The Westfield Leader Newspaper

OUR 108th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 3-99 FIFTY CENTS 232-4407

The Westfield Leader — Serving the Town Since 1890 —

Thursday, January 21, 1999 USPS 680020 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J.

Published Every Thursday

INDEX INDEX INDEX INDEX INDEX

Business ........ Page 16 County .......... Page 2 Editorial ........ Page 4

Mountainside Page 3 Obituary ........ Page 9 Religious ....... Page 8

Social ............ Page 6 Sports ............ Page 11

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Wyckoff Building Expansion To Include Two New Floors By SUSAN M. DYCKMAN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

During a special meeting on January 14, the Westfield Planning Board gave R.E.D. Realty the go ahead to raise the roof at 109 North Avenue (formerly Wyckoff’s restaurant) to accommodate retail space at street level and office space on new second and third floors.

The offices of Paine Webber, presently located at 219 East Broad Street, plan to lease the upper floors of the building.

The architectural design presented by Barbara Vincentsen of Vincentsen Associates, LLP of Westfield on behalf of R.E.D. Realty, portrayed “a building with presence” at “the gateway to the business district.”

“We want this building to form an image,” Mrs. Vincentsen explained.

According to the architect, her client’s interest in doing something more with the Wyckoff building site

coincided with an ordinance change to extend Westfield’s business district along North Avenue by putting retail space and a storefront at that location.

In commenting on the proposed site plan, Town Engineer Kenneth B. Marsh stated, “This is a unique opportunity to replace a nondescript monolith with what could be a landmark building.”

The first floor of the building will be faced with durable cast stone at the suggestion of Westfield’s Architectural Review Board. The cast stone will be applied in large-block panels to look like real stone. The upper stories will have a stucco-like finish.

With respect to color, Mrs. Vincentsen proposed “light, neutral tones” in keeping with the colors of buildings in that area of town.

Comprehensive presentations from Mrs. Vincentsen and Michael Tobia, a planning consultant, convinced the Planning Board to approve the site plan and grant the variances necessary to allow the project to proceed.

Variances addressed the number of parking spaces, signage, rear yard setback requirements, the width of the parking stalls and a loading zone.

Not surprisingly, the parking issue precipitated the most discussion among Mrs. Vincentsen, Mr. Tobia and the board. Originally, the site provided just 24 of a required 58 (43 office, 15 retail) parking spaces.

The architect’s plan suggests reconfiguring and expanding the public parking spaces at the rear of the property. This would yield an additional 10 to 12 spots which the tenants could lease from the town for use by office employees.

An additional variance was granted to allow for parking stall widths of 8 feet, 6 inches versus the required 9 feet. There will also be some stacked parking earmarked for employees on the second and third floors.

Prior to the Planning Board meeting, Westfield’s Architectural Review Board had objected to the proposed wall signage on the Central Avenue side of the building, and the proposed signage over the retail entryway on the west side of the building.

Mrs. Vincentsen defended the proposed signage, stating, “I believe it needs it. It’s an object in space that needs to be identified.”

Ultimately, the board granted approval for the following signage: a third-floor sign on the Central Avenue side of the building that identifies the upstairs tenant; a North Avenue-side sign above the storefront identifying the retailer, plus two signs along the parking side of the building — one over the doors to the retail space, and a second over the entrance to the second and third floors which identifies that tenant.

There is no illumination proposed for the external signage.

Mr. Tobia also confirmed that, like other properties in downtown Westfield, the lot cannot provide the space required for a loading zone and dock. He indicated that deliveries would occur during “off-peak retail hours,” and would likely take place on site rather than from North Avenue.

The planner summarized the positive aspects of the project as follows: it provides a better ratable for Westfield that guarantees keeping a

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Candidates May Submit Nominating Petitions For Local BOE Seats

By SUSAN M. DYCKMAN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

School board elections in Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Westfield and Mountainside are still three months away, but prospective candidates may now obtain nominating petitions and additional information from the Board Secretary’s office in their respective towns. Board members are elected to three-year terms in each of the communities.

There are three seats open on Westfield’s Board of Education, as the terms of Susan Jacobson, Annmarie Puleio and Arlene Gardner conclude in April. Mrs. Jacobson recently announced she will not seek re-election to the board on which she has served for the past 12 years.

