Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 14

Asbury Park Press Tuesday, August 24, 1 993 C3 7 i-J'i-'' Budgpfs finale on tap in Long Branch TONIGHT And, finally, how much will all this cost taxpayers? Yes, it's time for another City Council vote on the proposed 1993 budget, a process that already has taken more twists and turns than a motorist driving the length of Ocean Avenue. The council is scheduled to consider amending the budget tonight at its 8 o'clock meeting, but just what changes individual councilmen have in mind was anyone's guess yesterday. "I suspect something will pass (tonight)," Mayor Adam Schneider said. the city's $2.4 million surplus in this year's budget, even if it means a municipal tax increase of about $50. Councilmen John Pallone and Steven Schwartz want to use half of the surplus to eliminate any municipal tax rate increase.

School taxes will rise by nearly 7 cents per $100 of assessed value, regardless of which side prevails. And Councilman Michael Palughi is demanding that several city jobs be eliminated as the price for his vote on the budget. One of his prime targets "I've been hearing they've been trying to make a deal." A sharply-divided council has been wrangling for nearly six months over the proposed budget of more than $23 million. Along the way, some nasty political infighting has occurred among the once-united "Clean Sweep Team" of Schneider and the City Council, who were elected as a ticket in 1990. Councilmen Robert Lehmann and Michael DeStefano have sided with Schneider in calling for using less of has been the job of Barry Stein, the as sistant economic development director? who ran the "Clean Sweep campaign in 1990.

Stein has filed a labor grievance against Schwartz for threatening his job. The paralysis over the budget is creating serious problems for Long Branch's finances. If a compromise is not reached tonight and a budget -adopted in two weeks, it will be well into September before the city starts sending out tax bills. Keyport schools turn to donations New Site for Learning 'W fit i if 'fw' The Christa McAuliffe Intermediate School, Route 547, Jackson Township, opens for class Sept. 8.

More than 800 students in grades 5 through 8 will attend the school. ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS Harbor Commission, 7 p.m.', borough hall. ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS Planning Board, 7 p.m., borough hall. HOLMDEL TOWNSHIP Planning Board, 8 p.m., township hall. KEYPORT Borough Council, 8 p.m., Consolidated Fire House.

LONG BRANCH City Council, 6 p.m., 8 p.m., city hall. MATAWAN Board of Adjustment, 7:30 p.m., Matawan Community Center. MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP Board of Education, 7:30 p.m., Mlddletown High School North library. MONMOUTH BEACH Planning Board, 8 p.m., borough hall. MONMOUTH COUNTY Board of Recreation Commissioners, 8 p.m., Thompson Park, Route 520, Mlddletown Township.

RED BANK Borough Council, 5 p.m., borough hall. SEA BRIGHT PlanningZoning Board, 8 p.m., borough hall. SHREWSBURY TOWNSHIP Committee, 7 p.m., municipal hall. TINTON FALLS Borough Council, 7:30 p.m., borough hall. Caucus meeting: The public Is Invited, but public participation generally Is not allowed.

UPCOMING BELMAR: The Jersey Shore Prome-naders will hold a square and round dance at 8 p.m. tomorrow at the Taylor Pavilion, Fifth and Ocean avenues. Tom Tralnor, a national caller from Arizona, will be the caller. Maryann Bosze will cue round dancing. For Information, call (908) 681-2428.

SPRING LAKE: A forum with Rep Frank Pallone on the recently adopted federal budget and tax package, will be held at 7:30 p.m. today at borough hall. SANDY HOOK: An environmental puppet show to benefit the Sandy Hook Child Care Center will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday In the National Park SenIce Auditorium at Sandy Hook. Myra's Amazing Puppets will present the show entitled "Life In the Forest." Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children.

For tickets or Information, call (908) 291-2368. CATHOLIC CHARITIES Is seeking foster parents for children and teens who have special emotional needs. Training and support will be provide. -f For Information, call (908) 722-1881. HOLMDEL TOWNSHIP: Bayshore Community Hospital Introduces Health-answers, an Information telephone line to find out about programs, lectures, support groups, and screenings at the hospital.

