Top 10 stories for Edison and Metuchen in '07

Christopher Morrison

1. The new council - The Democratic primary this summer presented Edison residents with three different slates for the Township Council. One was composed of incumbent council members Charles Tomaro, Sal Pizzi, Robert Karabinchak and Joan Kapitan. The second was composed of former mayoral candidate Bill Stevens, Nilesh Dasondi, Anthony Russomanno and Richard Westover. The third slate, composed of supporters of Mayor Jun Choi, was made up of Ann Marie Griffin-Usak, Wayne Mascola, Melissa Perilstein and Dr. Sudhanshu Prasad. Ultimately, it was this third slate that was victorious, sweeping their Republican opponents in November. The new council members, who will be sworn in at the beginning of January, say they want to start by attending to the township's fiscal needs.

2. Republicans win two Metuchen council seats - Two Republican councilmen - Christopher Morrison and William Waldron - ousted Democratic incumbent Councilman Alan Grossman and former Councilwoman BeatriceMoskowitz for the two three-year seats that were open on the Borough Council

William Waldron

in the Nov. 7 election. Democrats have held all seats on the council since 2001. The two Republican candidates said the win was a "great surprise." Morrison said they were encouraged that many people had split their party in order for them to win. Democrat Councilman Thomas Vahalla, the winner of the first Democratic primary in Metuchen since 1989, won the mayoral seat against Republican candidate Steven Shapiro.

3. Wards vote defeated - The debate as to whether Edison should change its system of council representation from an at-large system, where every council member is elected for the entire town, to a wards system, where certain members are elected to represent smaller sections of town, returned this summer after the issue narrowly failed four years ago. Proponents said it would increase accountability and improve local government. Opponents said it would lead to factionalism and higher taxes. As the two sides vigorously campaigned for their view, the debate became increasingly contentious, with accusations of deception and obfuscation swarming like mayflies. When the November referendum finally came, though, the residents chose not to adopt a ward system, by about 3,700 votes.

4. Metuchen council lifts freeze; room made for two more cops - It took one motion from Councilman Thomas Vahalla and one second by Councilman Richard Dyas at the March 19 Metuchen Borough Council meeting to reinstate the two police officers, which had been an issue since January. Residents and Policemen's Benevolent Association members, who packed the council chambers, applauded the decision. PBA Local 60 President Joseph Ernest said it was very courageous for Councilmen Vahalla and Dyas to do what they did ... "It took a lot of guts, and I thank the people in town, because without their support, this would not have happened."

5. Hartz Mountain - On Oct. 12, the council, during a packed meeting, approved the Hartz Mountain rezoning plan that would begin redevelopment of a 100-acre tract of land with access points along Route 1 and Vineyard Road. The plan had come a long way since the idea was first proposed, with the elimination of housing and the acquisition of additional open space being some of the concessions the township was able to squeeze out of the firm. A gas station, a contentious element, remained, however, leading to Councilman Bob Diehl to cast the only dissenting vote after a marathon council meeting. While the rezoning was successful, the process is not over by far. Negotiations over finer points will continue. The firm and the township still have a long way to go before a shovel can be planted in the ground.

6. Officials rally to fight school consolidation - Mayor Edmund O'Brien and other borough officials were joined by mayors from some of the other smaller towns statewide, school officials, and state Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan (D-18) and Peter J. Barnes (D- 18) on Jan. 4 in front of Metuchen's Borough Hall to fight the state's proposals for consolidation. Residents held signs, some of which read "Metuchen Is Not for Sale," "Metuchen - We Like It This Way," "Bigger Is Not Better," and "Metuchen and Consolidation Are Not Perfect Together."

7. Toth dismissed - On Nov. 19, the Board of Education, during a late-night closed session, announced that they had narrowly voted 4-3 to place then-Superintendent Carol Toth on paid administrative leave. Unless she finds other employment, she will be collecting her $173,000 annual salary until her contract expires in 2010. In her place is former director of personnel and now acting Superintendent John DiMuzzio. The timing of the decision, one year after her contract was renewed, as well as what was perceived as the board's secrecy in doing so, greatly angered parents who, at the board meeting the following month, demanded an explanation. Board president David Dickinson, however, said that the board was legally and ethically constrained from discussing such things, much to the residents' chagrin. The state is investigating the matter, and a formal complaint from a parent had been filed.

8. Metuchen Pharmacy reopens under new ownership - The oldest business on Main Street in Metuchen now has a new owner along with touchedup interior. Gerard Bargoud is one of five partners who bought Boyt Drug Store from the Belafsky family earlier this year. The store hosted its grand reopening ceremony on Nov. 17. The entire front half of the store is taken up by a unique selection of gifts, ranging from jewelry and watches to music boxes and Ne'Qwa Art hand painted Christmas ornaments. Despite the change in ownership, not one of the store's 22 employees was let go. The previous owner, Don Belasfsky, 57, has stayed on as manager of the store's day-to-day operations. His family had owned the store for the past 58 years.

9. Chief retires - Edison Police Chief George Mieczkowski officially retired from his position on Nov. 15. A 35-year veteran of the force, he had ascended to his post two years ago through the final official act of the Spadoro administration. Deputy Chief Ron Gerba is currently serving as acting chief while the township searches for someone to fill the position. Mieczkowski had expressed a desire to improve the department's image, which had been marred by controversies and scandals. During his tenure, the department came under fire from Edison'sAsian Indian community in the summer of 2006, over the arrest and alleged assault either by or of a resident over an illegally parked car. One sign that relations may have improved since then was the use of significant community outreach efforts to apprehend suspects in a series of assaults on people of Asian Indian descent in the Durham Woods apartment complex.

10. The Wellness Center provides cutting-edge exercise - The new $250,000 state-ofthe art Wellness Center, which was a collaboration between the Metuchen Board of Education and the Metuchen-Edison YMCA, opened at the Metuchen High School and provided athletes as well as non-athletes a place to work out. On Nov. 12, the center opened its doors to the public as well as the students in the high school. The center cost $276,000 to open, of which $250,000 was provided through a state grant (facilitated by state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-18) and then Gov. Richard J. Codey's chief of staff Peter Cammarano) and $25,000 was given as a gift by Metuchen Savings Bank, with an additional $1,000 provided by the Metuchen Rotary Club.

- Chris Gaetano, Kathy Chang

Thomas Vahalla 8 George Mieczkowski 10