GOVERNING BODY INTRODUCES 2004 MUNICIPAL BUDGET 

The Mayor and Council introduced the FY 2004 Township Budget on Tuesday, March 2, 2004. 

“The 14.7 million dollar budget reflects an increase of $540,000 over the 2003 spending plan,” stated Mayor Tempesta.  “Our largest increase is for garbage collection where the low bid was 92% higher than our last contract.  This along with a 10% increase in disposal costs will add $253,200 to the 2004 budget  appropriations.”

“PBA salaries, awarded by a State Arbitrator, the Police Pension Bill, increases in utility costs and debt service are responsible for the balance of additional expenses” added the Mayor.  “We will also need to add $72,500 to the Reserve for Uncollected Taxes to cover any increase in the school, county or municipal tax levies.”

Councilman Richard Norgard, Finance Chairman, stated, “The Mayor and Council have submitted an application to the State requesting $660,000 in Extraordinary Aid to cover any municipal tax increase.”                 

JOINT DISPATCH READY TO IMPLEMENT

 The Township of West Caldwell and the Borough of Caldwell have entered into an Interlocal Agreement that will have West Caldwell providing Police and Fire Dispatch services for both Communities.  The technology of the project has proved to be a complex challenge including coordinating 911 resources, telephone lines, two way radios, mobile data terminals, remote video monitoring, computer aided dispatch, alarm systems, computerized record keeping and back-up medical 911 response.

 Councilman Ned Rosenberg stated that our experts in both communities have methodically and comprehensively designed this system and have anticipated all imaginable contingencies before proceeding with the final cut-over, which is expected by May 1, 2004.  This program will assist each community in controlling costs, while enhancing our ability to deliver police services to our residents and business community.

ROAD RESURFACING GRANT

West Caldwell has received a $190,000 grant for the resurfacing of Ravine Avenue, Crossbrook Lane and a portion of Fairfield Avenue.  The project will also include drainage improvements on Ravine Avenue in coordination with a similar project planned for Ravine Avenue in Caldwell.  Work is anticipated to start during the Summer of 2004.

SPRING HYDRANT FLUSHING

Councilman Dominick Aiello, Water Committee Chairman, announced that Spring Hydrant Flushing has begun.  Work began on Monday, March 29, on Mountain Avenue at the northern end of the Township and will conclude at the southern end of the Township at Beechtree Road.  This will take approximately eight weeks to complete and will be performed week nights between the hours of 9:00 PM and 1:00 AM.  Flushing is necessary for proper maintenance of our water distribution system.  It provides an opportunity to test the Township’s fire hydrants and also removes accumulated sediment from water mains.

 Please check to be sure water is running clear before starting any laundry during this time.  Tune in to TV Channel 36 for updates and progress reports.

 HEALTH DEPARTMENT

 Councilman Ned Rosenberg announced that our Spring Health Day, will be held April 28 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Harrison School Building, Gray Street.  Representatives from the Health Department, Chilton Memorial Hospital and Medical Laboratory Diagnostics will be on hand to provide residents with a variety of health screenings and information, including a health panel (also known as CHEM 23), thyroid test, prostate cancer PSA test, Lyme disease screening, urine analysis and hepatitis screening. In addition, medical staff will be offering free blood pressure checks, eye exams, weight and nutrition counseling, and other health services. Pre-registration is required for all blood screenings. Costs for the blood chemistry screenings vary. Visit the Health Department at 30 Clinton Road to register, or call 226-2303 for more information.

Residents are invited to attend a free Stroke Prevention Screening on April 14. The event will take place Thursday, April 14, from 9:00 – 11:00am, at the West Caldwell Public Library, 30 Clinton Road. The comprehensive program will include blood pressure check, cholesterol screen, carotid bruits assessment, pulse palpation and personalized stroke risk assessment. Pre-registration is required. Please call 226-2303 to register. 

The Health Department will be holding its Male Cancer Screening on May 4 and May 18. The screening will be offered from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at the West Caldwell Public Library, 30 Clinton Road, West Caldwell, on May 4, and will additionally be offered from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at the Van Ness House, Little Falls Road, Fairfield, on May 18. The screening will include blood pressure check, hemoccult test kit, PSA blood test, digital rectal exam and health education/materials. Pre-registration and $20 fee required. Please call the Health Department at 226-2303 for more details.