The number Is (908) 888-7300 during regular business hours. THE MONMOUTH COUNTY School District offers free counseling, academic and vocational training to adults Interested In completing high school. Counselors are available dally to answer questions and schedule private Interviews. For Information, call (908) 229-3019 to find out how to earn a diploma and learn a trade. Academic course work can be completed at the following locations: Long Branch, Mlddletown Township, Career Center (Freehold), Neptune and also at Keansburg High School.

Organizations Interested In submitting almanac Items may obtain a free copy of The Asbury Park Press publicity guide, "How to Write a Press Release, by sending the name and address of the organization to Community, Asbury Park Press, 3601 Highway 66, Box 1550, Neptune 07754-1551. We'd from sir By WAYNE PARRY PRESS COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU LONG BRANCH A long-running budget drama that has become a fiscal Peyton Place may come to a climax tonight. Several cliffhanger-type questions remain to be resolved: Will Barry lose his job? Will the state seize control of the city's money? Can John and Steve persuade Mike to go against Rob and the other Mike? Qty police arrest 15 in sweeps By NANCY SHIELDS PRESS COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU ASBURY PARK Police arrested 15 people between Friday and Sunday as part of a continuing effort to curb prostitution on city streets, police said yesterday. The latest arrests were aimed at alleged prostitutes rather than johns, who were targeted the previous weekend. Twenty-nine people have been arrested in connection with anti-prostitution sweeps from Aug.

13 to Sunday, Capt. Frank DiBiano said yesterday. "The effort will be ongoing," DiBiano said. "That's the way it's going to be." DiBiano said last weekend's charges ranged from soliciting for prostitution to obstructing traffic, the latter in cases where individuals walked into the street to stop cars circling the area. Police said the following people were arrested and charged with soliciting, mostly at east side locations Friday between noon and 3:30 p.m.: Ka-tina Wiggs, 21, of Fourth Avenue; Christine Rowley, 27, of Fourth Avenue; Debra Carter, 32, of Sixth Avenue; Justine Nesby, 31, of Ninth Avenue, Neptune; and Joyce Philips, 58, of Asbury Avenue.

Also arrested during that time period was Cheryl Wilson, 27, of Sewall Avenue, who was charged with soliciting and possession of narcotics paraphernalia. Police said Wilson pleaed guilty to the paraphernalia charge and was sentenced to sue months in the Monmouth County Jail, Freehold Township, and fined $1,000. Two people also were arrested Friday afternoon and charged with obstructing traffic: Heather Holdman, 26, of Prospect Street, Long Bianch; and Denise Bouldin, 27, Horizon Motel, Asbury Park. Police said the following people were arrested and charged with soliciting at different locations on the city's east side between 1 and 4 a.m. Sunday: Delores Evans, 35, of Third Avenue; Dorothy Moore, 27, of Ridge Avenue; Eric Dennis, 26, of Carmen Place, Red Bank; Jeanie Jones, 24, of Seventh Avenue, Neptune; and a man who would not disclose his identity to police.

Also on Sunday, police charged Ronald Tucker, 37, of Bangs Avenue, with soliciting and possession of narcotics paraphernalia, and Mary Moss, 28, of Park Avenue, with obstructing traffic. Trials have been scheduled for Sept. 1 in Asbury Park Municipal Court. like to hear you! TJ. Foderaro ASST.

MONMOUTH COUNTY EDITOR STEVE SCHOLFIELDAsbury Park Press A worker continues installing work tables in one of four science laboratories at the new school. By CHRISTINE FEDERICO PRESS MIDDLETOWN BUREAU KEYPORT The borough's school district is turning to private donations: to improve and to maintain programs for which funding is not available else- where. The Keyport Education Foundation a nine-member board, was formed in' June and soon will be soliciting donations, said John Dumford, superinten- dent of schools. The donations will! fund projects such as the renovation of the high school's three science which haven't been updated since the 1960s, Dumford said. The cost of is estimated at $150,000, district cannot afford to fund jt under its $9.9 million budget.

