construction for Charlie Brown’s Acquisition Group, the parent company of the Jolly Trolley on North Avenue, told the board he had several concerns, arguing the application would create numerous parking problems for both employees and customers of the steak house.

Mr. Schmiel pointed out that having employees walk to a distant lot with large amounts of cash on them posed a safety problem in terms of potential crime.

“In my extensive experience running restaurants and valet parking, I can envision the problems this size restaurant is going to create,” he remarked.

After the meeting, Mr. Schmiel told The Leader that he loves Westfield and hopes the downtown thrives, but that, in his experience, a restaurant needs to have a nightly turnover rate of three times in order to turn a profit.

“Even if the restaurant is not at full capacity, they would need to serve approximately 900 patrons a night in order to survive,” he stated. “Estimating four to a car, that would require 225 parking spaces for overlapping periods of time.”

The final approval by the board included conditions regarding screening of dumpsters, approval of the loading zone in the rear lot by the Westfield Fire Department, cleaning up the rear of the lot and fully restoring the exterior brick.

Mr. Rosenbaum stated that he expects to have the restaurant completed in stages, with an initial opening in late October, if the Building Department was forthcoming with required approvals. Otherwise, opening may be delayed until early spring.

Board Approves Restaurant For Vacant Elm St. Building

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Ingrid McKinley for The Westfield Leader WHOSE FLEECE WAS WHITE AS SNOW… Desiree McLaughlin, 8, rests with her lamb, Dolce, during the annual Sheep To Shawl Day at the MillerCory House Museum in Westfield. The day’s events included creating numerous crafts from days gone by, tours of the Museum, sampling prepared baked goods and butter, and a scavenger hunt around the property.

are getting away with not following the rules, which is detrimental to others,” Mr. Albano told The Westfield Leader.

The town straightened out the spaces in the municipal lot, which used to be angled, in order to stack them and increase capacity. R. E. D. issued the town a twofoot easement to encroach on its property to accomplish this feat.

In order to create more spaces, the applicant gave an easement to the town so it could utilize the applicant’s property to straighten spaces, thus increasing parking capacity.

“The concept was that they would lease 11 spaces from the town. The Planning Board did not say they would be marked on the ground,” said Town Attorney William S. Jeremiah, 2nd.

Third Ward Councilman Neil F. Sullivan questioned what he said are another four spaces that were marked reserved by PaineWebber in lot no. 2A. Mr. Sullivan said two of those spaces are “predominantly” located on town property.

According to the board’s resolution, the four spaces are restricted for PaineWebber use.

Mr. Sullivan said that by leasing the spaces, PaineWebber moved ahead of what he estimated are 30 persons waiting for parking permits in the Shell commuter lot.

Town Administrator Thomas B. Shannon, after hearing the background of the case, said he felt the town “should just let it be,” indicating it appeared to be more of a communication problem. He said it appeared R. E. D. felt the 11 municipal spaces were for their use.

Mr. Albano felt the reserved markings should be removed and that whoever gets there first gets the spaces. First Ward Councilman Gregory S. McDermott said that to penalize PaineWebber would be “antibusiness.”

Mayor Thomas C. Jardim said he was not in favor of having PaineWebber go through the parking application pro

Council Opts Not to Rescind Permits Issued to PaineWebber for Lot 2A

cess again. In other business, the council, after a lengthy discussion, agreed to increase the appropriation in this year’s municipal budget for a jitney bus service by $70,000.

The council had originally only included $40,000 for operation costs to initiate a bus service in town for seniors. The additional funds are intended to expand that service to include commuters.

Numbers thrown out on the table ranged between $40,000 and $150,000, the latter figure proposed by Fourth Ward Councilwoman Janis Fried Weinstein. Mayor Jardim suggested $100,000, with Councilman Sullivan proposing $110,000. Mrs. Weinstein’s proposal was based on four buses.

Second Ward Councilman James J. Gruba, Finance Committee Chairman, was not in favor of increasing the funding, since the council has not even seen a concrete plan including actual cost estimates. He supported the $40,000 for the senior service jitney, noting this budget line item had been discussed at length.

