The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page 21

THE COURIER-NEWSTuesday, September 25, 1990 C-3 LOCAL Warren teachers march to end pact stalemate "The board seems to be very stuck on their position, which is contrary to our position," said Robert Lund, chief negotiator of the Warren Township Teachers Association. "We have to do what we can to show the board that we mean business." Teachers have worked without a contract since June 30. The third and final state-mediated negotiation session will be Oct. 10. Should the session end without a resolution, a state-appointed fact finder will be brought in to issue a recommendation.

"We opened school In good faith and hope they show good faith and settle with us," said Peggy Zerrer, association president. The union last night would say only that it is seeking an annual pay increase of about 9 percent which is By CARRIE L. FERGUSON Courier-News Staff Writer the norm in Somerset County. The union, which represents about 120 teachers, secretaries and teachers' aides, is negotiating for a two-year contract. Superintendent of Schools Pamela Beck said last night that the Board of Education is "committed to good-faith negotiation" and that both sides want to reach a fair settlement.

Beck declined to reveal the Board of Education's last offer. "We have to show the board that they haven't really sat down and negotiated," said Fran Ierubino, a typing teacher. "It's our way of showing displeasure at the last offer." The average salary for teachers in the district is $35,000 a year, Lund said. Industrial-arts teacher Jack Luts called the current situation "dis heartening." Signs carried by other teachers revealed similar sentiments. They included, "Unsettled, but still "Quality teachers equals quality and "Warren teachers, high performance.

Low pay." Should the two sides fail to reach an agreement, the union will vote on a course of action during a 6:30 p.m. meeting Oct. 11, Lund added. WARREN After a summer of heated negotiations, nearly 100 teachers and supporters last night picketed outside the Warren Middle School to ask the Board of Education to end the deadlock and settle the 1990 contracts. Bridgewater clerk back at job flftpr QHQriPncinn urithrmf naw Foes turn out to argue against Warren mall In an amendment to the suit filed on their jobs and unfamiliar with th on their jobs and unfamiliar with the grocery store, restaurant, funeral home and liquor store, PWT enterprises engineer Barry Wolk said.

Many auto accidents have occurred at the intersection, and residents have asked for improvements for more than 15 years, Feick said. From Feb. 9, 1987, to May 8, 1989, there were 30 accidents, including one fatality, at Reinman and Stirling roads, according to the county planning office. Most crashes Involved failure to stop at the stop sign. A stone wall at the intersection of Old Smalleytown Road also cuts down sight distance, the amount of time a driver pulling out of an intersection can see the oncoming vehicles.

Planning Board member Joseph Thompson said, "If people have to wait about 40 seconds to make a left turn, chances are they're going to take more risks to get out into that traffic." The accidents on the southbound side of Old Smalleytown Road, where drivers must pull out almost completely into the intersection to see around the wall, total 28 in the past year. There have been five accidents on the northbound lane, according to police reports. To improve visibility, Somerset County planners have proposed removing the stone wall, straightening the curve and installing a traffic light. Warren officials are reviewing the proposal, but no decision is expected until at least next year. Board member Joseph Bercan Jr.

said that according to evidence presented by Wolk from police reports, "75 percent of the accidents happened during the time this place would be open for business." Sept. 14, Brown maintained that the hiring of a court administrator earlier this month was in direct retaliation to the suit. Dowden has denied the charge of sex discrimination, contending that Brown is a salaried employee and not a department head. He said that neither her suspension nor the hiring of William Anderson as court administrator was connected to the lawsuit. While Dowden declined to discuss the circumstances leading to Brown's suspension.

Brown said she was disciplined over a disagreement regarding her role in the evaluation of court employees. According to Brown, the following events led to the suspension: When Anderson was hired, she was stripped of certain duties, including writing evaluations. Later, Municipal Court Judge Robert Hendricks and then Anderson asked her to help compile evaluations because they were new By KERRY MULVIHILL Courier-News Staff Writer WARREN Residents renewed their call last night for the Planning Board to apply the brakes to a plan for a proposed mall near one of Somerset County's most dangerous intersections. More than 60 residents questioned board members and PWT Enterprises representatives at a board meeting last night about the impact the new mall would have on traffic. "Traffic is our main concern, and the construction of a new mall can only increase that," said resident Agnes Feick.

