OUR 108th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 26-99 FIFTY CENTS 232-4407
The Westfield Leader — Serving the Town Since 1890 —
Thursday, July 1, 1999 USPS 680020 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J.
Published Every Thursday
INDEX • 18 P INDEX • 18 P INDEX • 18 P INDEX • 18 P INDEX • 18 PA AA AAGES GES GES GES GES
Arts................Page 17 Classifieds ..... Page 16 Editorial ........ Page 4
Obituary ........ Page 9 Religious ....... Page 8
Social ............ Page 6 Sports ............ Page 11
CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK
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Speeding Tickets Jump Under Stepped Up Effort
By Police Department
An enhanced speed enforcement program put into place earlier this year by the Westfield Police Department following the deaths of two pedestrians is beginning to realize its intended results, Police Chief Anthony J. Scutti said this week.
The program, launched in March, was aimed at slowing down drivers on Westfield’s roads. Seventy-oneyear-old Ellen Interdonato was killed while attempting to cross East Broad near St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, while Anna Tkacova, 23, was fatally injured while attempting to across the street near Temple Emanu-El. Several persons also have been struck by vehicles this year in the town
which were not fatalities. A memorandum from Chief Scutti to Town Administrator Edward A. Gottko compared the number of speeding and other moving violation summonses issued during March, April and May of this year with the same months in 1998.
The results demonstrated an increase of more than 70 percent in the number of citations issued, from 831 in March through May, 1998, to 1,418 in March through May, 1999.
“With the support of the municipal governing body and town residents, we announced that we would aggressively and strictly enforce speed limits, pedestrian laws and traffic infractions. The increase in moving violations issued underscores our achievement of that goal that we set in February,” Chief Scutti stated.
In February, the Westfield Police Department, working with the B.R.A.K.E.S. group (Bicyclists, Runners and Kids Are Entitled to Safety), Mayor Thomas C. Jardim and members of the Town Council, announced a plan of enhanced traffic law enforcement, the goal of which was “to dramatically increase police presence in the central business district, school zones and other selected sites in a consistent manner to increase public safety.”
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Mrs. Knodel is Honored for Service By School Board in Mountainside
By DEBORAH MADISON
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
Patricia Knodel, who served on the Mountainside Board of Education for 26 years, was honored by her former colleagues Monday with a special plaque commemorating her long service to the board.
“Mrs. Knodel has given our board a wealth of knowledge and experience, from which we have all learned so much,” remarked Board President Patricia Taeschler, who presented the honor.
The commemorative plaque presented to Mrs. Knodel reads: “Presented to Patricia Knodel in recognition of your 26 years of dedicated service to the Mountainside Board of Education.”
Several books will also be donated to the Deerfield Elementary School Library in her honor. Mrs. Knodel said she was very pleased about the book donations.
In other business, Chief School Administrator Dr. Gerard Schaller spoke about the most recent developments regarding school safety issues, as reported to him by Mountainside Police Chief James Debbie.
Chief Debbie’s analysis of the building and grounds at Deerfield School revealed several security problems that invite unimpeded access to the school. Among the safety con
cerns cited were doors left ajar, the front door monitors left unsupervised and classroom telephones that cannot be used to make outside calls.
Dr. Schaller disagreed with some of these concerns.
He pointed out that the kitchen and gymnasium doors, although left ajar for deliveries or physical education classes, were always monitored by staff.
He also pointed out that there are several staff who have front-door camera monitors on their desks, so that someone is always observing the entrance even though one or two monitors may be left unsupervised.
Dr. Schaller listed other safety features that will be considered for future implementation, such as inside classroom door locks, which would
Deborah Madison for The Westfield Leader
CONTRIBUTOR TO EDUCATION…Former Mountainside Board of Education member Patricia Knodel, right, is presented with an inscribed plaque honoring her 26 years of service to the board by Board President Patricia Taeschler. Mrs. Knodel was recognized at the board’s Monday night meeting.
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Communities to Hold Fireworks, Other Holiday Weekend Events
By KIM KINTER
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
As the Fourth of July weekend approaches, several area communities are planning fireworks and special events.
Communities scheduled to host firework displays include Cranford, Mountainside, New Providence, Plainfield, Springfield, Summit and Union. There will be no fireworks in Westfield, Scotch Plains or Fanwood.
