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PTA Council Prepares Superintendent Coffee
SCOTCH PLAINS — The Scotch Plains-Fanwood PTA Council will host an evening coffee with Dr. Carol B. Choye, Superintendent of the Scotch PlainsFanwood Schools on Tuesday, February 23, at 7 p.m. in the Media Center of Park Middle School.
This forum will provide an opportunity for the public to meet with the Superintendent in an informal setting and to exchange ideas and opinions.
The public is invited to bring their questions, concerns and compliments to this meeting.
Historical Society of SP-F Plans Slide Show, Lecture
SCOTCH PLAINS — The monthly meeting of the Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood will host guest speaker Lester Owens, an historical researcher, on Tuesday, February 23, at 8 p.m. at Fanwood Train Station.
Mr. Owens will speak on the Underground Railroad in New Jersey. He will show slides of the routes escaped slaves took through New Jersey as they left their owners.
He will also discuss how some New Jersey residents aided the runaways by assisting in giving safe passage by hiding them in their homes.
The meeting is open to the public.
For further information on the society, please contact Richard Bousquet, President of the society, at P.O. Box 261, Scotch Plains, 07076 or call (908) 232-1199.
School District Schedules Kindergarten Registration
WESTFIELD — The Westfield Public School District will conduct kindergarten registration for the 19992000 school year from Thursday, March 4, to Friday, March 12.
The district is also registering children who have not been in the public school system but will enter kindergarten grade in the fall. Any Westfield child who reaches his/her fifth or sixth birthday on or before Friday, October 1, is eligible to register.
The child’s birth certificate, evidence of residency within the district and compliance with district health requirements must be presented at the time of registration.
Parents of incoming kindergarten and new-to-the-district first grade students should call to schedule an appointment to register their children. If registration will take place during the day, the child’s neighborhood school must be called in order to schedule an appointment.
Evening registration will be available at the Board of Education administration building at 302 Elm Street in the second floor conference room. Evening registrants must call (908) 789-4420 to make an appointment.
Registration will be held on the following days:
· Thursday, March 4, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wilson Elementary School, (908) 789-4605.
· Friday, March 5, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wilson Elementary School, (908) 789-4605.
· Friday, March 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Washington Elementary School, (908) 789-4600.
· Monday, March 8, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Franklin Elementary School, (908) 789-4592.
· Tuesday, March 9, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tamaques Elementary School, (908) 789-4580.
· Tuesday, March 9, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Administration Building, (908) 789-4420.
· Wednesday, March 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at McKinley Elementary School, (908) 789-4555.
· Wednesday, March 10, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Administration Building, (908) 789-4420.
· Thursday, March 11, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jefferson Elementary School, (908) 789-4490.
· Friday, March 12, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Franklin Elementary School, (908) 789-4592.
Arts Association Names Winners of Exhibition
SCOTCH PLAINS — Mary Hovanec, Chairwoman of the Scotch Plains and Fanwood Arts Association’s Annual Members Show, announced the winners of the show during a special reception February 13 at the Scotch Plains Public Library, where the exhibition was held.
The Best in Show ribbon and Silver Bowl were awarded to Kenneth Malpas for his oil painting entitled “Our House.”
In the Oil and Acrylic competition, first place was awarded to Ruth Gunther for her painting entitled “Jersey Shore”; second place went to Steve Tomczyk for “Westfield Diner”, and third place was received by Gi Wan Song for “Horse”.
Honorable Mentions were given to Diana Cammack for “Tropical Birds” and to Yvonne Low for “Down on the Farm”.
In the Watercolor division, first place went to Mrs. Hovanec for “Springtime”; second place was awarded to Jocelyn Wong for “Iris Garden”, and third place was presented to Dorothy Luciano for “Winter Village.”
Honorable Mentions were given to Betsey Ruff for “Lilacs” and to Pam Yeager for “Autumn Shades.”
In the Photography division, first place was awarded to Peter Hovanec for “Awesome Ride” and second place was given to Robert Hahn for “Japanese Motif”.
In the Mixed Media and Crafts division, Joan Westernik won first place for “Lovely”; second place went to Marjorie McConnell for “Ecological Scrimshaw”, and third place was awarded to Shirley Farkas for “Homegrown Keepsake”.
Honorable Mentions were presented to Stephen Westernik for “Projection” and to Barbara Swindlehurst for “My Bonsai”.
Lecture Series To Discuss Special Astronomy Topics
WESTFIELD – “Telescopes and Time Machines” will be presented as part of the Westfield Lecture Series on Thursday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Assembly Hall of The Presbyterian Church in Westfield, 140 Mountain Avenue.
Dr. Michael Vogeley, an astronomer, will discuss how those in his profession study the galaxies, as they are today and as they existed before the first stars were born.
He will explain how this study helps scientists understand the history of the universe. Dr. Vogeley will also examine recent data that reveals the evolution of the universe, and will discuss the impact of these results on cosmological theories.
