The Westfield Leader Newspaper

OUR 109th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 41-99 FIFTY CENTS 232-4407

The Westfield Leader — Serving the Town Since 1890 —

Thursday, October 14, 1999 USPS 680020 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J.

Published Every Thursday

INDEX INDEX INDEX INDEX INDEX

Arts................Page 20 Business ........ Page 18 Classifieds ..... Page 19

Editorial ........ Page 4 Mountainside Page 3 Obituary ........ Page 10

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

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Cross County Rail Study Must Have County Consensus

By DEBORAH MADISON

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

A Cross County Rail Link Study, commissioned by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, has concluded that the “county must come to a consensus as to their objectives and goals before the project can progress.”

The study, which was conducted by Raytheon Infrastructure Inc. of New York, evaluated the various options for a 17-mile rail link running from Newark International Airport through midtown Elizabeth and onto Plainfield.

According to the study, the rail link is expected to generate an additional 20,000 daily riders, at a cost of anywhere from $76 million to $221 million, depending on the types of trains employed. The eight alternative options proposed in the study include a mixture of choices of diesel and electric trains between the various stations.

According to the study, “divergent opinions within affected communities regarding both the optimum mode of service and the location of transfer stations” were discovered, which prevented Raytheon, in their study from determining a “Locally Preferred Alternative” (LPA).

For this reason, the study was split into two segments, with the Midtown Elizabeth to Newark Airport segment at an advanced stage in development.

Steven Santoro, a Project Manager for Raytheon and James Daley, the county’s Director of Policy and Planning, presented the study to the county’s Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) and members of the Raritan Valley Coalition, at the Advisory Board’s last meeting held on October 6 at the county’s Administration Building in Westfield.

Union County Officials and representatives of the nine communities involved were also in attendance. The presentation included schematic drawings of the proposed project as well as a subjective rating comparing each of the eight options’ advantages.

The first portion of the link to be completed will be the rail line connecting midtown Elizabeth with the monorail system at Newark International Airport, estimated at $239 million, according to the study.

This part of the project has been advanced to the stage of having had an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) completed, which is the essential first step in the process, before beginning construction, slated to begin within two years, according Jeffrey A. Warsh, Executive Director of NJ Transit.

According to NJ Transit’s Acting Assistant Executive Director for Plan

ning, James Reddicker, an EIS looks at all of the environmental factors which may impact surrounding communities by construction of the project, and includes such diverse issues as traffic flow, ground-water impact, zoning and wildlife.

An EIS is required before a project can become eligible for federal funds, which this project expects to heavily rely on, according to Mr. Reddicker.

For points west of Elizabeth, the most expensive of the options to construct, at a cost of approximately $221 million, would be running light rail (electric) from Elizabeth to Plainfield. The least expensive option would connect points west of Elizabeth using additional and upgraded push-pull diesel train cars, which are currently utilized on the Raritan Valley Line.

The cost of that option would be $76 million. The other six options propose running light rail to several alternative stations, such as Cranford or Roselle, and using dual mode locomotives, also called DMU’s, or upgraded Push-Pulls for points west of Elizabeth.

Electric Light Rail to Plainfield would necessitate moving the current Raritan Valley Line diesels to a single track for points between Cranford and Plainfield, and would require passing tracks where opposing trains would wait to pass.

“Not an uncontroversial plan,” Mr. Santoro admitted. Other options would involve riders switching from DMU’s or Push-Pulls to the light rail system at either Cranford or Roselle transfer stations. Dual tracking of both types of trains is not a viable option because of the cost factor involved, according to Mr. Daley.

The County Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) issued their formal resolution regarding their position on the project. This formal resolution was reached by a unanimous vote at the last TAB meeting in June, according to TAB member Paul Mulligan.

Reading from a written statement, TAB member William Wright said that a consensus has been reached by TAB, the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers and Congressman Bob Franks, who “have all formally concluded that the most marketable and least costly means to provide true cross county and cross state service is by DMU from the Arch (Elizabeth) through Plainfield.”