In Westfield, bring a lawn chair — early — for the town’s annual patriotic band concert in Mindowaskin Park, starting at 8 p.m. tonight, July 1.
A special flag-raising ceremony conducted by the Sons of the American Revolution will kick off the event, to be followed by a selection of patriotic tunes performed by the Westfield Community Concert Band.
Individuals seeking fireworks and other events will have to travel to surrounding communities, however, since the band concert is traditionally the town’s only official observance of the holiday.
In Cranford, a Sunday evening fireworks display at Nomahegan Park on Springfield Avenue, beginning at 9 p.m., will be the highlight of the township’s annual day-long Fourth
of July celebration. Other festivities will include canoe races, a one-mile fun run, a bicycle decorating contest, and field games. Food and craft vendors will be set up at the park from 2 to 10 p.m. For additional information, please call the Recreation and Parks Department at (908) 709-7283.
In Mountainside, fireworks will be set off at dusk on Sunday at the field behind Deerfield Elementary School on Central Avenue. The annual display will be co-sponsored by the borough and the fire department.
A combined centennial and Fourth
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Ginger Hardwick to Leave School Board; Progress on Referendum Projects Revealed By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
On June 29, a little over three months since Westfield Board of Education member Ginger Hardwick relinquished her vice presidency to Arlene Gardner, Ms. Hardwick declared her resignation from the board, effective Sunday, August 1.
Since the sudden death of her husband, First Amendment lawyer Steven L. Lapidus, in February due to surgery complications, Ms. Hardwick confided that times have been especially hard.
In her statement to the board she noted, “As most of you probably know, the past 4˝ months have been difficult ones for me and my children. I’d like to thank everyone at this table and many sitting out there for your kindness and support.”
Mr. Lapidus was a partner in the firm Robinson, Lapidus and Lavelli. He represented The Star-Ledger and
The Times of Trenton.
In early June, Ms. Hardwick and her three children, Sarah, 10, Jake, 12, and Ben, 6, participated in the first annual Steve Lapidus Memorial Family Run for Fun, a communitywide event, which paid tribute to Mr. Lapidus while raising funds for college scholarships.
Ms. Hardwick will now pursue a career as a professor in a clinical program at Seton Hall Law School Center for Social Justice where she will focus on advocacy for the homeless.
“Like every board member I have served with, I have put a great deal of effort into this job, but what I put in cannot compare to what I got out of it – intellectual challenge, the opportu
nity to exchange ideas with so many bright, articulate and caring people, the chance to become truly involved in my community and to have an impact on the schools, which I feel are the centerpiece of community life,” reflected Ms. Hardwick.
The daughter of former State Assemblyman and Assembly Speaker, Chuck Hardwick, has served on the school board since 1995.
From 1995 to 1996 and in 1999, she served on the Board/Staff Committee; Long Range Planning Committee from 1995 to 1998 and the Negotiations Committee from 1995 to 1996. From 1996 to 1999, she served as Chairwoman of Curriculum, Instruction and Programs Committee. She served on the Budget/ Finance Committee from 1996 to 1998. In addition, she was the Liai
son to the Parent-Teacher Legislative Committee and the Franklin Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization and the Parent-Teacher Association.
Board President Darielle Walsh confirmed that the board is proactive in seeking a replacement to finish out the term for Ms. Hardwick, which was to end in 2001.
In other business, Board Secretary and Business Administrator, Robert A. Berman offered a report on the status of the projects involved in the $11.7-million bond referendum at the meeting.
New classrooms, technological infrastructure work and capital improvements were all included in the bond package, which passed overwhelmingly last December with a
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader
JUST A DREAM, JUST A DREAM!…1950’s recording star Jimmy Clanton would have said those words about this red and black 1959 Austin Healy which is owned by David W. Venezia, Sr. of Watchung. The car was displayed during last week’s downtown Classic Car Show.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader
HOW SWEET IT IS!…This beautiful 1955 yellow Thunderbird, owned by Raymond Ranucci of Westfield, was displayed at last week’s show. Mr. Ranucci purchased the T-Bird in Southern California 12 to 13 years ago. It took him three years to restore it. Very few vehicles can boast a speedometer which tops at 150 mph.
Officials Working On Combined Plan For Field Utilization
By PAUL J. PEYTON
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
A meeting last Friday between town and school officials revealed that parks and fields in town are not always fully in use despite being booked.
