Towns struggle to cut costs Taking back control
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WINTER BLAST An early January storm dumped several inches of snow on the region. Earlier this week, resi- dents were forced to dig out from yet another snowfall. Page 4 mm AND THEY'RE OFF! Eighteen horses seem to have been startled right before they broke free from the safety of their home at the Watchung Stables in Mountainside and took an early morning stroll down Route 22 on Sunday. Page 14 CHARITY FILMS Angelica Velez is an actress who starred in Mountainside native Jim Riffle's horror film 'Night of the Day of the Dawn, Part 5.' Page 20 IN THIS ISSUE Police Blotter 6 Opinion Page 10 Letters tothe Editor 11 County News 14 Obituaries 18 Healthy Living 19 School Zone 20 Arts & Leisure 22 Sports 26 Classified 36 ."'•••••'iii.: • , . ;;• :. ; Incorporating The Eagle, The Observer, The Progress THURSDAY; JANUARY1J672O11 LOCALSOURCE.COM VOL794 50 CENTS Towns struggle to cut costs By Cheryl Hehl Staff Writer Trying to stay under the 2 percent stale- imposed spending cap has some local officials working late into the night to find new ways to cut expenses. Although the budget process For all munici- palities is still in the early stages, town officials are doing what it takes to get their spending Taking back control Prosecutor pulls out of local PD By Cheryl Hehl Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — The prose- cutor's office has officially pulled out of the Police Department after stepping in to help with restructur- ing efforts nearly six months ago. However, former township mayor Ziad Shehady, who wa. not re-elected to the committee in the November election, felt Union County Prosecutor Theodore Romankow let politics influence the timing factor. Shehady said last week he was more than happy to hear the police department was finally on its own, but took issue with the fact that Romankow sent the letter to "Mayor Keffer" on Dec. 31, two days before the new mayor took the oath of office. Romankow sent the letter, dated Dec. 31, 2010, to "Mayor" Hugh Keffer, notifying him that effective "Jan. 2, 2011 at 12:01 a.m." his office would be relinquishing con- trol over the police department. Shehady took exception not only when the letter was sent, but also See UCPO. Page 12 plans under control. In some towns that might mean looking closely at shared services with a nearby community, furloughing or laying off employees or asking the local finance board to consider excluding certain fees from the munic- ipal cap. In Summit, the governing body is having serious discussions with Millburn, which is in Essex County, about merging fire departments. According to Mayor Jordan Glatt, that could possibly amount to thousands in savings for Summit. The city has been looking into such a merger since 2009, even bringing a consultant aboard to examine all facets of such a merge, including a complete merger of both fire depart- ments or sharing of services and equipment. Summit officials are not sure such a merger See OFFICIALS, Page 12 HEAD FOR THE HILLS — Above, with schools closed due to a recent snow storm, chil- dren gathered at Echo Lake Park, which straddles Westfield and Mountainside, to do some sledding. Below, two friends take advantage of the recent snow storm to dosome cross-country skiing in Union County's Watchung Reserva- tion. imrinrrri\irrn\\ ^io rN 3aisr~t~ixH Experience the E-E xoo-s *:scoa 3OIS11XH HJT33 x« YOUR NEWS, YOUR WAY! Whether pit have movedout of slit, gone off to college orjiist want put hometown newspaper available whenever anil wherever you choose. For more information or to see a demo of our E-Ediiion log on to wvw.localsource.com
Transcript of Towns struggle to cut costs Taking back control
WINTER BLASTAn early January storm dumpedseveral inches of snow on theregion. Earlier this week, resi-dents were forced to dig out fromyet another snowfall.
Page 4
mm
AND THEY'RE OFF!Eighteen horses seem to havebeen startled right before theybroke free from the safety of theirhome at the Watchung Stables inMountainside and took an earlymorning stroll down Route 22 onSunday.
Page 14
CHARITY FILMSAngelica Velez is an actress whostarred in Mountainside nativeJim Riffle's horror film 'Night of theDay of the Dawn, Part 5.'
Page 20
IN THIS ISSUEPolice Blotter 6Opinion Page 10Letters to the Editor 11County News 14Obituaries 18Healthy Living 19School Zone 20Arts & Leisure 22Sports 26Classified 36
. " ' • • • • • ' i i i . : • , . ;;• :. ;
Incorporating The Eagle, The Observer, The ProgressTHURSDAY; JANUARY1J672O11 LOCALSOURCE.COM VOL794 50 CENTS
Towns struggle to cut costsBy Cheryl Hehl
Staff WriterTrying to stay under the 2 percent stale-
imposed spending cap has some local officialsworking late into the night to find new ways tocut expenses.
Although the budget process For all munici-palities is still in the early stages, town officialsare doing what it takes to get their spending
TakingbackcontrolProsecutor pullsout of local PD
By Cheryl HehlStaff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — The prose-cutor's office has officially pulledout of the Police Department afterstepping in to help with restructur-ing efforts nearly six months ago.
However, former townshipmayor Ziad Shehady, who wa. notre-elected to the committee in theNovember election, felt UnionCounty Prosecutor TheodoreRomankow let politics influencethe timing factor.
Shehady said last week he wasmore than happy to hear the policedepartment was finally on its own,but took issue with the fact thatRomankow sent the letter to"Mayor Keffer" on Dec. 31, twodays before the new mayor took theoath of office.
Romankow sent the letter, datedDec. 31, 2010, to "Mayor" HughKeffer, notifying him that effective"Jan. 2, 2011 at 12:01 a.m." hisoffice would be relinquishing con-trol over the police department.Shehady took exception not onlywhen the letter was sent, but also
See UCPO. Page 12
plans under control. In some towns that mightmean looking closely at shared services with anearby community, furloughing or laying offemployees or asking the local finance board toconsider excluding certain fees from the munic-ipal cap.
In Summit, the governing body is havingserious discussions with Millburn, which is inEssex County, about merging fire departments.
According to Mayor Jordan Glatt, that couldpossibly amount to thousands in savings forSummit. The city has been looking into such amerger since 2009, even bringing a consultantaboard to examine all facets of such a merge,including a complete merger of both fire depart-ments or sharing of services and equipment.
Summit officials are not sure such a mergerSee OFFICIALS, Page 12
HEAD FOR THEHILLS — Above,with schools closeddue to a recentsnow storm, chil-dren gathered atEcho Lake Park,which straddlesWestfield andMountainside, to dosome sledding.Below, two friendstake advantage ofthe recent snowstorm to do somecross-country skiingin Union County'sWatchung Reserva-tion.
imrinrrri\irrn\\^io rN 3aisr~t~ixH
Experience the E-E
xoo-s*:scoa
3OIS11XHHJT33
x«
YOUR NEWS, YOUR WAY!Whether pit have moved out of slit, gone off tocollege orjiist want put hometown newspaperavailable whenever anil wherever you choose.
For more informationor to see a demo
of our E-Ediiion log on to
wvw.localsource.com
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