The developer hopes to build on Stirling Square, near the intersection of Old Smalleytown, Reinman and Stirling roads. The commercial and office development would have parking spaces for 207 vehicles. The proposed "commercial center" is to include professional offices, retail shops, a bank and possibly a Raritan Twp. banker indicted in check scam By MARY ROMANO Courier-News Staff Writer SOMERVILLE A prominent Hunterdon County businessman was indicted yesterday on charges that he allegedly bilked a bank in Somerville of more than $200,000. Wynand Nortier of Raritan Township was indicted on three second-degree counts of issuing bad checks at Somerset Trust Co.

in Somerville. Investigators for the Somerset County Prosecutor's office continue to search for Nortier, who authorities believe is trying to flee the country to his native South Africa. Last week, the New Jersey Department of Banking temporarily removed Nortier as a director of Prestige State Bank in Raritan Township. Nortier, who is a 10 percent shareholder at Prestige, is not accused of issuing bad checks there. A hearing before an eight-member state advisory board may be scheduled by next week, department spokesman Chris Cooney said yesterday.

If Nortier fails to appear at the hearing to defend his director's post, the board will vote on whether to remove him permanently, Cooney c. AuDicTADucB uiuM By CHRISTOPHER HANN Courier-News Staff Writer BRIDGEWATER Rosalie Brown, the township's court clerk, returns to work today following a 2-week suspension without pay, a measure she said was prompted by charges of insubordination. Brown's job status will not be confirmed, however, until Mayor James Dowden issues a written ruling based on evidence presented yesterday at a disciplinary hearing requested by Brown. Stephen Klausner, Brown's attorney, said Dowden has 15 days to deliver a ruling. Brown's suspension, effective Sept.

7, came 2'i months after she filed a sex-discrimination lawsuit against Dowden and the Township Council. The suit, still pending in Superior Court, argues that Brown should be paid a salary befitting a department head. Norman H. Geller, account manager Norman H. Geller, 58, died yesterday (Sept.

24, 1990) at University Community Hospital in Tampa, Fla. He was born in Lawrence, and lived in the Middlesex and Somerville area for many years before moving to Tampa, 10 years ago. He was a senior account manager for Unocal Corp. in Tampa. He was a member of Sigma Chi at Bowling Green State University, Ohio.

Surviving are his wife, Marilyn L. Geller; three sons, Thomas E. of Red-ington Beach, E. Lawrence of Easton, and Roger S. of Tampa, two brothers, S.

Lewis of Watchung and Marvin of Hallandale, Fla. Services will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church in Tampa, Fla. Visitation will be tomorrow from 5-7 p.m. at Roel and Curry Funeral Home.

Tampa, Fla. FrankJ.Scarpone BRIDGEWATER Frank J. Scar-pone, 65, died yesterday (Sept. 24, 1990) at Somerset Medical Center, Somerville. Surviving is his wife, Joan Howell Scarpone.

Arrangements are by Bright's Colonial Funeral Home, Lebanon Borough. Lewis 'Bud' Maytag headed National Airlines By the Los Angeles Times Lewis "Bud" Maytag who walked away from the appliance company founded by his grandfather to pursue an Interest in flying that led to his becoming chief executive officer of National Airlines, has died. Maytag, 64, died Sunday in Colorado Springs, after a five-year struggle with cancer. Born in Rochester, Maytag was heir to the Maytag Appliance Co. fortune when he moved to Colorado Springs while he was in high school.

He later attended Colorado College. Shunning the family business, he became a pilot and founded Maytag Aircraft a Colorado Springs airplane fuel supplier, when he was 22. He later founded an aircraft parts company. At 32, Maytag bought a controlling interest in Frontier Airlines and became its chairman. He bought Miami-based National Airlines in 1962.

Maytag re-equipped National's fleet with Boeing 727 and DC-8 jets, and ordered designer uniforms for the flight attendants. He also helped create the "Fly Me" advertising campaign in 1972, which named aircraft after the first names of flight attendants. In 1975, he launched a discount approach to commercial flight with National's "No Frills" campaign. Passengers were offered a third off air fares for flying an airline that did not offer food, snacks or liquor. The only thing for sale on board National's fleet was coffee at 25 cents a cup.

The move came after a sales slump that had begun a year earlier after a 108-day machinists' strike from which the airline never fully recovered. Maytag remained chairman and chief executive officer until National Airlines was purchased by and merged with Pan American World Airways in 1980. employees' work. Brown told them her attorney had advised her to request a letter from the township specifying her role in evaluating the court employees. Several days later, Anderson delivered a notice to Brown informing her that she was suspended pending an appeal.