The two sides are continuing to hammer out plans for a combined reservation system designed to promote more efficient use of the town’s fields.
The issue of scheduling follows a recent public hearing on a proposal to add parking spaces to Tamaques Park to handle the large crowds of people who use the park during the peak spring and summer sports season.
A total of 70 spaces has been proposed for the park, which presently offers around 100 parking stalls. The New England Village Tamaques Park Association, a group of property owners living near the park, has said coordinated scheduling of sports events could eliminate the current overflow of cars at the park.
“We started out saying, ‘is there a parking problem (at Tamaques)?’ And then we got into ‘is there a utilization problem? Is there a scheduling conflict?’,” Town Administrator Edward A. Gottko told the Town Council Tuesday.
“The bottom line is I can’t tell you whether you need parking or not. People are saying it (Tamaques) is over utilized. Well, maybe it’s overbooked,” he continued.
As an example, the Town Administrator said field number 6 at Tamaques Park, where additional parking has been sought, is booked for the month of August.
Mr. Gottko was one of three people at last Friday’s meeting. The others were Director of Recreation Glenn Burrell and Board of Education Secretary and Business Administrator Robert A. Berman.
While there may be no one on the ball fields, the Tamaques parking lot can be full due to persons using the tennis and basketball courts, the picnic area, parents and their children on the swings, joggers and bicyclists, Mr. Gottko confirmed.
Municipal and school officials have indicated the various soccer, baseball and adult softball leagues typically block out large periods of time for several months on town and school field reservation lists.
The Westfield Leader was also informed that the Westfield High School girls’ lacrosse program, a spring sport, and the fall girls’ soccer program, will continue to hold their practices and games at Tamaques in lieu of the field behind Roosevelt Intermediate School due to the poor condition of the latter field. The field was only recently renovated.
Roosevelt was not available last fall because newly-planted sod had not grown in yet. Mr. Berman, who was not aware of that situation, said he will look into the matter. He said a number of the school fields are in need of at least some renovations.
In terms of paving at the park, Third Ward Councilman John J. Walsh has told The Leader he would like to resolve the issue by this fall.
“If Tamaques Park will be used in future years in the same way that it has been used this year, we need to
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Tuesday Deadline Set To Stay On Permit List
For South Avenue Lot
The final deadline for persons seeking to remain on the reservation list for spaces at the South Avenue train station parking lot is this Tuesday, July 6, town officials have indicated.
As of yesterday, of the 1,191 letters mailed to persons on the current list, 159 have been returned through the Post Office as “undeliverable;” 567 persons have asked to stay on the list, 32 have requested removal of their requests for parking permits at the lot with another 433 persons failing to contact the town.
Anyone who has moved and thus may not have received the letter is asked to call the Town Clerk’s Office at (908) 789-4033.
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DWC, Chamber Sign Joint Lease to Share New Office at Fleet Bank
By PAUL J. PEYTON
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
In an effort to better meet the needs of the Westfield business community, the Downtown Westfield Corporation (DWC) and the Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce have signed a lease for a combined office space in the Fleet Bank building in the downtown.
The five-year lease was signed June 23. The two entities are expected to move into their new headquarters by September 1.
“It’s such a great location. We are right in the heart of the town. We really think this (the new location) is going to help (the DWC and Chamber operations),” said Michael LaPlace, Executive Director of the Downtown Westfield Corporation.
The two entities, which work in sync with each other on a number of downtown interests, will share reception space.
Among the added features of the second floor location are a large conference room, private offices, as well as the use of an elevator thus making the offices handicapped accessible. Neither the DWC nor the Chamber’s current offices are accessible for persons with physical disabilities.
“Gaining a conference room for the Chamber is a big plus,” explained Debbie Schmidt, Chamber Executive Director.
The new rent, which was not revealed, represents a combined monthly increase of $100, according to Mr. LaPlace. The new offices feature approximately 1,050 square feet.
Ms. Schmidt said the new offices will feature a joint reception area thus providing additional hours whereby someone will be manning the phones.
In addition to the new offices of the Chamber and DWC, Fleet Mortgage and a law office are also located on the same floor of the building on the corner of East Broad and Elm Streets. Fleet Bank and a travel agency are located on the ground floor.
“We think it (the new offices) will just present a much more professional appearance for Westfield,” Mr.
LaPlace told The Westfield Leader.