Ms. Puleio and Ms. Gardner are completing their freshman terms on the school board, having first been elected in 1996. According to the office of School Business Administrator and Board Secretary Robert Berman, they have not yet officially declared their intent to run for reelection.

In Scotch Plains-Fanwood, the school board seats held by Jessica D. Simpson of Fanwood, and Edward J. Saridaki, Jr. and Morris H. Gillet of Scotch Plains, are up for election this spring.

Mrs. Simpson and Mr. Gillet are each concluding their second terms on the board, having first been elected in 1993. Mr. Saridaki, who was first elected in 1996, is completing his inaugural term.

On January 19, the Board Secretary’s office in Scotch Plains confirmed that, as yet, no nominating petitions have been filed by

present board members or any other members of the community.

Vacancies on the Mountainside Board of Education this year include the seats of Patricia Knodel and John Perrin. Neither board member, or any other candidates, have filed petitions so far, according to the school board office.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Drug and Alcohol Prevention, High School Grading Policy Reviewed by School Board By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN

Specially Written for the Westfield Leader

During its Tuesday meeting, the Westfield Board of Education examined the procedures, policies, and effectiveness involved in the Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program which is implemented throughout the district.

Maureen Mazzarese, Student Assistance Counselor at Westfield High School, and Marie Koch, Student Assistance Counselor for Westfield’s intermediate schools, welcomed questions from board and audience members while detailing their efforts in prevention and intervention of substance abuse.

“We are here to help the kids. It is that simple,” stressed Mrs. Mazzarese, who has assisted Westfield High School students for 11 years.

She stated that the high school program is comprised of counseling,

prevention, intervention, and the student’s reentry into the school system for treatment and guidance.

While stressing that the issue of substance abuse involves a student’s emotional and social development, Mrs. Mazzarese revealed that students, staff, administration and guidance counselors are extremely proactive in establishing “a zero tolerance policy” for substance abuse.

Mrs. Koch, who has served the intermediate schools for three years, stressed that students are deeply affected by issues and problems concerning their personal and home lives which, in turn, may trigger substance abuse.

She stated that in past years, nearly 10 percent of students could be cited as having some type of dysfunction in their lives that could be linked to behavioral problems – a figure which

she said has grown to 50 percent in recent years.

Board member Annmarie Puleio questioned the effectiveness of the program’s policies at school functions, such as proms, dances, or sports events.

Mrs. Mazzarese stated that if a student is found to be intoxicated at a school function, the first priority is to maintain the safety and well-being of the young adult.

The student’s parents are notified, medical care is administered by an Emergency Medical Technician from the Westfield Volunteer Rescue Squad, a written evaluation of the student’s physical and emotional state

is constructed and given to a counselor, and intervention follows.

“We do a decent job,” explained Mrs. Mazzarese, who handles two to three suicide interventions per week. “Kids do get past us, though. It happens. I wish it didn’t.”

She stated that the most dangerous time for students would not be during a social function at school, while under counselor, staff, and parent supervision, but before or after the event.

Pointing to the growing danger of binge drinking on college and high school campuses nationwide, Mrs. Koch stated, “The more we deny, the

Courtesy of Vincentsen Associates

A NEW LOOK...The Westfield Planning Board, Monday night, approved an application to add two floors to the former Wyckoff’s restaurant building on North Avenue. Pictured above, clockwise, is the building as it looks today, as well as the artist renderings of the front and side of the building when construction is completed.

Judge Cuddie Davidson, Jr., 77, Dies; Assistant Prosecutor, Town Attorney

By PAUL J. PEYTON

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

Westfield will remember a longtime servant of the community, as well as the judiciary, when retired Superior Court Judge Cuddie E. Davidson, Jr. is memorialized this Saturday, January 23, during a 2 p.m. service at The Presbyterian Church in Westfield.

Judge Davidson died Tuesday morning at his Bridgewater home after a long illness.

Born in Chicago in 1921, he was raised in Miami, Oklahoma where his father, Cuddie E. Davidson, Sr., was a judge of the Ottawa County Court.

The family moved to New Jersey in 1934. The younger Davidson lived in Westfield for 57 years prior to moving to Bridgewater.