The notice was delivered three days after Anderson assumed office as court administrator. "I don't feel that I was insubordinate in any way," Brown said. "I was acting on the advice of my attorney. I never told the Judge I would never do it." Dowden, who presided over yesterday's hearing, said the township reached a verbal agreement with Brown that would enable her to go back to work today. "If she acts on the verbal agreement, it will be acceptable to us," Dowden said.

said. State Banking Commissioner Jeff Connor has recommended that Nortier be ousted from his post and the eight members of the board indicated to Connor "that they back him. But we have to go through this formal process," Cooney said. On Sept. 7, Nortier allegedly presented three checks worth $283,000 drawn on accounts he held at First National Bank of Central Jersey to Somerset Trust Co.

He deposited the checks in an account and withdrew the money before the bank cleared them, according to the charges against him. Nortier may owe more than $1 million on loans, mortgages and real-estate deals, authorities said. The amount of money he allegedly obtained through the bad-check scheme could add up to as much as $1 million. Nortier's debt includes his share of a $5.3 million mortgage he and four other investors have in the Bartles Corner Business Park in Raritan Township. Nortier was last tracked in Boston.

Authorities believe he flew there after abandoning his car at Philadelphia International Airport. was not related to last week's incident. One firefighter was critically injured and a fire engine was destroyed in the first of three explosions on Finderne Avenue between Third and Fourth streets Friday morning. Craig Ally suffered severe burns to his head, hands and knees when a natural gas main blew up beneath the fire truck. Two Finderne Fire Co.

trucks and an ambulance from the Finderne Rescue Squad responded yesterday but were kept a block away from the leak. Asked if his volunteer firefighters were wary about responding to another gas leak, Adelman said: "I think you could say that, yeah." Traffic in a northbound lane of Finderne Avenue was diverted for a short time and parts of Fulton Avenue and Second Street were blocked off for about an hour. TROOPERS Continued from Page C-1 tino's representative, and do not automatically have the right to attorney representation, Cosgrove said. The standards of judgment in an administrative hearing are not as strict as in criminal court, meaning they don't require proof "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the troopers violated the law, he said. The departmental charges are all based on the criminal charges of which each trooper was acquitted; those acquittals have no bearing on the departmental hearings, Cosgrove said.

Attorney Joan Sorrentino represented Tornquist at the criminal trial and said she is helping him appeal his job termination. "Col. Dintino gave a very simple reason for not offering re-enlistment: he said he was not inclined to do so," Sorrentino said. "We'd like to get more of an answer." New gas problem shuts streets in Bridgewater OBITUARIES Mildred E. Adams, clerk at Rutgers MIDDLESEX Mildred E.

Adams, 64, died Sunday (Sept. 23, 1990) at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville. She was born in Jersey City and lived in East Orange before moving to Middlesex 26 years ago. She was an accounting clerk at Rutgers University in New Brunswick for the past six years. Surviving are her husband, Albert B.

Adams; three sons, John of Fredericksburg, and Matthew and Jeffrey, both of Middlesex; a daughter, Valerie Weddermann also of Feder-icksburg, a brother, Ronald Beh-rens of Louisiana; two sisters, Florence Dennis of Bloomfield and Adelaide Anderson of South Plain-field; and a grandchild. Services are Thursday at 8:30 a.m. at Middlesex Funeral Home, Middlesex, followed by a Mass at Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church in Middlesex at 9:30 a.m. Friends may call at the funeral home tomorrow from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.

FUNERAL NOTICES ADAMS of Middlesex, on Sunday, September 23, 1990, Mildred Behrens, wife of Albert B. Adams, mother of John, Matthew and Jeffrey Adams, and Valerie Weddermann, sister of Ronald Behrens, Florence Dennis and Adelaide Anderson, also survived by one1 grandchild. Funeral from MIDDLESEX FUNERAL HOME, 528 Bound Brook Road, Middlesex, on Thursday at 8:30 A.M. Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Mt. Virgin Church, at 9:30 A.M.

Interment Ressurection Cemetery. Visiting Wednesday 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. BURR Richard George of Clinton Township, on Sunday September 23, 1990. Beloved husband of Gillian Watts Burr, father of Richard G. Burr III and Elissa I.