He said DWC is considering placing one of the blue DWC flags in front of the bank as a guide to persons looking for the new offices.
“Anything we can do to let people know where we are would be a plus,” explained Debbie Schmidt, Executive Director of the Chamber.
The lease agreement follows in the footsteps of last year’s pact to form a joint promotions committee of the DWC and Chamber.
While the planning and budgeting on promotions is conducted by the DWC, the Chamber actually runs the promotional events which include the downtown street fairs, the holiday Welcome Home to Westfield seasonal campaign, the summertime classic car shows and the Sweet Sounds Downtown which showcases live jazz music at several locations.
“We (the DWC and Chamber) are going to have a one-stop information center,” said Mr. LaPlace.
Businesses in town will have access to the new conference room as well as existing materials about the town and business community in
Page 10 Thursday, July 1, 1999 The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION
CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK
WESTFIELD FIRE BLOTTER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
MONDAY, JUNE 21
· One hundred block of Lincoln Road — smoke odor investigation.
· Four hundred block of North Avenue, West — system malfunction.
· Four hundred block of Channing Avenue — propane gas leak.
· Two hundred block of Walnut Street — system malfunction.
· One hundred block of Settlers Lane — good intent call.
TUESDAY, JUNE 22
· One hundred block of Breeze Knoll Drive — system malfunction.
· Seven hundred block of West Broad Street — arcing wire.
· Seven hundred block of Prospect Street — wires down.
· Area of Trails End — smoke odor investigation.
· Five hundred block of Cumberland Street — smoke odor investigation.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23
· Five hundred block of Hillcrest Avenue — lock out.
THURSDAY, JUNE 24
· Central Avenue and Grove Street — spill on roadway.
· Two hundred block of East Broad Street — unintentional alarm.
· One hundred block of Burrington Gorge — gas grill fire.
· Five hundred block of Carleton Road — unintentional alarm.
· Six hundred block of Prospect Street — smoke scare.
· One hundred block of East Broad Street — system malfunction.
· One hundred block of Burrington Gorge — carbon monoxide detector activation.
· Six hundred block of West Broad Street — lock out.
FRIDAY, JUNE 25
· One thousand block of Summit Avenue — wires down.
· Seven hundred block of Forest Avenue — animal rescue.
· Eight hundred block of Fourth Avenue — natural gas leak.
· One hundred block of Tamaques Way — unintentional alarm.
· One thousand block of South Avenue, West — brush fire.
· One hundred block of Tamaques Way — carbon monoxide detector activation.
· One thousand block of Central Avenue — emergency medical call.
SATURDAY, JUNE 26
· Six hundred block of Norman Place — lock out.
· Two hundred block of North Avenue, West — mulch fire.
· Five hundred block of Topping Hill Road — service call.
SUNDAY, JUNE 27
· Three hundred block of Orenda Circle — system malfunction.
· Two hundred block of East Broad Street — system malfunction.
· One hundred block of Doris Parkway — water investigation.
· Nine hundred block of Brown Avenue — lock out.
· Six hundred block of Tremont Avenue — assist police.
WESTFIELD POLICE BLOTTER TUESDAY, JUNE 22
· A Westfield resident reported that a window on her motor vehicle was broken out in a municipal lot on East Broad Street off of Mountain Avenue.
· An Orenda Circle resident reported the theft of an Olympus camera valued at approximately $350, which had been left under the front seat of his unlocked motor vehicle on South Avenue.
· An Edison resident reported the theft of $675 in cash from his locker at a local recreational facility.
FRIDAY, JUNE 25
· A caller reported the theft of a parking meter from the south side Westfield
Train Station. Authorities said the incident proved to be unfounded, however, after the meter was discovered on the ground and turned over to the Westfield Department of Public Works.
SUNDAY, JUNE 27
· An employee of a North Avenue department store filed a harassment report, saying she was threatened by a customer during a dispute at the store. No one has been charged in connection with the case, police said.
MONDAY, JUNE 28
· The front plate glass door on a Cardinal Drive law firm was shattered, according to police, who said there were presently no suspects in the case.
PUBLIC NOTICE
TOWNSHIP OF SCOTCH PLAINS PLANNING BOARD NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Board of the Township of Scotch Plains will hold a public hearing on Monday, July 12, 1999, at 8:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers Municipal Building, 430 Park Avenue, Scotch Plains, New Jersey to consider the site plan application of the Township of Scotch Plains, for Block No. 1201, Lot No. 31.02, B-2 zone which proposes the reconstruction of parking lot parcel 31 to all municipal standards, including 67 parking spaces.