"The Board (of Education) had con cerns about state funding and loomed ahead," said Dumford. "It is a. method of raising funds that would, keep some programs intact for the dia- trict." The foundation's board includes people with financial backgrounds and. 4 local business owners. Its president feu.

Mark Muscarella, a Keyport optome- trist and longtime resident. He will try, to reach this school year's fund-raising-goal of $25,000, Dumford said. Just how the money will be raised still being worked out, Dumford said. One idea is to hold an art auction, he said. Once the money is raised, donation could be put toward new programs such as grants to district teachers whir have innovative proposals, college scholarships to Keyport students and' technological upgrades in the district.

Also, if a program is in danger qfl losing state funding one year, the foundation money could be used to; keep it going, Dumford said. Each year, the Board of Education will draw up a needs list for the district's two schools and 1,281 student?" and present it to the foundation boardl Dumford said. After raising the' money, the foundation will make re ommendations on how to spend it, but -the school board will have the final say, Dumford said. Education foundations are becoming increasingly popular throughout the nation in both large and small districts as government aid decreases and prop- erty owners object to higher tax bills. Other school districts in the Shore area, among them Middletown Town- ship and Point Pleasant Beach, have turned to this alternative funding.

Education foundations are especially popular in California and Massachu- setts, two states where state aid to ed- ucation has been cut sharply, said Morris Rodenstein, member services associate for the Public Education Fund Network. The idea is catching on, he said, and estimated there now are about 1,000 education foundations across the country. GOP tabs candidate I in 3rd Ward battle 1 PRESS MIDDLESEX BUREAU 1 OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP Eliz- abeth Costello, a 35-year-old resident of the Madison Garden Apartments off 1 Route 9, has been chosen by the town- ship's Republican Party to run against Democratic Councilman Reginald But- ler's in the 3rd Ward this November. Costello was chosen to replace Allen Leibowitz, who withdrew from the I race, saying his new job cut the time needed to campaign. This is Costello's first run for office.

Costello said she will talk with the people in her ward to see what their concerns are. Costello, a mother of three, is mar- ried to Ray Costello, president of the Friendly, Sons of the Shillelagh, a townshiijfservice organization 'Sf i ii I) STEVE SCHOLFIELDAsbury Park Preit entrance of the new school that says, "I touch the future, I teach," to inspire and honor the teachers, Hengel said. Rooms that need to be accessible to the public are all one side of the school. These areas include the music rooms, guidance, cafeteria auditorium, nurse, the special education office and the school library. The library has a separate entrance from outside as well.

There will be a computer technology center at the new school and at the Goetz school. Each computer terminal has an overhead light that students can flick on to signal to the teacher that they need help. In the center of the building is an outdoor grassy quadrangle with seating that students can use for special occasions, such as assemblies, Hengel said. Cotugno said the curriculum, computer offerings and programs at the new school all will be offered at the Goetz school, where there have been significant renovations since June. The Goetz school is about 20 years old.

Other additions to district facilities include a new, large auditorium at Jackson Memorial High School. The new school was designed partially using the input of Hengel and some of the teachers who will be working at the school, Cotugno said. visit school day of classes on Sept. 8. Corrigan, who is writing a biography about her daughter, said about 25 other schools in the nation have been named for her daughter, who died on Jan.

28, 1986, when the space shuttle Challenger blew up. McAuliffe, of New Hampshire, was picked from a pool of nationwide applicants to be the nation's first teacher in space. She and six others aboard the Challenger were killed when the shuttle exploded shortly after takeoff. Denise DiStephan Jackson district to open second middle school By DENISE Dl STEPHAN PRESS LAKEW00D BUREAU JACKSON TOWNSHIP Anyone who thinks new schools are just for kids should see Margaret Heng-el's eyes sparkle as she gazes around the new Christa McAuliffe Intermediate School where she will be principal. "We have a music wing, with the chorus room and band room connected by a hallway," Hengel says to a visitor, smiling as she strides through the rooms and points to the staggered seating and the place where the pianos will be.