Burr, brother of Linda A. Burr. Funeral services will be held Thursday September 27, 1 1 AM in King of Kings Lutheran Church, Route 46, Mountain Lakes, NJ. Visiting Wednesday 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the MACKEY FUNERAL HOME, 107 Essex Ave, Boonton. Contributions in his memory may be made to either the American Cancer Society or the Salvation Army.

GRIEVO James B. 70, of Watchung. Died September 23. Husband of Jane L. (Montanye) Grievo, father of Darlene Falzarano, Jaynie Koneschusky, Wayne B.

and James B. Grievo brother of Theresa Ruggerio, Lillian Coffin, Angelina Wood, Rocky, Salva-tore and Josepn Grievo. Also eight grandchildren. Funeral service at the Wilson Union Memorial Church Chapel, Watchung, Wednesday, September 26, 11 AM. Interment St.

Vincent dePaul Cemetery, Stirling. Visiting Tuesday 2-4 and 7-9 PM at HIG-GINS HOME FOR FUNERALS, 752 Mou' tain Blvd, Watchung. PICCOUNE Margie (nee Amato), of Scotch Plains, on Saturday, September 22, 1990, beloved wife of Anthony, devoted mother of Anthony and Maryann Meggison, sister of Pauline DeFrancesco, Mary Novello, James and Pat Amato, loving grandmother of four, and special friend of Henry Sole. Funeral service will be conducted on Wednesday, September 26, at 9:00 A.M., from the ROSSI FUNERAL HOME, 1937 Westfield Avenue, Scotch Plains. Funeral Mass, 10:00 A.M.

at St. Bernard's RC Church, Plainfield. Interment Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains. Visitation Tuesday 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. WAGNER Of Middlesex, on Sunday 23 September.

David husband of Miriam Goff, father of David W. Wagner, brother of Russell Wagner. Also survived by two grandchildren. Services at MIDDLESEX FUNERAL HOME, 528 Bound Brook Rd, Middlesex, Wednesday 9:30 AM. Interment Fairmount Cemetery, Fairmount, NJ.

Visiting Tuesday 2-4 and 7-9 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations to Middlesex Rescue Squad would be appreciated. Richard G. Burr Jr. firm's president CLINTON TOWNSHIP Richard G.

Burr 57, president and founder of Tab Products of New Jersey Raritan Borough, died Sunday (Sept. 23, 1990) at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville. Born in Boonton, Mr. Burr lived in Clinton Township for 16 years before moving to Hilton Head, S.C., six years ago, from where he continued to run the business. He returned to his home in Clinton Township last year.

Mr. Burr founded Tab Products of New Jersey, an office equipment and service company, in 1960. He was also president of Vital Records of Flagtown, since 1980, and was part owner of Vital Archives of Elizabeth. Both firms are business records storage and retrieval companies. He was a graduate of the Wharton School of Business, receiving a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1954.

He also did graduate work in marketing at the University of Maryland. Mr. Burr was an Army veteran of the Korean War. Surviving are his wife of 30 years, Gillian Watts; a son, Richard G. Burr III of Somerset; a daughter, Elissa at home; and a sister, Linda A.

of Neshanic Station. Services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at King of Kings Lutheran Church, Mountain Lakes. Visitation will be tomorrow from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m., at Mackey Funeral Home, Boonton.

Nicholas Lewkow, awarded medals for valor Nicholas Lewkow, 64, a former South Plainfield resident, died Saturday (Sept. 22, 1990) at Porter Memorial Hospital in Denver, Colo. Mr. Lewkow was born in South Plainfield. He lived in New York before moving to Littleton, many years ago.

He graduated from high school in Manhattan and from a vocational school in New Brunswick. Mr. Lewkow was an engineer group leader at Manville Corp. in Denver, for 29 years before his retirement. He served in the Army during World War II and the Korean War.

Mr. Lewkow received the Silver and Bronze Stars for his service in Korea. Surviving are his wife, Margaret Pohira Lewkow; a daughter, Deborah of North Plainfield; four sons, William of Englewood, Robert of Phoenix, Kenneth of Littleton, and Andrew of Orlando, a brother, John of South Plainfield; a sister, Ann Wilkey of Philadelphia; and eight grandchildren. Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow at St.

