“The only thing that you absolutely have to know,” said Albert Einstein, “is the location ...
Letters to the Editor
By NINA OVRYN
April 17, 2024
“The only thing that you absolutely have to know,” said Albert Einstein, “is the location of the library.” Ours is on East Broad Street, and we know it well. It is a bastion of books, a sanctum of study, a place where questions are asked and answered. That’s a lot, but it is even more than that, ...
Dear Friends and Neighbors, We did it! The votes are in, and I am very excited and grateful to be joining the Westfield Board of Education this Spring. I am also glad to see that the budget was approved. Thank you to everyone for all your support. Every vote, lawn sign, donation, ...
On a warm autumn evening, while on a walk around the block with my children, I looked down our street and felt a sense of satisfaction. Our street was freshly paved and crosswalks repainted, after years of waiting. Gone were the potholes, tar marks and cracks that littered our street previously, ...
Dear Editor, As a dedicated member of the Westfield community and a longtime school board member, I am writing in my individual capacity as a private citizen to advocate for the reelection of Leila Morelli (column 2) and Sonal Patel (column 4) to the Westfield Board of Education, recognizing ...
Having read the proposed changes in signage and traffic control at the intersection of Dudley Avenue and Clark Street, I attended the Council Meeting this past Tuesday evening. This intersection lies directly at Roosevelt School. Dudley Avenue is a major thoroughfare from Mountain Avenue to North ...
The sample ballot arrived today and, as expected, is written in such a way that voters don't have the necessary information in front of them to know what the dollar hit will be to their wallet when they open their next tax bill. It is bad enough that the election is held off-cycle to keep the votes ...
In my mind, an ideal candidate for the Board of Education possesses a number of attributes. Yes, the board member should be earnest, fair-minded and detail-oriented. It’s also an added bonus when the candidate is an educator who is well-versed with the inner workings of the school system and ...
April 8, 2024 As Westfield residents prepare to go to the polls on Tuesday, April 16 to vote on an additional spending proposal in the 2024-2025 school district operating budget, I want to share with you how the process differs from last year and why this continued investment in our students and ...
There is a Westfield school budget vote on April 16. I am planning to vote yes to support our great schools and great teachers. The Westfield BOE has already passed a base budget for the next school year that has a school tax increase of 2.62 percent. This is the maximum allowed by state law.
My name is Jason Horowitz and my family lives in the Washington part of the Westfield School district. We have lived here for five years, but I have known Lindsay Bezalel for more than 20, and she will make a great member of the board. Lindsay has a background in public communication, which ...
To Westfield voters, On April 16, Sonal Patel will have my vote for her re-election to the Westfield Board of Education. I have known Sonal for almost 15 years. As a mother of three children who have gone through the Westfield school system, with one still at the high school, I have seen ...
April 2024 Dear Neighbor, I hope this letter finds you well. I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about my friend Julie Steinberg, who is running for a seat on the Board of Education in Westfield. Julie was one of the first moms I met in Westfield after moving here in 2013.
The Board of Education elections are April 16. I urge you to vote for Julie Steinberg. I've known Julie for much of my time in Westfield. Julie's kids went to Jefferson, Edison, with one graduating from WHS and the other still in high school. Julie is a DOER. When she sees something that needs to ...
Westfield BOE Approves Base Budget, Ballot Question for Additional Spending Proposal The assault on Westfield taxpayers continues. After last year’s $500 increase in school taxes, the stick-up artists are back for more. Patting themselves on the back, they say, “We have changed that in a very ...
At Tuesday’s Town Council meeting, the 2024 Municipal Operating and Capital Budgets were presented to Westfield residents. If you didn't have a chance to tune in, please take a few minutes to review the presentation and the budget details on the Town website (www.westfieldnj.gov) because you are ...
I had the pleasure of meeting Julie Steinberg when she was organizing the Awareness Expo at Edison Intermediate School, more than 10 years ago. I was immediately struck by her passion for providing much-needed education and guidance to families in Westfield. The event highlighted resources in the ...
Dear Editor, I write to express my unequivocal support for the re-election of Sonal Patel to the Westfield Board of Education. As both the mother of three children currently enrolled in Westfield public schools and a former PTO president, I have followed closely the activity of the Board over ...
Editor, I write this letter to express my full-hearted support for Julie Steinberg as the candidate for the Westfield BOE and to encourage my fellow residents to cast their votes for Julie on April 16, 2024. She is the best candidate for the BOE for three reasons: proven track record, rational, ...
I am honored to endorse and fully support my friend Leila Morrelli for reelection to the Westfield Board of Education in 2024. For the 11 years I have known Leila, she impresses me most with her ability to succeed in both her family life as an involved mother of three children and also in her ...
To the Editor: I am writing to support the re-election of Leila Morelli to the Westfield Board of Education. She is dedicated, level-headed and works well with a wide variety of people. She takes the time to do her homework and fully understand the issues she is working on. I met Leila around ...
Dear editors, I am writing to support, wholeheartedly, current Board of Education president Sonal Patel in her re-election efforts for Westfield’s Board of Education. As a longtime friend and fellow educator, I have witnessed Sonal’s respect for, and dedication to, the Westfield school system ...
The Union County Manager has proposed a 1.75% tax increase. For the average Westfield resident, that is in excess of $325. Coming on top of last year's $500 school tax increase and the proposed $347 school tax increase, residents are looking at a total INCREASE of almost $1,200 a year. It is ...
Another year and another “vote” to raise school taxes. The current proposal could weigh down taxpayers with an additional $347 on top of last year's $500 increase. How about finding ways to increase productivity or efficiency or eliminating wasteful spending programs? How long until Westfield ...
Dear Editors, We are writing to express our enthusiastic support for Julie Steinberg as a candidate for the Westfield Board of Education. Our family has lived in Westfield for over 12 years. Our children grew up together, and throughout the years, we have witnessed firsthand her unwavering ...
In the world of high school athletics, there are coaches, and then there are those rare individuals who transcend the title. In the realm of track and field, one such luminary shines brightly: Coach Chris Tafelski. In a sport that celebrates individual achievement, he has fostered a team culture ...
I am a 25-year resident of Westfield, NJ and was absolutely appalled by the display by Mayor Shelley Brindle during this week's town council meeting. The mayor began the meeting by reading from a court document and sharing the details of the case brought by taxpayers to block the massive ...
Dear Editor, I am a proud resident of Westfield and have called it home for eight years. We have a wonderful community full of some truly incredible people — people who make a difference in the world beyond our town. It’s been an amazing experience living here and developing relationships with ...
A recent article highlighted: “S1253 would establish an elementary school wellness program that uses therapy dogs. Therapy dogs that have been trained and registered to a handler would provide ‘animal assisted therapy’ in classrooms. The program is a part of state initiatives to improve student ...
Another year and another “vote” for higher school taxes. Last year, 9% of eligible voters passed a $500 per year increase and now they are back! Scheduling a vote in April instead of November is a deliberate tactic to force higher costs on the 91% of taxpayers who either voted against it or not ...
I write in response to recent assertions made regarding the effectiveness of our council, particularly in addressing the concerning rise in home break-ins and car thefts within our community. The newly elected council members have diligently assessed the efforts made by the previous majority and ...