He served as Union County Assistant Prosecutor and later as Town Attorney in Westfield before resigning when named to the Superior Court bench in 1973. He served for 15 years and retired in 1988.

“Cuddie was a strong individual. He had a lot of compassion but was known on the bench for his strength,” his long-time friend and former law partner, Grant Buttermore, told The Westfield Leader.

The firm was originally started by Gustus Nash in the 1920s. Judge Davidson’s father later joined Mr. Nash, the Town Magistrate (a position now called the Municipal Judge) at the time, to form Nash and Davidson. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Judge Cuddie E. Davidson, Jr.

After Mr. Nash’s retirement in 1950, Judge Davidson’s father operated the firm on his own until he was joined by his son as a partner. At this time, the law firm was renamed Davidson and Davidson. The East Broad Street firm is now known as Buttermore Mullen Jeremiah and Phillips.

“He (Judge Davidson) had two loves – golf and the law – and he did well at both of them,” said Mr. Buttermore. “He was well known and loved in town.”

Mr. Buttermore described Judge Davidson as “very strict – very precise,” and as someone who “always called a spade a spade.” He further described his former law partner as “a very studious student of the law.”

Former Westfield Councilwoman Betty List was a long-time neighbor of the Judge. She fondly recalled his “wonderful sense of humor,” as well as his impact on the community.

“He was an extraordinary person and a wonderful neighbor,” said Mrs. List. “He represented all that was good and noble.”

Mrs. List served on the council from 1977 to 1984, a tenure that began after Judge Davidson had

Town Strikes Out In Bid to Privatize

Trash Collection By PAUL J. PEYTON

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

Westfield’s first go around to privatize the collection of garbage at receptacles in the downtown, as well as those throughout the town including the parks, generated only one bid, which was significantly higher than the town had budgeted for.

The Town Council agreed to rebid the contract, but only after officials contact local disposal companies to determine their apparent lack of interest in the town’s proposal.

Town Engineer and Director of Public Works Kenneth B. Marsh noted that while six firms picked up the bid specifications, only Allied Waste actually submitted a proposal.

The bid, though, was nearly $156,000 a year, or $13,000 a month — nearly five times what the town currently pays in overtime for Department of Public Works crews to do the collections.

“We are thinking of privatizing because we think they could do it better than us or cheaper than us, but it (the bid) is not even close (to what it currently costs the town to do the pickups),” Mr. Marsh explained.

Disposal firms were invited to submit bids both for a monthly fee as well as alternatives, such as the number of days a week they would collect, along with cost estimates.

Allied provided only one bid regardless of the number of times it would a send a garbage truck to collect from 200 trash cans around the town.

The bid includes 100 receptacles in the downtown, 35 of which will be purchased by the Downtown Westfield Corporation, and another 100 located throughout the town, including Mindowaskin and Tamaques Parks.

“Now whether you pick up the CBD (central business district), 100 cans, or you pick up all the cans, 200, it’s the same price (under Allied’s bid,” explained Town Administrator Edward A. Gottko.

“Whether you pick up three days a week or seven days a week, its the same price. There’s no rhyme or reason,” he added.

Mr. Marsh noted the collection would involve around 100 tons of waste a year. The disposal cost would be roughly $5,000 — an amount, he

said, which should not impact whether disposal companies bid on the contract.

“It’s not even backyard (collection). It’s all curbside,” he noted.

Second Ward Councilman Matthew P. Albano suggested that the town rebid the contract. That process, under the state public contracts law, will take 60 days.

Second Ward Councilman James J. Gruba commented, “Somehow it seems they didn’t understand what we wanted.”

Mr. Marsh said prospective bidders had 60 days to ask any questions they had regarding the contract. He said his office received no such inquiries.

Prior to taking this action, though, Solid Waste Committee Chairman Gregory S. McDermott, representing the First Ward, said he would like Mr. Marsh to contact local disposal companies to find out why they did not submit bids.

One of the reasons why the town has been thinking of privatizing the collection is to avoid the purchase of another garbage truck for the town. Officials said the current truck is literally on its last legs. In addition, the DWC is seeking an increase in collections, particularly on Sunday mornings, to avoid the pileup of waste in the cans.

It was also suggested that the First Occupational Center, a not-for-profit corporation, may want to apply for the contract. As a non-profit, the organization is exempt from the bidding process. The center hires physically challenged individuals.