All interested persons may be present and be heard. The file pertaining to this application is in the Office of the Planning Board and is available for public inspection during regular office hours.
Barbara Horev Secretary to the Planning Board 1 T – 7/1/99, The Times Fee: $19.89
PUBLIC NOTICE
TOWNSHIP OF SCOTCH PLAINS PLANNING BOARD NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Board of the Township of Scotch Plains will hold a public hearing on Monday, July 12, 1999, at 8:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers, Municipal Building, 430 Park Avenue, Scotch Plains, New Jersey, to consider the minor subdivision and waiver of site plan application of J & E Southern, LLC, 1810-1828 East Second Street, Block No. 1201, Lot Nos. 30 and 31, B-2 zone. The applicant proposes to subdivide two lots into three lots, improve the existing building and install brick pavers on East Second Street according to township standards. The following variances are required:
Section 23-3.4A, Col. 10, Para. KRear Yard Setback
Required: 30 feet Proposed: variable width from 0 to 8
feet
Section 23-3.11(d)3a,b,c-Off-street Parking
Required: 1 parking space per each 200 square feet gross floor area Proposed: none
Section 23-2.3(1)7-Off-street pay for parking
Off-street parking shall be proved on the same lot as it is intended to serve or on any adjacent lot in common ownership…….and the owner or applicant shall contribute to the township the sum of $5,000.00 for each offstreet parking space which would have been required……. All interested persons may be present and be heard. The file pertaining to this application is in the Office of the Planning Board and is available for public inspection during regular office hours.
Barbara Horev Secretary to the Planning Board 1 T – 7/1/99, The Times Fee: $39.78
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
This has been accomplished, according to the plan, by strict enforcement of traffic safety laws on certain targeted streets, such as Boulevard, Central Avenue, Lawrence Avenue, Rahway Avenue and Dudley Avenue.
Additionally, parking laws in the vicinity of school zones and in the central business district have been vigorously enforced. All of these efforts have supplemented the normal selective enforcement patrols on Westfield’s streets.
“We’re very pleased with the results of the program thus far and of the hard work of the patrol officers,” said Mayor Jardim. “We are particularly happy to see that the number of summonses issued overall declined from 684 in March to 373 in May. While it is still too early to tell, we believe that this decrease is actually the result of changed driver behaviors as opposed to any drop-off in enforcement.”
Police statistics between March and May indicated that Rahway Avenue, 151; and East Broad Street, 87, registered the highest number of speeding summonses followed by Lawrence Avenue, 59; West Broad Street, 48; Willow Grove Road, 48, and Dudley Avenue, 46.
Speeding Tickets Jump Due To Stepped Up Police Effort
Sarah Strohecker, co-founder of B.R.A.K.E.S. added that, “The results support the belief of the B.R.A.K.E.S. group that speed limits on certain streets are consistently violated.”
Third Ward Councilman Neil F. Sullivan, Jr., Chairman of the Public Safety Committee, commented that “the dramatic reduction in speeding violations indicates that drivers are responding to the enhanced enforcement. Though continued focus on the three E’s — enforcement by the police, engineering to implement traffic calming and education to ensure that motorists and pedestrians know and obey traffic and safety rules, Westfield’s roads will be safer for all the members of the community.”
In addition to increased police enforcement, two studies are being conducted by consulting firms for the town on traffic calming and pedestrian safety.
Rahway Avenue has been designated for a pilot program on traffic calming. Traffic calming is a term used for methods that are utilized to slow traffic on potentially high-speed thoroughfares. These devices are not used at intersections that are controlled by traffic signals.
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enable teachers to lock classrooms from the inside in the event of an outside emergency, as well as a system for routing all visitors through the front office before allowing access to the rest of the school.
Dr. Schaller will research the codes that govern these safety issues and report back to the board on his findings.
The Chief School Administrator also reported on a two-day in-service training program held for teachers on June 22 and 23 in mathematics and crisis management, respectively.
The crisis management session was presented by the Mountainside Police Department and covered topics such as bomb threats, searches and security measures, along with new drug terminology. Dr. Schaller said he would like to make this program available to parents and students, as well.