A member of the Research Staff at Princeton University’s Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Dr. Vogeley is involved in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a project that digitally maps the Northern celestial sky.
He has been a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University, the Space Telescope Institute, and Princeton University. Dr. Vogeley was awarded a Hubble Fellowship to conduct research on galaxy evolution using the Hubble Space Telescope.
Refreshments will follow the presentation. This lecture will be the third in the Westfield Lecture Series, which is sponsored by the Westfield Foundation and the Westfield “Y”.
Mountainside GOP Sets Special Convention
MOUNTAINSIDE — The Mountainside Republican Club will hold its Second Annual Convention to nominate candidates for the positions of Mayor and council members on Wednesday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. at Borough Hall.
For membership information regarding the Mountainside Republican Club, please call Clark Landale, the Vice-President for Membership, at (908) 654-1987.
Woman’s Club Plans Fundraiser Dinner
SCOTCH PLAINS – The Scotch Plains Woman’s Club, in cooperation with Friendly’s Restaurant in Scotch Plains, will hold a fundraiser dinner on Tuesday, March 16, from 4 to 8 p.m.
The public will be invited to eat dinner or buy food for takeout at the Friendly’s Restaurant. Profits will help the club raise money for their scholarship fund.
For more information, please call (908) 232-1226.
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Only $149.00 New Mountainside Council Salaries Cause Stir;
Replaces System for Unvouchered Expenses By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
MOUNTAINSIDE — In a 4-to-1 vote, the Mountainside Borough Council, Tuesday night, adopted on second reading an ordinance giving Mayor Robert F. Viglianti and council members an annual salary of $1,500.
This move amends the former practice of paying members of the governing body $1,200 each in unvouchered expenses annually in lieu of a salary.
Councilman Werner C. Schon cast the lone vote against the ordinance after hearing negative comments from audience members and after failing to have the discussion tabled until the council’s Tuesday, March
16, meeting. He had made a motion to have it tabled, as originally suggested by Mayor Viglianti, but since the motion was not seconded by any other council members, the governing body was required to vote on the decree that evening.
Council members who voted in favor of the ordinance included Paul Mirabelli, Keith C. Turner, Glenn Mortimer and Council President Thomas Perrotta. Ronald W. Romak was not present at the meeting.
In accordance with the laws governing the borough, Mayor Viglianti does not vote on council ordinances, and only votes in the case of a tie among council members, according to Borough Clerk Judith E. Osty.
As Mayor Viglianti stated Tuesday evening, however, he does have the authority to suggest the tabling of an ordinance until the council’s next meeting, so that additional information can be obtained or more research can be done.
Strong opposition for the ordinance came from a number of borough residents, among them Adela Magnolia and Jean Wilhelms, both of whom addressed the Mayor and council on the issue.
Ms. Magnolia, who stated that she also expressed her opposition in a formal letter to the governing body, said she supported the idea of officials being reimbursed for vouchered expenses only.
Mrs. Wilhelms stated that she was also said she favored vouchered expenses only.
Another resident, Karen McQueen, said the idea of a salary for the council and Mayor of Mountainside sends a negative message to the borough, saying that “you are asking for residents to volunteer, but you are trying to get paid yourself.”
Joseph Indick, who stated that he had served over 10 years on the borough’s library board, said that the matter of giving the members of council and mayor a salary instead of unvouchered expenses should have been announced earlier so as to gen
erate more community input. Scott Schmedel echoed the sentiments of Mr. Indick, stating that there should have been a public announcement made when the first decision was announced last year to change from a mandated stipend to an unvouchered expense account.
According to records that state back to the early 1970s, each member of the council received $45 per month up until last year when this stipend was changed to reimburse council members for unvouchered expenses.
In order for an ordinance to pass it has to go through two readings, which serve as public hearings, so that members of the community can comment or ask questions.
When asked about why the council wanted to adopt the ordinance, veteran Councilman Keith Turner commented that the time and expense of keeping records for each fax, phone call, travel and baby-sitting for when his wife is attending school or other functions was burdensome and takes away from the time he needs to do his job as a councilman.
He also stated that the previous stipend system had been in place for 25 years. Councilman Turner stated that his expenses to serve on the council have far exceeded the amount he has received from the borough
CHARITABLE WORKER…Tricia Nering, right, of Fanwood was recently recognized by Fanwood Mayor Maryanne S. Connelly, left, and the Borough Council for her charitable work in the community. Four years ago, she launched the “Heart for Humanity Campaign,” which is dedicated to helping the needy. Mrs. Nering, who was presented with a resolution from the governing body, volunteers with the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Welfare Department, the Salvation Army and the Interfaith Council for the Homeless by accepting and delivering donations of food, clothes and furniture to the needy. She has also helped families in need by working with the Girl Scouts, along with local schools and charitable organizations.
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