In other business, a special task force was formed to work on plans being formulated by the town regarding pedestrian safety and traffic calming devices.

The town was awarded a state Department of Transportation planning grant in December to put together a plan for bicyclist and pedestrian safety for areas within the central business district, as well as school walking paths including the one leading to Westfield High School. Lehr & Associates of Trenton will provide its services at no charge to the town.

The town has also hired the RBA Group in Morristown to conduct studies for placement of traffic calming

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Paul J. Peyton for The Westfield Leader

A TRIBUTE TO DR. KING...Mayor Thomas C. Jardim and members of the Westfield clergy lead the 12th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., procession down Westfield Avenue on their way to the First United Methodist Church on North Avenue.

Page 10 Thursday, January 21, 1999 The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

WESTFIELD FIRE BLOTTER

WESTFIELD POLICE BLOTTER

MONDAY, JANUARY 11

· One hundred block of Central Avenue – good intent call.

· One hundred block of Elm Street – system malfunction.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12

· Fifteen hundred block of Lamberts Mill Road – unintentional alarm.

· Four hundred block of Harrison Avenue – carbon monoxide detector activation.

· One hundred block of Fair Hill Road – system malfunction.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13

· Seven hundred block of Forest Avenue – carbon monoxide detector activation.

· One hundred block of Tudor Oval – smoke condition.

· Eight hundred block of North Avenue – wires down.

· One hundred block of Hawthorn Drive – unintentional alarm.

· One hundred block of East Broad Street – smoke investigation.

· Six hundred block of Shadowlawn Drive – unintentional alarm.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14

· Sixteen hundred block of Rahway Avenue – system malfunction.

· Two hundred block of Elmer Street – unintentional alarm.

· One hundred block of Central Avenue – wires down.

· Fifteen hundred block of Lamberts Mill Road – system malfunction.

· One hundred block of New Providence Road – system malfunction.

· Fifteen hundred block of Lamberts Mill Road – system malfunction.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15

· On January 15, the Westfield Fire Department responded to 45 storm related calls. The nature of these calls were for wires, trees and tree limbs down due to the ice storm, which created many hazardous conditions. There were also alarm system malfunctions and water conditions caused by power failures.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16

· Five hundred block of Cumberland Street – wires down.

· Three hundred block of Clark Street – system malfunction.

· Six hundred block of Arlington Avenue – automobile accident.

· Seven hundred block of Fairacres Avenue – wires down.

· Seven hundred block of Fairacres Avenue – arcing wires.

· One hundred block of Connecticut Street – smoke condition.

· Four hundred block of Poets Place – unintentional alarm.

· Two hundred block of Woodland Avenue – unintentional alarm.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 17

· One hundred block of Ayliffe Avenue – natural gas leak.

· Nine hundred block of New England Drive – good intent call.

· Five hundred block of First Street – lock out.

· Three hundred block of Scotch Plains Avenue – smoke scare.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12

· Jamaal M. Jefferson, 18, of Plainfield was arrested and charged with theft of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property and operating a vehicle without a license, according to police.

Authorities said Jefferson was discovered in the 700 block of South Avenue, West, in a van which had been stolen in Plainfield. Jefferson, who was transported to the Union County Jail, was being held on $2,500 bail.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15

· Police received a report that two female suspects stole a pair of shoes valued at $109.99 from an East Broad Street store. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident, authorities said.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16

· A resident of Cacciola Place reported seeing a male suspect place her television set into his truck and leave the scene, police confirmed. No one has been charged in the theft.

· Anthony Perez, 18, of Westfield was arrested and charged with robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession

of a weapon, resisting arrest, shoplifting and criminal mischief, according to police.

Perez was apprehended after allegedly swinging a baseball bat at Detective David Wayman in the rear of the First Baptist Church building on Elm Street, according to police.

Detective Wayman was pursuing Perez on suspicion of having shoplifted a $60 football jersey from an East Broad Street athletic wear store a short time earlier, authorities said.

The officer managed to subdue Perez, who was also wanted on a no-bail fugitive warrant out of Texas, law enforcement officials confirmed.