Board member Sally Rivieccio raised the issue of parents coming to the school to talk with their child’s teachers immediately before classes begin. Dr. Schaller agreed with Mrs. Rivieccio’s observations that parents should not disrupt the morning schedule, as this is a very busy time for teachers and students alike.
The board would prefer that parents, instead, make an appointment to see their child’s teachers.
Dr. Schaller also expressed concern that a few students are arriving at school as early as 7:10 a.m. and are left unsupervised before any school staff arrives. He said he would like to have the 8:25 a.m. arrival time enforced to insure students’ safety.
Mrs. Taeschler reported that a recent forum on parental responsibilities was a great success. The forum covered parents’ responsibilities for teaching their children to obey and respect school rules and social conduct.
The Board President stated that she would like to see these issues revisited throughout the year, and urged a continued partnership between administration and parents.
Mrs. Taeschler suggested that the district return to the policy of having students and parents sign a rules contract, which was a practice in prior years.
Dr. Schaller reported that he is devising the 1999 District Goals, which will be presented to the board in a formal document at the next board meeting. He requested input from board members as to which objectives they think should be included.
The main points of these goals will be to reinforce the Strategic Plan; develop and implement an ongoing communications network including administration, staff and parents; maximize the potential of the teaching staff and develop a plan to increase community involvement.
A key issue for future discussion will be the consideration of a dress code.
Dr. Schaller suggested the need to form a committee, which will review the matter and make a presentation to the board.
Dr. Schaller suggested that input from clergy, parents and students, as well as psychologists and schools that have dress codes, would also be valuable. He said he hopes to receive a committee presentation no later than October.
In other business, Dr. Schaller read the newly-devised job description for the School Police Resource Officer.
The officer, who will be employed on school grounds three days per week, will provide security, report irregularities, receive complaints, perform criminal investigations, compose reports, detain violators such as trespassers and coordi
nate traffic control efforts for special events.
The officer will also implement the D.A.R.E. (Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education) program in kindergarten through fifth grade. Dr. Schaller said a D.A.R.E. program at the middle school level would also be of great value, adding he would like to see the School Police Resource Officer devise such a program for that age group.
Regarding the 1999-2000 school year, the board has requested that parents of kindergarteners tell the board if their children will be using bus services, which will enable the board to determine how many buses will be needed.
It is currently estimated that four buses will be needed; however, this number may decrease as many parents register children for after-school care.
Parent Susan Turner, who has a child coming into kindergarten, expressed her concern that the bus ride will become unduly long if buses are reduced and children are placed into fewer buses.
Board member Richard Kress pointed out that buses will be decreased only if the number of children taking them is proportionately reduced, thereby not increasing after-school riding time.
In other business, busing transportation costs were approved for the Moppet Program, a pre-kindergarten program for children with special needs.
Currently, three children are in the program, which provides occupational, speech and physical therapy in a separate classroom.
According to Dr. Schaller, it has been determined that it is more financially feasible to provide these services in the district, rather than sending these students out of the district.
Board member John Perrin inquired as to whether the district could market this specialized program to families outside of the district who may be looking for these services. His colleague, Frank Geiger, suggested that the district consider having a Web site to market the Moppet program to families seeking these services.
These possibilities will be looked into, according to Dr. Schaller.
The next and last board meeting of the school year has been rescheduled for Tuesday, July 20.
Mrs. Knodel Bids Farewell To BOE in Mountainside
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of July celebration will be held on Monday, July 5, in New Providence at the New Providence High School fields on Pioneer Drive. A carnival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will be followed by a fireworks display at dusk.
Plainfield will also hold its annual fireworks display at 9 p.m. Monday at Greenbrook Park, off of West End Avenue. The display will be preceded by a band concert at 7 p.m. Also on Monday will be a downtown race at 8 a.m., and a parade at 10 a.m.
“Take Pride in Springfield” will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday at Meisel Field on Meisel Avenue in Springfield Township. An entrance fee of $5 for adults and $3 for children, which includes the cost of rides and food, will be collected. The entrance fee will also cover
the fireworks display that will begin at 9 p.m.
In Summit, fireworks will be set off at 9 p.m. on Sunday at Soldiers’ Memorial Field, off Ashland Road. The fireworks will follow numerous events in Summit both Saturday and Sunday in honor of the city’s centennial.