Mary's Catholic Church, Littleton, Colo. Arrangements are by Drinkwine Mortuary in Littleton, Colo. Albert and Alyscia Baer, newborn twins SOUTH PLAINFIELD Twins Albert Talley Baer and Alyscia Rose Talley Baer, born to Patricia Baer on Saturday, died Sunday (Sept. 23, 1990) at St. Peter's Medical Center in New Brunswick.

In addition to their mother, surviving is the father, Claude Talley of Bound Brook. Private arrangements are by McCriskin Home for Funerals, South Plainfield. Henry Specht, lived in Westfield Henry Specht, 69, a 35-year resident of Westfield, died Saturday (Sept. 22, 1990) at his home in Clearwater, Fla. He was born in Newark and moved to Clearwater from Westfield two years ago.

He was employed by Operating Engineers Union Local No. 825 of Newark for 20 years, retiring in 1985. Before that, he was a shop steward at Smith Transfer in Newark and Jersey City for 25 years. Mr. Specht was a communicant of Holy Trinity Church in Westfield and was a member of Msgr.

Henry J. Watterson Council 1711, Knights of Columbus, Westfield. He was also a member of Operating Engineers Union Local 825, Newark, and American Legion Post 328 in Clark. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II. Surviving are two sons, Henry C.

Specht of Fanwood and Michael of Old Bridge; a daughter, Susan M. Valles of Millburn; a sister, Ethel Kucy of Clark; four brothers, Fred of Brick Town, Herman Geiger of Kearny, George Geiger of Clark and Joseph Geiger of Englishtown; and four grandchildren. A Mass will be offered Thursday at 10 a.m. at Holy Trinity Church in Westfield. Visitation will be at Doo-ley Colonial Home, Westfield, today, 7-9 p.m., and tomorrow, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.

Christopher Galasso, retired gardener NORTH PLAINFIELD Christopher Galasso, 75, died Sunday (Sept. 23, 1990) at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield. He was born in Avellino, Italy, raised in Plainfield and lived in North Plainfield since 1967. Mr. Galasso was in the Army during World War II, serving with the military police.

He was a self-employed, retired gardener, and was a communicant of St. Mary's Church of Plainfield. Surviving are his wife, Margaret Wood Galasso; a daughter, Mary Ryerson of North Plainfield; a sister, Susan of Arizona; two brothers, Carmen of St Petersburg, and Michael of South Plainfield; and three grandchildren. Private graveside services will be held at Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains. There are no calling hours.

Arrangements are by Scarpa Funeral Home in North Plainfield. Frank Harris Johnson, retired professor PRINCETON (AP) Frank Harris Johnson, a retired Princeton University biology professor lauded for his research, has died, the university announced yesterday. He was 82. In 1942, Johnson was one of three scientists to receive an American Association for the Advancement of Science award for presenting for the first time a rational basis for the understanding of life processes such as muscle contraction, pulse and cell respiration. Eighteen years later, Johnson began using the light-emitting compound luciferin in his biological research.

His work also led to the development of the most sensitive test for calcium in muscle tissue. Johnson also received two Guggenheim fellowships and wrote or co-authored five books. By JEFF MAY Courier-News Staff Writer BRIDGEWATER Firefighters closed off two streets in the Finderne section for almost an hour yesterday to repair a faulty gas valve, three days after explosions from a more serious leak rocked the area. A fire inspector reported residents' concerns about a gas odor at Second Street and Finderne Avenue at 11:06 a.m., police said. There have been periodic complaints about gas bubbling from a valve there after bouts of rain, but residents became more concerned after Friday's explosions, according to Finderne Fire Co.

Chief Mike Adelman. A crew from Public Service Electric Gas Co. repaired the curbside valve, according to Neil Brown, a spokesman for the utility. He called the work "very routine" and said it RU ballplayers accused in assault NEW BRUNSWICK Complaints of simple assault were signed against two Rutgers University basketball players after a fight allegedly broke out at one of the Union Avenue fraternity houses early Sunday. No one was fighting when police responded to the Alpha Chi Rhu fraternity house about 1:30 a.m.

However they did see a couple of people with bruises, said Rutgers News Service spokesperson Pam Orel. No one was injured enough to be hospitalized, but summonses were issued to Keith Hughes, 22, of Carteret, and Brent Dabbs, 22, of Peekskill, N.Y., yesterday by two of the fraternity members. Orel said police were investigating the incident to find out how the fight started and that so far they have been receiving conflicting stories. Hughes and Dabbs are scheduled to appear in New Brunswick municipal court Oct. 3..