 Come out for a free Skin Cancer Screening on Wednesday, July 7, from 2pm – 4pm! This important health screening will be held at the Westville Pool, located on Westville Avenue, and will include a full body examination by a Chilton Memorial Hospital dermatologist.

 Finally, the Health Department continues to offer its free monthly Blood Pressure Screening on the second Wednesday of each month, from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., at the West Caldwell Public Library, 30 Clinton Road. Residents are invited to meet with nurses for a blood pressure check and education about hypertension, heart disease and risk factors. No blood pressure checks will be held in July or August.

LIBRARY NEWS

The West Caldwell Public Library invites all community members to the Dedication Reception of the renovated and expanded facility.  The event will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2004 from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM.  Tours of the Library will be given by staff members, special raffle drawings will be held each half hour and refreshments will be served.  Meet members of the Library Board of Trustees and the staff who will describe the many new services that are now available to cardholders.  The afternoon is sure to be a memorable one for everyone! 

“Meet the Authors”, a series of presentations by local and not-so-local authors, will feature the following authors.  On April 15, Louis Masur will discuss his book Autumn Glory: Baseball’s First World Series.  Laurie Lico Albanese will talk about her book Blue Suburbia: Almost a Memoir on April 29.  A Thousand Years Over a Hot Stove: A History of Women Told through Food, Recipes and Remembrances will be discussed by author, Laura Schenone.  Author and Star Ledger reporter, Peter Genovese, will highlight his books, Roadside New Jersey, New Jersey Curiosities  and The Jersey Shore Uncovered on June 17.  The programs will be held in the Library’s new community meeting room.  On each evening, refreshments will be served at 7:00 PM and the presentation will begin at 7:30 PM.

On May 16 from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM the Library will hold a Poetry Festival: A Celebration of New Jersey’s Literary Journals.  Thirty-three poets will read from their works and ten literary journals will be represented in this celebration of poets and poems.

In the Children’s Room. . . . .

Plans are underway for the Library’s summer reading program for children, “Discover New Trails @ Your Library.”  This annual program will start on Monday, June 21 and run through August 13.  “Talk It Up”, a summer book discussion club for teens, will also be offered to interested readers.  More information to follow!

 For more information about any of these events, please contact the Reference Department at 973-226-5441.

 GAZEBO CONCERT SERIES

 Believe it or not the concert season at the Gazebo is right around the corner.  Councilwoman Jane Cook announced that the first concert, July 8, will be our Centennial concert spectacular.  The festivities and food start at 5:30 PM, followed by the concert at the usual 7:30 PM.  As always, JCHS is our rain location and no food will be served.  The concerts will be held every Thursday night at 7:30 PM, during the months of July and August.  Many concerts will have food beforehand.  Final schedules and times will be mailed out in early July. 

Residents interested in becoming a member of the Performing Arts Committee should call Councilwoman Jane Cook at 973-228-2398.

POOL MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE

Councilman Joseph Fischer, Chairman of the Pool Committee announced that memberships are now available at the Municipal Building Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, plus 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM Monday evenings.  A membership entitles individuals to use either the Westville Avenue or Cedar Street Pool facilities throughout the Summer.  Call (973) 226-2300 for further information.

Pool season begins on Saturday, May 29^th with weekend only openings until schools close, and then pools will be open every day.

ELMWOOD TERRACE RECONSTRUCTION - NJDOT GRANT

 The Township of West Caldwell has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation Trust Fund for the full reconstruction of Elmwood Terrace, from Central Avenue to the crest of the hill near Smull Avenue.  According to Councilman Bill Payne the project will include new granite block curbing, new sidewalks from Central Avenue to Park Avenue, drainage improvements and roadway resurfacing.  Work on this project is also planned for the Summer of 2004.

JOHNSON AVENUE - THE START OF SOMETHING NEW!

Major improvements are now in the planning and feasibility study phase for improvements to Johnson Avenue.  Councilman Dominick Aiello, Chairman of the Water Committee, has already introduced an Ordinance that will provide for a completely new water main for the entire length of Johnson Avenue, with work anticipated for this Summer or early Fall.  Continuing on with the program set out by Mayor Tempesta in his Inaugural Address, work has also started on a comprehensive field survey to design a complete road reconstruction for Johnson Avenue as well. 