Festivities will begin on Saturday at Soldiers’ Field at 9:30 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m. Events will begin again at 7:45 p.m. Sunday with a concert, and conclude with the fireworks.
A Fourth of July celebration will be held in Union from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Biertuempfel Park on Winslow Avenue and Vauxhall Road with rides and refreshments. Activities will pick up again at 7 p.m. with a band concert, followed by fireworks at 9 p.m.
Communities Plan Fireworks And Holiday Weekend Events
vote of 2,800 to 1,033. Some of the improvements scheduled to be worked on this summer include lavatory renovations at Westfield High School; computer cabling and integration at Edison Intermediate; new windows, roof repair and cabling at Roosevelt Intermediate; classroom additions at Franklin Elementary; classroom additions and HVAC upgrade at McKinley Elementary and floor tile replacement at Tamaques Elementary.
The roof repair at Roosevelt began on June 29, while roof repair at Jefferson commenced on June 28. The new li
brary project for Wilson School, lavatory renovations for Washington Elementary, and classroom additions for McKinley School will be bid on this month by contractors.
Lavatory renovations for Jefferson will be bid on in August.
Dr. Foley revealed that the board received verbal confirmation on June 29 from the state to go ahead with the classroom additions for Franklin School.
In the coming weeks, The Westfield Leader will offer separate articles featuring in-depth coverage on progress of the projects in each school within the district.
Ginger Hardwick to Leave School Board This August
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add some permanent parking to keep the park safe and accessible,” he said.
Councilman Walsh’s comments were made prior to last Friday’s meeting. He was not in attendance at Tuesday’s council meeting.
The sports leagues and even the varsity sports programs at Westfield High School factor in both tournaments and the possibility of cancellations due to adverse weather when making field reservations, according to both Mr. Gottko and Mr. Berman.
“They put in these requests for blocks of time even before they know what their schedules are going to be, and even before they know how many people will sign up for the leagues,” Mr. Gottko said.
Mr. Berman said the school fields are often over utilized. He noted that adult leagues and Recreation Department programs often are waiting to use the fields right after a Westfield High School varsity team practice or game.
He said the blocking of time is more a problem for spring sports, which must account for rain-outs. Fall sports typically play through adverse weather conditions.
Also, during the Memorial Day weekend, the Westfield Cup soccer tournament, which encompasses all available fields in town, can create havoc if any of the varsity teams advance deep into county or state tournaments and, thus, needing the high school field for a practice or game.
“It’s (the spring scheduling) very problematic,” Mr. Berman said.
The town Recreation Department sends out letters in the beginning of the year to the various sports leagues requesting reservations for town fields.
The Board of Education has a similar system in place.
“What we are trying to do right now is marry the two of them (Recreation Department and Board of Education scheduling systems),” explained Mr. Gottko.
Another thing that is evident is that the sports leagues are experiencing growth in their membership, according to Mr. Burrell.
Another problem the town will soon face is the loss of both Sycamore Field and Memorial Park due to major improvement projects. Work at Sycamore will begin this fall. The Recreation Commission is still reviewing a master plan for work at Memorial.
Memorial Park’s four baseball fields, two soccer fields and six tennis courts will be lost for a year during the reconstruction work.
Mr. Gottko has encouraged residents with ideas about how to address the issue of utilization of town fields to contact him.
The next step, he said, will be to match the actual sports schedules with the reservations. Mr. Gottko will update the council again at its Tuesday, August 3, conference meeting.
Combined Plan In Progress For Utilization of Fields
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Local Residents are Among Degree Recipients at Colby
WESTFIELD – Two local students were among 516 seniors who received Bachelor of Arts Degrees during May 23 commencement exercises at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
Christopher D. Gates, the son of Geoffrey and Wende Gates of Westfield, was an American Studies major. The graduate, who is also an alumnus of St. Paul’s School, achieved Dean’s List status at Colby.
Kristen A. Lee, the daughter of Robert and Janet Lee of Scotch Plains, graduated magna cum laude from Colby. She majored in English with a concentration in creative writing and American Studies.
A Westfield High School graduate, she received Dean’s List with Distinc
tion recognition in both majors at Colby, as well as Honors in English.