Reading from the statement, Mr. Wright also stated that the Raytheon Study is “fraught with numerous and flagrant fatal flaws. Worst is the track diagrams showing LRT and RVL

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Westfield Board of Education Tries to Make Heads or Tails of District’s ESPA Test Results By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

“We’re just groping. We don’t know anything,” remarked frustrated Superintendent of Schools, Dr. William J. Foley, as he presented the results of the Elementary School Proficiency Assessment (ESPA) to the Westfield Board of Education on Tuesday evening.

Dr. Foley believes that the ESPA, which was administered to fourth grade pupils for the first time in the

school district, provides the board of education with little or no information on how students are performing in the areas of language arts, math, science and oral language proficiency.

The students were tested for 60 minutes in science for one day, 185 minutes in language arts over two days, and 126 minutes in math for two days, according to Dr. Foley.

A significant weakness in language arts by Westfield’s fourth graders was demonstrated through a bar graph

presentation by Dr. Foley. Approximately 19.7 percent of the Westfield students are partially proficient and 59 percent are partially proficient statewide. An estimated 80.4 percent of the students were ranked as proficient, while 42 percent are proficient statewide.

Very few students scored as advanced proficient in the language arts portion of the ESPA.

According to Superintendent Foley, an estimated seven pupils fell into

the advanced proficient category, with Wilson Elementary School demonstrating the highest proficiency of all elementary schools.

The math portion of the ESPA revealed that while Westfield pupils are 1.9 percent partially proficient in math compared to the 40 percent partial proficiency across the state, 98 percent of Westfield’s fourth graders are proficient while 60 percent are proficient statewide.

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Some Culex Pipiens Mosquito Samplings Reveal Positive Testing for West Nile-Like Virus

By SUSAN M. DYCKMAN

Specially Written for The Times

The good news is the mosquito population in New Jersey is on the decline. The bad news is a sampling of Culex pipiens mosquitoes collected on September 28 from Secaucus in Hudson County tested positive for the West Nile-like virus.

The virus is transferred to humans through the bite of the Culex pipiens mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird.

However, there was no evidence of the Culex pipiens mosquito in light traps examined in Hudson County on October 7.

To date, no human cases of West Nile-like virus have been diagnosed. On Tuesday, October 12, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) announced it was aware that blood and/or spinal fluid samples were taken from more than 30 state residents by health care providers.

These specimens were submitted to public and private laboratories for testing for the West Nile-like virus.

DHHS spokesman Dennis McGowan said a number of the individuals from whom the 30 blood samples were taken exhibited only one or two of the symptoms associated with West Nile-like virus. He fully expects such specimens to test negative.

Mild symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, skin rash and

swollen lymph glands. More severe symptoms are high fever, stiff neck, stupor, disorientation, tremors, occasional convulsion, coma and paralysis.

Individuals with underdeveloped or weakened immune systems are most at risk.

Additional human samples were submitted to private labs, the DHSS lab in Trenton, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) labs

FALL SPLENDOR…The beauty of Mindowaskin Park in Westfield will be maintained as community volunteers and members of the Friends of Mindowaskin Park will gather on Saturday, October 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on park grounds for a clean-up and beautification effort. Groups or individuals who wish to volunteer may call Nancy Priest at (908) 233-8110. Please see full story on Page 6. Trial Continues Today in Case Involving Plan

To Build ShopRite on Garwood-Westfield Border By KIM KINTER

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

A trial began at 1:30 p.m. yesterday, October 13, in Union County Superior Court in Elizabeth on the controversial plan to build a ShopRite supermarket on North Avenue in Garwood.

During the trial, attorneys representing the grocery chain, the Borough of Garwood and those opposing the project were to make oral arguments before Union County Superior Court Assignment Judge Edwin W. Beglin, Jr.

Their arguments bolstered extensive testimony, transcripts, exhibits and attorney briefs submitted to Judge Beglin months ago in support of their cases regarding the construction of the ShopRite supermarket in Garwood.

Arguments were being presented at press time and the case was scheduled to continue in Judge Beglin’s chambers today, October 14, beginning at 9 a.m.

Following the conclusion of the trial, Judge Beglin is expected to render a ruling that could decide whether the Garwood Planning Board was right in approving a plan to construct a ShopRite on North

Avenue or whether the objecting neighbors’ case was stronger.

The judge could also remand the case back to the Garwood Planning Board for further consideration.

He has the options of rendering a decision from the bench or reserving decision and releasing a written opinion at a later date.