Mr. Sullivan said he feared that if sufficient funding is not included in the budget, a commuter jitney would not become a reality until the fall of 2001 at the earliest. He noted that the idea has been on the table for several years.

Mayor Jardim observed that a line item is included in this year’s county budget where the town would receive use of the Paratransit buses for commuters. He noted that the program, however, has been held up by litigation between the county and a potential vendor.

Mr. Shannon noted that consultant Rich and Associates, Inc. has finished its contract with the town. The consultant completed a “Comprehensive Parking Plan” highlighted by two proposed parking structures. Mr. Shannon said the next phase for Rich and Associates

would be to develop a plan for a specific location for a deck if the council goes in that direction.

He said that phase, costing another $30,000, would include design work on that structure, along with additional parking studies.

Mr. Marsh noted that the Parking Steering Committee will be meeting in the next few weeks to discuss progress with the RBA Group for traffic calming improvements aimed at enhancing pedestrian safety along Rahway Avenue.

A recommendation of officials is to install an inpavement lit crosswalk at Westfield High School and the National Guard Armory building. The town has received a $10,000 grant from the state for such a system. The County of Union has indicated it will install inpavement lighting at the crosswalk adjacent to Temple EmanuEl on East Broad Street.

Mr. Marsh said RBA has completed its data collection for East Broad, where it is also looking at traffic calming remedies. RBA is now working on proposed designs for how to enhance safety along the thoroughfare.

Police Academy to Offer Training Paid by Applicants

For Class Starting July 28

SCOTCH PLAINS – Union County Prosecutor Thomas V. Manahan has announced that the John H. Stamler Police Academy in Scotch Plains will offer the Alternate Route Basic Program in the next police recruit class beginning Friday, July 28.

The program offers county residents an alternative to applying for a position with a municipal police department whereby upon acceptance of the applicant all costs are picked up by the department. The alternative program is paid for by the cadets and opens themselves up for police openings throughout the county.

Since initiating the program in 1993, 78 of the 80 recruits completing the program received employment as police officers, according to Academy Director Anthony Parenti, former Police Chief in Fanwood.

All candidates in the program must be county residents and have a minimum of 60 college credits at an institution of higher learning. Tuition costs of $1,200 will be charged to each candidate. Candidates can also receive 12 academic credits if they enroll in Union County College.

“One of the project’s goals is to create a pool of trained officers who could then be hired by local departments, sparing the municipalities the costs associated with officer training,” Mr. Manahan stated.

Mr. Parenti told The Westfield Leader and The Times of Scotch PlainsTimes

that once applicants complete the program they are certified through the New Jersey Police Training Commission. He said police departments can hire any of the recruits and place them in a job immediately.

“The alternate program provides an opportunity (for county residents)

to get training at their expense” thus putting themselves on the job market for openings as police officers.

Prior to being accepted into the program, applicants must take written and oral examinations, and pass medical, physical and psychological tests.

Berkeley Heights Police Chief Charles M. Monica, President of the Union County Police Chiefs Association, noted that the Academy first offered the program as a pilot project in 1993. He said over 95 percent of all Alternate Route candidates who graduated from the academy have obtained jobs in law enforcement.

Legislation enacted in December has enabled all police academies to offer the program. Union County had been only one of four of the state’s 21 counties to offer the program, Mr. Parenti told The Leader and The Times.

Mr. Parenti said Alternate Route recruits receive the same instruction as the regular police cadets during the 19week training session. They also wear the same uniforms and must adhere to a strict regimen, including daily physical training.

The courses included in the program are firearms, investigations, court system procedures, crime prevention, community relations, juvenile crime, domestic violence, the basics of the state’s criminal code, drug enforcement, crash injury management, crime scene management, constitutional rights and use of force.

Anyone interested in the program may pick an application at the Academy, 1176 Raritan Road, Scotch Plains. For more information, please Mr. Parenti at (908) 8896112. All applications must be returned to the Academy before Friday, May 12.

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