Gregory Colvin Earns Bachelor’s Degree At Clark University
WESTFIELD — Gregory Colvin of Westfield was among more than 450 undergraduate students who received Bachelor of Arts Degrees on May 23 during the 94th commencement exercises at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Gregory, who majored in art, is the son of James and Sarah Colvin. He is a graduate of Westfield High School. Kristen A. DelDuca,
Sarah Jane Gordon Named to Dean’s List
WESTFIELD – Kristen Ann DelDuca and Sarah Jane Gordon, both of Westfield, have been named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 1999 semester at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Students must obtain at least a 3.0 grade point average to earn Dean’s List status.
Kristen is a freshman and Sarah is a senior majoring in biology.
Local Students Earn Dean’s List Status At Bucknell University
WESTFIELD – Students from Westfield and Scotch Plains have been named to the Dean’s List for the 1999 spring semester at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
A student must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a scale of 4.0 to receive dean’s list recognition.
The following students have been named to the dean’s list: Jennifer A. Fox and Ian R. Doebber of Scotch Plains and Mark J. Juelis, Sarah E. Chance and Kelly J. Korecky, all of Westfield.
Jennifer is the daughter of Howard Fox. Ian is the son of Lynn and Thomas Doebber. Mark is the son of John and MaryJo Juelis. Sarah is the daughter of Terry and Elizabeth Chance and Kelly is the daughter of Ed and Lorre Korecky.
Area Resident Accepted To St. George’s Univ.,
School of Medicine
WESTFIELD – Michael-James Cunningham of Westfield has been accepted to St. George’s University, School of Medicine, located in Grenada, West Indies.
Michael-James received a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University. He is the son of Michael and Mary-Louise Cunningham.
Susan N. Russell-Smith Earns Bachelor Degree
At Haverford College
WESTFIELD – Susan N. RussellSmith of Westfield was among 298 students who participated in Haverford College’s 163rd commencement exercises on May 16 in Haverford, Pennsylvania.
Susan, who is the daughter of Marvin Smith and Louise Russell of Westfield, received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion with honors. She also garnered The Religion Prize for the best thesis in religion.
David Klebe Larsen Earns Bachelor Degree
From Vassar College
WESTFIELD – David Klebe Larsen of Westfield has received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Vassar College.
David is the son of David and Linda Larsen of Westfield.
DWC, Chamber to Sign Joint Lease to Share Office
Rebecca Minarik Ends Semester Abroad
WESTFIELD – Rebecca Minarik of Westfield recently completed a semester of study at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University’s (Virginia Tech) “Center for European Studies and Architecture” in Riva, Switzerland where she was named to the Academic Dean’s List with a 3.8 grade point average.
Rebecca is the daughter of Barbara and Stephen Minarik. She will enter her senior year at Virginia Tech in August where she majors in biology and psychology.
Local Residents Receive Undergraduate Degrees
WESTFIELD – Three area students were among 904 graduates of Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island, who received bachelor degrees on May 16.
Alyson Skrnich of Westfield received a bachelor’s degree in history. Laura Wischusen of Westfield was awarded a bachelor’s degree in math and secondary education. She graduated cum laude.
Kathryn Gurske of Scotch Plains earned a bachelor’s degree in English.
Sandra Malak Earns Degree in Music
WESTFIELD – Sandra Malak of Westfield, a 1996 graduate of Westfield High School, has graduated a year early from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
She received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Synthesis.
Sandra is a member of a band, “Twitcher,” based in Boston. cluding demographic information from a
three-, fiveand 10-mile radius of downtown Westfield.
The Quintillion Communication division of AT&T, that presently maintains a Downtown Directory of local businesses for the town on the Internet, will also be located in the new DWC and Chamber offices.
Businesses in town which want to update their Web pages will have access to a computer work station to be set up in the new offices.
A list of vacant retail and office space, including rent per square foot, is available along with recruiting packages for new businesses, dining and downtown business guides.
Meanwhile, persons moving into town who visit the Chamber office receive a relocation package, which includes de
mographic information, a list of the Chamber’s 215 members, downtown guides and parking information.
The DWC, following its creation in 1996 by the Town Council, originally was located above The Westfield Leader
offices on Elm Street, and is currently housed above the former Taylor Hardware on Elm Street. Taylor just recently went out of business after 80 years. The DWC runs the town’s special improvement district.
The Chamber, located above the Robert Treat Deli on Quimby Street, has been in its current office space for three years and in the same building since 1988.
Prior to that, the Chamber was above the former John Franks store on Elm Street, currently occupied by The Gap, in office space now leased by Paine Webber.
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