Judge Beglin’s decision could conclude a saga that began more than six

years ago when Village Supermarkets announced plans to build a ShopRite on the site of the Westfield Lumber and Home Center property. That original plan called for 30 percent of the store to cross into neighboring Garwood.

The proposal ultimately was rejected by the Westfield Planning Board in May of 1995 after 45 meetings and transcripts that totaled more than 5,000 pages.

A month later, Village Supermarkets announced a plan to purchase a strip mall in Garwood which borders Westfield and is adjacent to the Westfield Lumber and Home Center property, in order to build its ShopRite store.

The Garwood Planning Board, which initially held joint meetings with the Westfield Planning Board on the grocery chain’s bid for the Westfield Lumber site, approved both that plan and the preliminary plan for the strip mall location in the summer of 1995.

Several citizens, however, have filed lawsuits objecting to the plan for various reasons ranging from potential traffic problems to improper action by the Garwood Planning Board.

Candidates Forums Are Announced

The Westfield Leader and The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

and the Westfield Area League of Women Voters have announced times and dates of candidates’ forums they will be sponsoring for Westfield, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside candidates.

The local TV cable access stations have been invited to televise the events.

The debates will be held at 8 p.m. in the Council Chambers of each Municipal Building in the respective communities and will be broadcast on the TV access channels as follows:

Scotch Plains, Monday, October 18, TV-34.

Westfield, Wednesday, October 20, TV-36.

Mountainside, Thursday, October 21, TV-35.

Fanwood, Friday, October 22, TV-35.

Each political party in the four communities has been invited to independently submit issues to be discussed by the candidates to The Leader and The Times. The public is also invited to e-mail issues to press@goleader.com or to Fax them to (908) 232-0473.

SHOPRITE DECISION RENDERING...A Union County Superior Court judge is expected to render a decision today on the controversial plan to build a ShopRite supermarket on this North Avenue lot in Garwood which straddles the Westfield border.

Mayor’s Comments on Professional Contracts Bring Strong Response From Council GOP By PAUL J. PEYTON

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

Who says this is an off election year? Certainly not the Westfield Town Council.

At Tuesday’s meeting, members of a non-partisan group, New Jersey Common Cause, appeared to encourage the council to pass an ordinance which would require competitive bidding for professional service contracts. A proposal in that regard is currently being discussed by the Laws and Rules Committee.

Out of the comments from Common Cause representatives came the issue of the town’s insurance risk advisor, an annual appointment made by the governing body in December. Apparently still angered by the defeat of their effort to retain the firm of Bollinger Fowler in Short Hills, Mayor Thomas C. Jardim charged that Republicans were attempting to delay passage of the ordinance regarding professional service contracts.

Bowlinger Fowler was replaced in 1998 after 50 years of service to the town, in favor of Amalgamated General Agencies (AGA), a Westfieldbased firm owned by former Westfield

Mayor and current Chairman of the Town Bank of Westfield, Ronald Frigerio.

While Republicans supported AGA, Democrats sought to retain Bollinger Fowler.

New Jersey Common Cause is a non-profit organization which aims “to push back the influence of special interest money while advancing the influence of citizens in setting our governments agenda,” according to the organization’s Web site.

The grass-roots effort, known as the Citizens Army movement in the Garden State, has started with efforts to establish “clean government” ordinances at the municipal level.

Earlier this year, Westfield became the first of Union County’s 21 municipalities to pass an ordinance banning political fundraising on public property.

Mayor Jardim told representatives of Common Cause that he believes council Republicans will hold up the ordinance on professional service contracts because of the way the ordinance addresses the annual appointment of the insurance risk consultant. The position would not fall under those professionals that would be exempt from the competitive process.

The Mayor charged that Republicans on the Laws and Rules Committee are holding up introduction of the ordinance to ensure that the new law “will not disturb what was done last year” in the hiring of AGA.

“Frankly, I don’t hold out hope that this ordinance will pass this year,” he said.

The mayor later said the manner in which the insurance risk consultant was changed has left a “pang” in his heart “because that is not what we are here for.”

David M. Golush of Grandview Avenue, a 22-year resident and member of Common Cause, said the ordinance under council consideration would put up “road blocks to the pay or play system” of the hiring of professional firms.