This project poses several new challenges since the topography and lack of curbs present special design problems.  The possibility of adding sidewalks to this area will also be studied.  Preliminary plans should be completed in mid-year 2004 at which time residents will be invited to review the design concepts and offer their input.  Designs will then be finalized along with cost estimates to be ready for consideration in the Township’s 2005 road program. 

 BLOOMFIELD AVENUE REDEVELOPMENT

 The Planning Board has held the first hearing to determine if an area along the South side of Bloomfield Avenue, from Johnnies Motors to Konner Chevrolet, meets the statutory criteria to be designated as an ‘area in need of redevelopment.’  This area also includes the existing Right-Of-Way for Eisenhower Parkway (see story below) which would be vacated as a part of this plan.

 This review requires the Township to closely adhere to a detailed process established by law.  Should the Planning Board determine that the area does qualify for designation, the Mayor and Council would then begin work on developing a plan for the area.  That part of the process can not begin, however, until the Planning Board completes this first mandatory step.

EISENHOWER PARKWAY

As many long time residents know, the fight to complete Eisenhower Parkway has been an uphill battle with countless obstacles.  In fact, in 1991 the New Jersey Department of Transportation officially terminated the project.  Only through the efforts of West Caldwell, Roseland and Fairfield, assisted by Assemblyman DeCroce and the late Freeholder Monroe Lustbader, did the DOT consent to allow one last look at this project.

Meeting the challenge of NJDOT the three communities, a local citizen’s group and Essex County all agreed on a single alignment, known as Alternate 3, which would move Eisenhower Parkway in a westerly direction away from the center of West Caldwell, and away from the existing homes in our community.  That proposal is consistent with the current redevelopment study which would seek the elimination of the existing Eisenhower Right-of-Way near Kirkpatrick Lane in favor of the westerly alignment.

On Tuesday, March 16, 2004, Mayor Tempesta met with Roseland Mayor Pacio and Fairfield Mayor Palmieri to organize once again to get Eisenhower completed along Alternate 3.  The Mayors have already contacted State and Federal Officials to seek their support, while still recognizing the many obstacles we must face.

BLOOMFIELD AVENUE STREETSCAPE

We have previously reported that West Caldwell has been awarded a $250,000 grant to provide “traffic calming” measures and to enhance the “streetscape” on Bloomfield Avenue, which is an Essex County roadway.

As we proceeded with the design, Mayor Tempesta met with Essex County officials to encourage them to become a partner in this endeavor.  We are pleased and excited to report that Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Jr., has committed significant County funding to improve the infrastructure along the islands on Bloomfield Avenue, in conjunction with a planned improvement to enhance traffic signals along the length of the roadway in West Caldwell.

This cooperative effort will include new island curbing, island surfacing with a colored, stamped concrete which evokes the appearance of the old Bloomfield Avenue cobblestones, belgium block crosswalks to capture the same feeling, decorative “retro” style street lamps in the islands and road side, and even traffic signal poles that will match the cast iron look of yesteryear.

Since this project is Federally funded, several requirements must be met before construction starts, but we are hopeful that work can proceed later this year.

CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE SEEKS HELP

The West Caldwell Centennial Committee seeks your help in gathering historical information about the Township’s 100^th anniversary.

Councilman Bill Payne, Centennial Chairman, stated that “We are reaching out to the community at large for help in developing and documenting historical information relating to West Caldwell’s past.”  Payne said the committee would like to identify some of West Caldwell’s older, long-time residents that might be willing to share some of their remembrances of times past.  These commentaries will be used to enhance and bring a personal touch to a “History of West Caldwell” that is being developed by the Centennial Committee.  The committee is also interested in locating the oldest West Caldwell born resident.  The target date for publication for the history book is November, 2004.

 Individuals with information and/or leads to be followed are being asked to contact Pam in the Municipal Building at 973-226-2300.

 The Centennial Committee also announced that Stephen Wolsky of West Caldwell was the Grand Prize Winner of the Toyota Highlander, donated by Caldwell Toyota of West Caldwell.

 Winners of the Fortunoff gift certificates were Barbara Maran of West Caldwell, Jeffrey Garvin of Pine Brook and Sue Gorham of West Caldwell.  The winning names were selected on February 28 at Caldwell Toyota in West Caldwell, with tickets drawn by Michael F. Cuozzo, General Manager of Caldwell Toyota.