"Our gym can accommodate over 1,000 students. Oh, there's the mats for the wrestling," she said excitedly, pointing to black mats being wheeled by on a pull-cart by an employee. "We have four science labs and four arts rooms," she says, pointing out the large cldsets in the art rooms and the state-of-the-art equipment in the science labs. The new school, featuring tall windows and high ceilings, and sitting on about 31 acres, opens for class Sept. 8.

It is expected to welcome more than 800 students in grades 5 to 8, in a township where enrollment has increased by 200 students since June, township Superintendent of Schools Dominic Co-tugno said. The first of two floors is primarily classroom space, and has one entrance for seventh- and eighth-graders and another entrance for fifth-and sixth-graders. The second floor also has some classroom space, such as a classroom for students taking English as a Second Language. The school, which cost about $16 million, will relieve overcrowding in other schools, and will provide a lot more classroom and storage space. But the physical attributes are only part of the charm.

"This is an opportunity for a new beginning to build a culture in a McAuliffe's Grace Corrlgan, mother of the late teacher-astronaut and school namesake, expects to make the trip. PRESS LAKEW00D BUREAU JACKSON TOWNSHIP Grace Corrigan, mother Trf teacher-astronaut Christa McAuliffe, said yesterday she expects to attend the dedication ceremony here for the new school being named for her daughter i You can have the greatest new building, but if you don't have good teachers, you don't have a good school, Margaret Hengel SCHOOL PRINCIPAL school," Hengel said. "Teachers will have opportunities for new instructional strategies and there will be more opportunities for students." Hengel, who has worked for the district in various capacities for 22 years, has most recently served as principal at the Carl W. Goetz Intermediate School. The new school is named in memory of teacher and astronaut Christa McAuliffe.

McAuliffe and six other astronauts were killed Jan. 28, 1986, when the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after takeoff. But the school also is named after her because the building is dedicated to teachers. "You can have the greatest new building, but if you don't have good teachers, you don't have a good school," Hengel said. A banner will be hung inside the mother may on Sunday.

"I think it's always nice to go to these ceremonies, especially when they're honoring my daughter," she said yesterday from her home in Framingham, Mass. The ceremony is 2 p.m. Sunday at the Christa McAuliffe Intermediate School on Route 547. She said she has attended many others at schools also named after her daughter. She said she needs to return to her home Sunday night and is just waiting to make sure all travel arrangements have been finalized.

The new school opens for its first NORTHERN MONMOUTH news appears every day in the ASBURY PARK PRESS. Readers are Invited to write or call Press news offices to share their opinions, ideas for news stories, photo suggestions and letters to the editor. INFORMATION on Northern Monmouth news should be directed to Asst. Monmouth County Editor T.J. Foderaro at (908) 671-2200, ext.

101 Letters may be mailed to his attention at the Asbury Park Press, 91 5 Route 35 north, Middletown, N.J. 07748 NORTHERN MONMOUTH INCLUDES: Aberdeen Township, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet Township, Highlands, Hcdmdel Township, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Matawan, Middletown Township, Red Bank, Rumson, Sea Bright, Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury Township and Union Beach. This edition also includes Eatontown, Oceanport, Tinton Falls and West Long Branch. REPORTING STAFF (with phone extensions): (908) 671-2200 Randy Brameier, 1 30 Sherry Figdore, 1 29 Leonardo Vazquez, 1 25 Christine Federico, 1 26 Andrea Orlando, 1 34 GENERAL MONMOUTH COUNTY NEWS: John Hudzinski Alan J. Lukowicz Arlene M.

Schneider Monmouth County Acting Monmouth County Acting Metro Editor Editor Section Editor (908) 922-6000 (908)462-5100 (908)922-6000 (ext. 4358) (ext. 51 29) (ext. 4222) after 6 p.m..