Second Ward Councilman Matthew P. Albano, a Republican member of the Laws and Rules Committee, disagreed with the Mayor in stating the process was not being delayed for political reasons.

He said he did not want to see the matter rushed through without sufficient discussion. Mr. Albano said he wanted to make sure all facets of the proposed law were “proper.”

Last week, First Ward Councilman Gregory S. McDermott questioned why attorneys would be exempt from the ordinance.

In addition to the insurance risk agent, Councilman Lawrence A.

Goldman said the most recent draft of the ordinance exempts the town’s engineer, planner, attorney, prosecutor, public defender, municipal judge,

labor counsel and planning and board of adjustment attorneys from the “outside professionals” category, of which competitive requests for proposals

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Page 12 Thursday, October 14, 1999 The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION

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Mayor’s Comments Draw Strong Republican Response

School Bd. Tries to Make Heads, Tails of ESPA Results

single tracks through stations.” The statement continued, “At a time when NJ Transit is eliminating bottlenecks, Raytheon advocates adding several on a line with good growth now and in potential.”

“Simultaneous construction east and west of the Arch is a must,” according to the TAB resolution. The option, of DMU’s west of Elizabeth to Plainfield, according to Mr. Wright, “offer riders the most benefits of a one-seat ride to midtown Elizabeth, with the best cost factors.”

Mr. Santoro responded to Mr. Wright by stating that he was not in agreement that the above resolutions were “a general consensus of all of the stakeholders involved.” He asked whether Mr. Wright had consulted with Cranford and Roselle Park before reaching the above conclusions.

Raytheon would be involved in the operation and maintenance of the light rail system, and their preference is to extend light rail all of the way to Plainfield, according to TAB

members. While some have argued that light rail or DMU’s between Cranford and Plainfield may seem redundant, “it would offer more timely service and more frequent options to the current RVL,” according to Mr. Warsh.

Currently, a rider must wait one hour, in off-peak hours, for the next train from Plainfield to Newark, he added. With light rail or DMU’s, those trains could be increased to one every 12 minutes or one every 20 minutes, respectively.

According to Mr. Reddicker, “everyone will have input as the project advances and we will repeatedly go through a refining process every step of the way. Until a consensus is reached, we cannot progress to the next stage of commissioning an EIS, and until an EIS is completed, we cannot estimate a time-frame on the project or clarify funding sources.”

A Raritan Valley Coalition spokesman at the TAB meeting said that the RVC will conduct meetings and a resolution as to their preference will be forthcoming.

Cross County Rail Study Needs County Consensus

Dr. Foley revealed that he has investigated elementary school teachers’ plan books, discovering that science instruction takes place two to three times per week. However, Dr. Foley has deduced that because the students performed exceedingly well in the ESPA’s science portion, the test might have been too simple for the pupils.

“I don’t believe our students are that proficient in science,” he remarked. Pointing to the results, he revealed that 99.8 percent of Westfield’s pupils are proficient, with 86 percent proficient statewide. Only 0.2 (one student) was ranked partially proficient in the science portion.

Dr. Foley stressed that while the individual test results have been mailed to the students’ homes as of yesterday, the state has yet to reveal to the school board a report with the overall scores comparing the state’s school districts.

While the board was promised to receive that compilation by September, they will not be able to compare their scores effectively until December, according to Dr. Foley.

Lengthy and large reading passages in the language arts and science portions of the ESPA, the test’s phrasing and direction and holistic scoring, are some of the factors pinpointed by Dr. Foley that he feels have made the ESPA an ineffective tool for accurately measuring students’ academic capabilities.

While noting his frustration about the state-developed ESPA, Dr. Foley remarked, “High stakes testing requires high stakes responsibility and so far, I haven’t seen it.”

Board Member Annmarie Puleio asked Dr. Foley how the state will evaluate the ESPA in order to improve the standards anticipated by the test.

“I don’t know,” he responded, adding that he cannot determine what criteria the state uses to evaluate its tests.

Ms. Puleio proposed the crafting of a board resolution to create a letter asking for the speedy evaluation of the ESPA scores.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Janie P. Edmonds, told the board that the Union County Assistant Superintendent, as well as the Morris-Union Jointure Commission have both crafted such letters to the state.