Police said the weapons possession charges involved the baseball bat, and that the criminal mischief charge resulted from a window on the church having been broken as the suspect struggled with Detective Wayman. Neither the officer nor the suspect was injured in the incident.

Perez was transported to the Union County Jail, where he was being held on $50,000 bail on the Westfield charges, authorities said.

MONDAY, JANUARY 4

· Three hundred block of Clark Street – system malfunction.

· Five hundred block of South Avenue West – smoke investigation.

· Five hundred block of Clark Street – system malfunction.

· Three hundred block of Clifton Street – water condition.

· One hundred block of Plymouth Road – carbon monoxide detector activation.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5

· One hundred block of Bradson Court – system malfunction.

· Seven hundred block of Boulevard – system malfunction.

· Five hundred block of Springfield Avenue – unintentional alarm.

· Sixteen hundred block of Summit Avenue – gas leak.

· Three hundred block of Wychwood Road – unintentional alarm.

· One hundred block of Carol Road – carbon monoxide detector activation.

· Seven hundred block of Norgate – unintentional alarm.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6

· Five hundred block of Lenox Avenue – electrical short.

· Eight hundred block of Cranford Avenue – unintentional alarm.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7

· Thirteen hundred block of Summit Avenue – gas leak.

· Two hundred block of Clark Street – unintentional alarm.

· Twelve hundred block of Boulevard – automobile accident/extrication.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8

· Four hundred block of West Broad Street – unintentional alarm.

· One hundred block of New Providence Road – system malfunction.

· Eight hundred block of Branford Avenue – unintentional alarm.

· Three hundred block of Clark Street – system malfunction.

· One hundred block of Kimball Circle – electrical short.

· Five hundred block of Springfield Avenue – unintentional alarm.

· Seven hundred block of Fairacres Avenue – lock out.

· Five hundred block of East Broad Street – car fire.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9

· One hundred block of New Providence Road – unintentional alarm.

· One hundred block of Elmer Street – system malfunction.

· Two hundred block of Kimball Avenue – unintentional alarm.

· One hundred block of Elm Street – system malfunction.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10

· Lamberts Mill Road and Conservation Center – mulch fire.

· Eight hundred block of Cranford Avenue – system malfunction.

· Three hundred block of Livingston Street – good intent call.

· One hundred block of Elm Street – system malfunction.

· Eight hundred block of Cranford Avenue – system malfunction.

· One hundred block of Elm Street – system malfunction.

To become a member of a local Board of Education in New Jersey, the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) states “you must be able to read and write; hold citizenship and one year’s residence in the school district; have no interest in any contract with, or claim against, the board; not hold office as Mayor or as a member of the governing body of the same district, and be registered to vote in the district and not be disqualified as a voter under N.J.S.A. 19:4-1.”

The first step in becoming a candidate is completion of a nominating petition. Prospective candidates must obtain 10 signatures from qualified voters in their community as an endorsement of their candidacy. The petition must be filed at least 50 days before the Tuesday, April 20, election.

This year, interested parties have until 4 p.m. on Monday, March 1, to declare their candidacy by submitting a completed petition to the board secretary’s

office in their district. The NJSBA advises prospective candidates to consider the depth of the commitment required of school board members. It states:

1. Understand that education today is extremely complex.

2. Listen to opposing views and be able to defend the board’s philosophy and goals.

3. Be willing to invest the many hours necessary to meet your responsibilities.

4. Serve out of a sincere desire to benefit the community rather than for personal glory or to carry out personal objectives.

5. Bear in mind that, as a state official, you have a responsibility to all the children in the state, not solely to those in the local district.

Mr. Berman confirmed that board members devote a lot of time to board responsibilities, which include two monthly public meetings, two or three separate monthly committee meetings, and hours of “prep time” in between.

“Different times of the year mean different things,” he said, referring to the extra hours required during budget preparation or contract negotiations.

Mr. Berman Added, “You don’t really know what you’re getting into” in terms of time commitment until actually elected to the board.

Financial reporting of campaign contributions are another factor for candidates to consider. For example, board candidates who receive any contributions (including their own funds) are required under the New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Reporting Act to file a Certificate of Organization and Designation of Campaign Treasurer and Depository form with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

Candidates who intend to spend in excess of $2,400 must make a full and detailed report to the ELEC. Even if expenditures do not exceed $2,400, any single contribution in excess of $300 must be reported to the commission and the source identified.

