Mahwah January 28, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 3 Distinguished scholars named Township council grants easement to Bergen County by Frank J. McMahon The Mahwah Council has authorized the execution of a road widening easement with Bergen County for the east side of Franklin Turnpike between Miller Road and King Street. This area is where the new police department parking lot was recently reconstructed. The action was taken during the council’s public meeting earlier in January when Township Administrator Brian Campion told the council this easement is a condition of the site approval granted by the Bergen County Planning Board when the township planned the reconstruction of the police parking lot. To obtain the county’s approval of the project, the council was forced to pass a resolution in which the township dedicated a 10-foot wide parcel of land on the east side of Franklin Turnpike between Miller Road and King Street for future road widening. Campion explained that, with this easement, if the county ever decided to Pictured (front row): Radha Patel, Theiju Sebastian, Aylin Unsal and Paul Yoon. Middle row: Lynn Chao, Carolynn Gaut, Samantha Duke, Simone Krame and Claire Magliola. Back row: Bum Soo Kim, Chidanand Balaji, Alan Zaccone, David Levene, Ilya Meylakh, Peter Romains and Principal John Pascale. Fifteen Mahwah High School students have been named Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars. Bloustein Scholarships, which are awarded to the state’s highest achieving students, have been offered to Chidanand Balaji, Lynn Chao, Samantha Duke, Carolynn Gaut, BumSoo Kim, Simone Krame, David Levene, Claire Magliola, Ilya Meylakh, Radha Patel, Peter Romains, Theiju Sebastian, Aylin Unsal, Paul Yoon, and Alan Zaccone. The Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars Program provides a $1,000 annual scholarship award for up to four years of undergraduate study at a New Jersey college or university to stu- dents who place in the top 10 percent of their classes and have a minimum combined Scholastic Aptitude Test score of 1260, or are ranked first, second or third in their class at the end of junior year. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, an independent agency of the State of New Jersey, administers the Garden State Scholarship Program, which includes the Edward J. Bloustein Scholar and Urban Scholar awards. Each year, more than 7,000 students statewide receive $1,000 scholarships in recognition of their academic achievement. Students may use these awards to continue their education at New Jersey institutions of higher education. widen that roadway, the township would be responsible for the cost of constructing a sidewalk in that area. He added that the township has the money to pay for the sidewalks and curbs if that should happen, but the only action the council was being asked to take now was to approve the easement to the county. Councilman Robert Hermansen emphasized that the township had no choice but to grant the easement to the county. Campion explained that all construction projects along Franklin Turnpike require road widening easements so the county can ensure a uniform width of the roadway. This project is being treated the same as any other project on that county road in that regard. Councilman Allan Kidd opposed the granting of the easement and was the only council person to vote against the move. “I do not think that mere improvements made to the parking lot of the police station warrant the council giving Mahwah (continued on page 24) S easons ... for Valentine’s Day All WEBKINZ Love Monkey $13.95 Love Frog only $3.00 ����������������������������������������������������� ������������������� Hamilton Square Shopping Center 140 Franklin Tpke, Waldwick • 201-251-7577 Place Your Chocolate Covered Strawberries Orders Now ���������������� ������������������ �������������� ��������������������� ���������������� ������������������������������������������� �������� ������ ��������������������� ����������������������������