Although Board Vice President Arlene Gardner could not recall whether or not the board viewed the entire ESPA or samples of the test before it was administered to the pupils, she stated that the board should be more interested in having the state analyze the ESPA results, rather than allowing the school board to analyze its own district results.

After brief deliberation, the school board decided to craft its own letter to the state with the help of Ms. Edmonds to speed up the evaluation of the ESPA results.

Ms. Puleio suggested that the board’s letter should be shared with other districts who might “take notice and take action” on creating letters of their own.

“It’s a little bit perplexing,” stated Dr. Foley, adding that it is hard to decipher exactly what norms and standards comprise the test. “I’m convinced that part of the problem here is how the test is normed and set up,” he added.

“This is an early test system that needs some reworking and revamping before we jumped to any conclusions on the scoring,” he stressed.

In other business, the District InService Day which was held on Columbus Day throughout the district, was discussed by Ms. Edmonds.

The district-wide event was held at all of the nine schools with each building offering its own presentations.

Ms. Edmonds reported that the sites featured topics such as technology, grade levels, science and math, language arts, physical education, fine arts, world languages, computer labs and disciplines and safety.

Some of the schools highlighted discussion on building and updating Web pages, as well as integrating technology into the curriculum.

Ms. Edmonds revealed that while the In-Service Day required the teachers to surrender Columbus Day as a “day off,” she found that as the day continued, the teachers were very cooperative and “willing participants.”

The newly-established Teacher’s Institute was also the focus of great discussion during the In-Service Day. Teachers reflected and wrote about their own experiences as students and discussed the influence a teacher has upon students. Teachers also examined how to improve and adjust their teaching techniques and devices.

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Some Mosquito Samplings Reveal West Nile-Like Virus

or the New York State Department of Health Laboratory in Wadsworth, N.Y. for analysis.

These samples, drawn since October 5, were collected from individuals who exhibited four or more of the symptoms of West Nile-like virus. Of the four specimens tested thus far, all are negative.

The CDC also released results of the tests conducted on 50 dead birds submitted to the CDC two weeks ago. Thirty-five birds (34 crows and 1 pigeon) found in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris and Union counties tested positive for the West Nilelike virus.

Fifteen crows from Atlantic, Mercer, Ocean and Passaic Counties

tested negative. According to the DHSS, experts from the State Departments of Health and Senior Services, Environmental Protection and Agriculture, along with state and county mosquito control commissions and Rutgers University plan to continue their active disease monitoring and mosquito control.

Residents are advised to continue to take precautions against mosquito bites. These include spraying mosquito repellent that contains DEET on clothing and exposed skin, and wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants outdoors. The DHSS recommends limiting outdoor activities at dawn, dusk and during evening hours.

Historical Society Curator To Speak at October Meeting

WESTFIELD – “Images of Westfield in the 20th Century” will

be the slide and lecture presentation by Ralph Jones to the Westfield Historical Society on Thursday, October 21, at 7:45 p.m. in the Community Room of the Westfield Municipal Building. This lecture was originally scheduled in September but was canceled due to Hurricane Floyd.

Mr. Jones, the Society’s Curator, has selected many pictures showing Westfield in the early years of the 20th century, as well as those showing its steady growth while still maintaining its Colonial atmosphere.

“It will be a chance for long-time

Ralph Jones PROCLAMATION…Officers of the Westfield Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) were presented with a copy of the official proclamation designating the week of September 17 to 23 as “Constitution Week.” Pictured, left to right, are: Regent Helen Manton, Westfield Mayor Thomas C. Jardim and Second Vice Regent Stephanie Mannino accepting the proclamation. A field trip for members will be held on Friday, October 22, at 9:30 a.m. to tour Princeton. For more information, please call Marjorie Gural at (908) 686-5484 by Monday, October 18. All women who have ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War are eligible for membership in the D.A.R.

‘Great Expectations’ Achieved By Wilson Elementary Pupils

WESTFIELD – Wilson Elementary School is completing its first of a series of monthly themes based on Esteem Builders, which is a K-8 curriculum for improving student achievement, behavior and school climate developed by Dr. Michele Borba.

The theme for September at Wilson Elementary School in Westfield has been “Great Expectations,” referring to the expectations that children and teachers have at the beginning of each school year.