In conjunction with the NJSBA, county school boards sponsor regional education programs for school board candidates in March. Programs address the structure and responsibilities of the school board, and provide information on topics such as policy-making, school administration, school finance and budgeting, school-community relations, collective bargaining, and relations among the board, superintendent and staff.

The briefing for Union County’s local school board candidates will take place on Thursday, March 18, at 7 p.m. at East Brunswick High School. For further information, please call (877) 294-6418.

Once elected, first-year board members are required by state law to attend an NJSBA training program on the roles and responsibilities of school board members. To satisfy this requirement, the NJSBA Board Member Academy offers an intensive “New Board Member Orientation” weekend conference.

The conference “is tailored to develop knowledge and skills that will help new members function effectively as part of a local board of education,” according to literature provided by the NJSBA.

The academy also offers ongoing educational opportunities for board members through programs that address labor relations, leadership skills, effective decision-making, policy-making, budgeting, community relations, school law and legislation.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Wyckoff Building Expansion To Include Two New Floors

major tenant in town. It also provides for mixed use of the site, retail and office, he explained.

It additionally offers a storefront and a better building “face” in all directions, Mr. Tobia maintained. The proposal includes landscaping, lighting and “full site redevelopment,” he noted, and provides a better parking arrangement that increases the yield of spaces.

“This is a classic example of cooperation between the private and public sector,” concluded Mr. Tobia.

Attorney Peter Fico, representing Ralph Evans, who owns the property adjacent to the Wyckoff building, questioned the ability of the 12-foot driftway to accommodate the anticipated changes in traffic “flow and volume” through the lots. The driftway is the passage from North Avenue to the strip of municipal parking at the rear of the lots.

Board Chairman Martin Robins acknowledged that the activity level of the

lot would change from that which accompanied “restaurant hours.” Going forward, “It would be subject to the ordinary ebb and flow of Westfield,” he said.

He went on to say, “This is a very important investment for Westfield from an economic and aesthetic point of view,” and congratulated the presenters for their “extraordinarily convincing testimony.” He also commended R.E.D. Realty for its willingness to “engage in dialogue” during the proposal’s development.

James Wright, manager of Paine Webber’s Westfield Office, confirmed the new location would enhance his firm’s visibility to clients, provide more parking space for employees, and allow the firm to expand from 7,000 square feet on East Broad Street to 10,000 square feet on North Avenue.

The board’s decision will be memorialized at its Monday, February 8 meeting.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

School BOE Reviews Policies On Drug, Alcohol, Grading

more we say these things can’t occur, the worse it becomes.”

She observed that students are under tremendous pressure to succeed, to fulfill expectations and to compete. In addition, she stressed that parental involvement is a key priority in substance abuse prevention.

Mrs. Koch urged parents, “Keep asking kids where they are going, what they are doing.” She added that parents must be held accountable.

“Parental supervision can never be enough,” added Mrs. Mazzarese.

During the opening weeks of school, students are cautioned about the district’s zero tolerance policy. Counselors visit homerooms to discuss substance abuse and the procedures and policies which are clearly outlined in the student handbook, according to Mrs. Mazzarese.

If a student is found to be intoxicated, or if his or her behavior is altered in any manner, the school nurse is notified and the student’s vital signs are checked. Parents are advised, an evaluation is constructed, and a urine analysis must be performed at a hospital or at the family’s discretion.

It is traditional that a student will be suspended for a period of 24 hours, and counselors are notified to begin intervention and treatment.

Mrs. Koch revealed that she is not aware of any “in-building use” of substances during the daytime at the intermediate schools.

Both counselors explained that administration, teachers, and staff are trained to look for substance abuse warning signs in students.

Turning to other board business, the proposed changes to the high school grading procedure were outlined by Westfield High School Principal Dr. Robert G. Petix.

Grading is normally considered “flat” in the high school, without a system of plusses or minuses. If a student receives a grade between 90 and 100, an “A” is achieved. A “B” is awarded to students who earn a grade between 80 and 89. If a student receives a grade between 70 and 79, a “C” is recorded.

If a student earns a grade between 65 and 69, a “D” is received, while an “F” is given for grades from 0 to 64.

Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) students receive an A or B for their efforts.

However, the new grading policy in the high school, while implementing a system of plusses and minuses for grades B and C, would not include an “A plus” for students achieving grades between 97 and 100, or a plus or minus addition for grades D and F.

Dr. Petix called the “A plus” grade “meaningless” because it would cause students to become more competitive than necessary. He stated that he believes competition would become “unhealthy,” and could eventually point to the issues and problems reviewed during the Drug and Alcohol Program presentation.

Another proposed change in the grading policy states that Honors and AP students who achieve a C would not have that grade weighted. If a grade below a C is received, it was suggested that the student be dropped from the Honors and AP courses.

These grading policy changes were constructed after Dr. Petix researched the grading policies of 12 high schools throughout New Jersey. Following the analysis, a choice of three different grading systems was submitted for consideration.

Michael Seiler, President of the Westfield Education Association, expressed his opposition to the proposed

grading policy revisions in a prepared statement to the school board.

“This proposal in its present form is flawed because it actually hurts some students’ academic achievement, and appears to be a grade inflation on a first examination,” stated Mr. Seiler.

He concluded, “Course offerings and course selection will be strained and would create a new level of elitism in a very competitive district. If the ‘A plus’ was reestablished and the C grades weighted the same as the other grades, there would be no issue on the proposed grading and weighting system.”

The board adopted a resolution, which will be communicated to Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Education Commissioner Leo Klagholz, relevant state legislators, superintendents and other boards of education, to oppose the Standards and Assessment for Student Achievement proposed by the state.

It was resolved that the board opposes the standards which includes “the elimination of existing instructional and graduation requirements, permitting early high school graduation.”

“We would support a local option that allows a school district to be exempt from the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA)-based graduation standards if they can demonstrate that local standards exceed state standards,” the resolution stated.

The proposed standards, which were analyzed at a board meeting held last week, would eliminate four years of English, three years of mathematics, one year of world history and cultures, two years of science, and one year of fine or performing arts as requirements for graduation.

These requirements, which have been at the core of the high school’s curriculum, would be replaced by one single state test – the HSPA.

The board also fears that educational programs and student experiences that were once considered valuable would become extinct due to the lack of state funding.

Recent school closings due to inclement weather will now make President’s Weekend in February a three-day weekend, according to Board President Darielle Walsh.

Students will now be required to attend school on Tuesday, February 23, which was originally slated as a vacation day.

Additional school closings will require the district’s spring vacation to be reduced by one day.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

moved onto the bench. “I always appreciated and enjoyed his advice and his leadership on issues,” said Mrs. List.

Judge Davidson was succeeded as Town Attorney by Robert Mooney, also a member of the Davidson law firm. Mr. Mooney left the position when he himself was named a Superior Court Judge.

Active in the community, Judge Davidson had been a 50-year member of The Presbyterian Church in Westfield, where he served as an Elder, Deacon and Treasurer.

He also was a long-time member of the Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield.

Professionally, he served as President of the Union County Bar Associa

Judge C. Davidson, Jr. Dies; Was Westfield Town Attorney

tion, as well as Chairman of its Ethics Committee.

He additionally chaired the Westfield Joint Civic Committee, an organization which put forward candidates for the Westfield Board of Education prior to the days of competitive elections.

All organizations in town were represented on the committee. The groups would then select candidates to be screened by a subcommittee of the Joint Civic Committee.

Judge Davidson also chaired a committee to reexamine the Town Charter, the legal mechanism by which the town government operates.

The Weehawkin High School alumnus graduated from Rutgers University and from the Rutgers Law School in 1949.

School Board Candidates Invited to Submit Petitions

Women for Women Posts New Programs and Events

Women for Women (WFW) of Union County, headquartered at 511 North Avenue in Garwood, has announced its schedule of new programs and events.

· Children Helping Children, a group that helps youngsters express their feelings about the breakup of their parents’ marriage through artwork, storytelling and discussion, will begin on Monday, January 25.

The group will meet Monday or Tuesday at 4 or 5:30 p.m., depending upon the age of the child. The fee for the six-week session is $30 for WFW members and $35 for non-members. Please call WFW at (908) 232-5787 for exact meeting information after Thursday, January 21.