Each monthly theme aims to enhance the students’ sense of security, ease, trust, self-concept, sense of belonging, purpose and responsibility, according to Wilson Principal Dr. Andrew Perry.

To develop the theme, students created class puzzles by illustrating themselves on a puzzle piece while following a classroom rule.

The aim of the activity was to provide students with a sense of belonging and security. The puzzles were displayed throughout the school.

Each monthly theme also involves common vocabulary words that are used throughout the school. The students share the words with parents and use them at home.

Classroom teachers talked with their students about how school/classroom rules are different and similar to the rules followed at home and in the community, all the while emphasizing

the aspect that rules are created to provide a safe environment.

Several book titles were shared with the staff that can be used to introduce or reinforce the purpose of the theme.

Teachers also use so-called “My Side” books to allow students to report problems or hold class discussions to help youngsters learn how to resolve problems.

As part of the “Great Expectations” theme, Dr. Perry also included helpful and positive acts of students during his daily morning announcements.

RECENTLY INDUCTED…Edison Intermediate School Student Government Association members were recently inducted into office. Pictured, left to right, are: front row, Amanda Dickson, Mike Checchio, Mat McManus, Neil Kroncke, Brian Bigelow, Treasurer; Alec Wasserman and James Hanas, and back row, Katherine Mc Grath, Tara Amelia, Taylor Mulvee, Lauren Cordes, Ali Ryan, Vice President; Lauren Stellar, President; Gio Palatucci, Secretary; Rebecca Schulman and Laura Gabriel.

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WESTFIELD -Jeffrey DeVito

of Westfield graduated from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. with a Master of Arts degree in psychology. He also received his undergraduate degree from Marist College.

He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dominic DeVito of Westfield.

Scott DeVito of Westfield graduated from Loyola College in Maryland with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematical Sciences.

He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dominic DeVito of Westfield.

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residents to reminisce, while newcomers can view Westfield in its earlier days,” stated Don Mokrauer, President of the Society.

A Westfield native with a keen interest in history, Mr. Jones joined the Westfield Historical Society in 1978 and soon became a strong force in developing the society. Elected its President from 1983-1985, he went on to become the Town Historian for several years, then the Society’s Archivist and Curator.

Still very active in the Society’s Museum and Archives, which is located in the Westfield Municipal Building, Mr. Jones can be found updating the archives, answering questions, arranging displays as well as cataloging and listing the large amount of material the Society receives.

He was recently elected a Lifetime Trustee by the Society for his longtime service.

Entertainment Books Offered by Arc Group

The Arc of Union County, the not-for-profit organization that serves more than 700 individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, is now selling entertainment books for $30.

Two editions are available. One is the northern New Jersey edition featuring Essex, Union, Hudson and Eastern Morris Counties, and the second is the central New Jersey edition featuring Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and southern Union Counties.

Both editions feature two-for-one savings on restaurants and discounts with Continental Airlines, Holland America Line and Norwegian Cruise Line, Avis, National Alamo and Hertz Car Rentals, as well as movie, bowling and sports.

Values in the area include The Hunt Club Grill in Summit; Raagini Restaurant in Mountainside; Shiki Japanese Steakhouse in Union, Tavern in the Park in Roselle, Liantonio’s Seafood Pasta Grille in Kenilworth, Café Michelangelo in Roselle Park, Chez Z in New Providence; The Sharper Image; Sam Goody; Borders and Pearle Vision.

The Arc provides residential services, transportation, educational services, child care services, clinical services and family support through its 19 group homes, live work centers, two child development centers, a private school, four special needs adult day programs and an adult medical day care facility.

To obtain an edition, please write to The Arc of Union County, 1225 South Avenue, Plainfield, 07062, or call (908) 754-2459 or (908) 7547422.

Subscribe Today! Call (908) 232-4407

Outreach Services Available For Elderly Through County

Union County’s Division on Aging in the Department of Human Services recently announced its Outreach Services Program schedule for October.

The program is open to all Senior Citizens living in Union County.

County representatives will be on hand to provide assistance in completing the necessary applications for Gas and Electric Support (LIFE LINE), Pharmaceutical Assistance (PAAD), Home Energy Assistance (HEAP), Supplementary Security Income (SSI), Counseling on Health Insurance for Medicare Enrollees (CHIME) and the SHARE Food Program.