· Single Parent Education will begin on January 25 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Topics will include divorce mediation, communication, co-parenting, and children’s reaction to divorce, as well as the emotional aspects of being a single parent. The fee for six sessions is $30 for members and $35 for non-members.

· Individual Parent Support is a oneon-one counseling program conducted by Susan Koslowsky, WFW President. Dates and times are arranged with participants. The fee is $25 per session.

· Separation and Divorce, a group for separated or divorced women, will begin on January 25 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The fee for members is $20 for six sessions and $25 for non-members.

· Facing Tough Issues, a group for women making life adjustments after separation, divorce or death of a partner, will begin on January 25 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The fee for six sessions is $20 for members and $25 for non-members.

· Healing Conflicts Through a Course in Miracles, which helps women find the root of their inner distress, will begin on Tuesday, January 26, from 8 to 9:30 p.m. The fee is $35 for members and $40 for

non-members for six sessions.

· Building Self-Esteem will begin on January 26 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The fee is $20 for members and $25 for non-members for the six-week session.

· Living Alone will begin on Thursday, January 28, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The fee for the six-week program is $20 for members and $25 for non-members.

· Ongoing Separation and Divorce, a discussion group for separated and divorced women, will begin on January 28, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The fee is $20 for members and $25 for non-members for the six-week session.

· Budgeting Tactics, a series for women who want to learn about daily management of money, is currently meeting every other Thursday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Membership and a donation to WFW is appreciated.

· Meditation, which focuses on releasing stress, will begin on Wednesday, January 27, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The fee is $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers for six weeks.

· Reading Group, a book discussion that meets every two weeks at a place, day and time of participants’ choosing, will begin on January 27 at 9:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

· Leadership Training, a short program which trains women who have demonstrated leadership qualities in a support group, will meet on Monday evenings. Please call WFW for more information.

· Stress Management, a day-long program, will meet on Saturday, February 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fee will be $40. Participants are asked to bring a lunch.

· Support for Single Fathers, a new program beginning in April, is being offered by Women for Women and The Place, a support agency for men. Please call WFW for more information.

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devices in residential locations in town. These devices may involve speed bumps, pavement markings or plantings in the center of a roadway, all in an effort to slow traffic.

The town has budgeted $25,000 for the study. Two demonstration traffic calming devices, one on the north side and the other on the south side of town,

Town Strikes Out in Bid to Privatize Trash Collection

will be installed. Serving on the task force will be a representative of the Westfield citizen advisory group BRAKES, Planning Board Chairman Martin Robins, Superintendent of Schools Dr. William J. Foley or a representative of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Public Works Dan Kelly, and the head of the Traffic Violations Bureau, Police Sergeant Carl V. Geis, as well as a representative of the Union County government.

Also included will be First Ward Councilman Carl A. Salisbury and Third Ward Councilman Neil F. Sullivan, Jr., Chairmen of the council’s Transportation, Parking and Traffic, and Public Safety Committees, respectively.

The pedestrian safety grant came at the request of BRAKES. The group, which stands for Bikers, Runners and Kids are Entitled to Safety, is an entity of the school district’s Parent-Teacher Council.

On another matter, Westfield will receive technical assistance on the Y2K problem through a grant offered by Union County.

Joining Westfield as participants in the county program are Scotch Plains, Roselle Park, Kenilworth and Hillside.

Mr. Gottko said the county, which has received a grant, will now solicit bids for the contract. The successful consultant will be asked to provide assistance on computer software and hardware, as well any embedded systems, such as computer chips in vehicles used by town employees, including the police and fire departments.

Y2K is the name used to address problems associated with calendars used in computers as of January 1, 2000. Concerns have been that there may be wide-spread problems associated with computer operations, which are only geared to change the last two digits of a year instead of the four needed with the change in centuries.

Concerns are focused on such things as elevators, vehicles, and other pieces of equipment which have computer chips.

Board of Health Sets Meeting Schedule

WESTFIELD – During its Reorganizational Meeting, the Westfield Board of Health established its list of meetings for the new year.

Meetings will be held on Mondays, February 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, September 13, October 4, November 1, and December 6, at 5:30 p.m. in the Administrative Conference Room of the Westfield Municipal Building.

The public is invited to attend all meetings.