“These services can supplement the basic needs of the isolated elderly and sustain or improve their lives,” said Freeholder Lewis Mingo, Jr., Liaison to the

Volunteers Sought for College Foundation Circle of Friends

CRANFORD — The Cranford-area branch of the Union County College (UCC) Foundation Circle of Friends will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, October 26, at 7 p.m. in the EEC conference room, located on the second floor of the Campus Commons, Cranford Campus at 1033 Springfield Avenue in Cranford.

The Cranford-area Circle of Friends group will meet four times a year, and will serve as a liaison between the Cranford-area community (Cranford, Westfield, Springfield, Roselle, Roselle Park, Kenilworth and Union) and the Union County College Foundation.

Members will be asked to help plan a special event to benefit the college, provide lists of potential contacts for the college and suggest further interaction between the campus and the surrounding would be required.

Mr. Goldman said, however, that lawyers such as bond counsel and those attorneys retained by the town for their expertise on an issue, would not be exempt from the ordinance.

Also, he said a section has been added in the ordinance requiring six affirmative council votes to “override” a decision regarding the hiring of a professional firm. Currently, professional contracts are approved with a majority vote, or five votes, from among the nine-member governing body.

Mr. Goldman told his council colleagues that, “this ordinance should be considered on its own merits,” not solely on preventing votes like last year’s approval of AGA.

Republican Third Ward Councilman Neil F. Sullivan objected to Mayor Jardim’s and Councilman Goldman’s comments, referring to them as “political spinning.”

He said the process was not being held up by the GOP but rather was delayed due to a difficulty in setting up Laws and Rules Committee meetings. This, Mr. Sullivan said, was due to the unavailability of Mr. Goldman, who had a planned vacation and other business commitments.

Town Administrator Edward A. Gottko was also not able to make some proposed meeting dates, according to Mr. Sullivan.

Mr. Sullivan asked Mr. Goldman and the Democrats to “please take (partisan politics) out of the council chambers.”

“This (the ordinance) will go forward in terms of how it comes to fruition,” he said.

Second Ward Councilman James J. Gruba said he believed the ordinance will move forward with council support, at which time he suggested that Mayor Jardim refrain from his “political commentary.”

Mr. Sullivan later said he was “furious” that the Democrats used the dais to echo comments on a political issue.

First Ward Councilman Carl Salisbury, a Democrat, added that his concern was that, “time is going to slip by and that we are not going to get this done (in 1999).”

Jerald Baranoff, an attorney representing Common Cause, explained that only the County of Middlesex has an ordinance in place regulating the issuance of professional services contracts, although other towns are looking at similar ordinances.

He said passage of the Westfield ordinance will help make the process of approving professional contracts “more transparent” to the public.

Mr. Baranoff noted that Common Cause is also looking to have towns support disclosure requirements regarding campaign contributions made by developers and their professionals who later appear before planning and zoning board of adjustments.

He said this change would “open up the air of public scrutiny” by enabling the public to see whether a developer made “substantial contributions” to a member of the board prior to having their case heard.

Union County Advisory Council on Aging. “Our senior staff members will conduct private interviews on request.”

The dates, locations and times for applications are:

Thursday, October 21 – The Roselle Borough Hall, 2nd floor, 210 Chestnut Street, Roselle from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Monday, October 25 – The Sara Bailey Senior Center, 30 Church Mall, Springfield, at 1 p.m.

Tuesday, October 26 – The Cedarbrook Park Apartments, 1775 Park Avenue, Plainfield at 11:15 a.m.

For further information on the Outreach Services Program and other programs offered by the Union County Division on Aging, please call the division’s toll-free number at (888) 280-8226.

community. The Foundation Circle of Friends auxiliaries will help provide support for the college through contributions from individuals and community organizations to which its members might belong.

A group is forming in each area where Union County College campuses are located.

Members of the Circle of Friends will receive invitations to special college functions, special membership rates at the college’s fitness center, access to the college libraries for research and special membership pins.

For membership information or to attend the upcoming meeting, please call Bonnie Sirower, Director of Annual Giving at the UCC Foundation, at (908) 7097505.