Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • September 22, 2010 Franklin Lakes Borough to introduce Halloween curfew ordinance by Frank J. McMahon This week, the Franklin Lakes Borough Council is expected to introduce an ordinance that would establish a curfew on Oct. 30 and 31. The curfew would affect persons under the age of 18 who police believe might create mischief on Oct. 30, commonly known as cabbage night, mischief night, or goosie night.” The curfew would also apply on Halloween, Oct. 31. The curfew was recommended to the council by former Police Chief Irving Conklin after a review with Juvenile Police Officer Jeff Jost. Police officials reviewed the number of police service calls that resulted from mischief caused by individuals, particularly on those two nights. Jost surveyed several towns that have such curfews, and Conklin told the council that he found that none of the towns contacted had reported any problems with their individual curfew ordinances. According to Franklin Lakes Mayor Maura DeNicola, the council did not originally support such a curfew, and Borough Attorney Richard Lustgarten had advised the governing body that a curfew ordinance in North Bergen was recently struck down by the Appellate Division of Superior Court even though it mirrored the state statute on curfews. DeNicola said she spoke with Jost, who advised that he had been working on this project as the borough’s juvenile officer for over a year, and he provided several local ordinances from municipalities such as Wanaque, Bergenfield, Oradell, Ridgefield, and Rockaway with his recommendation for the borough. She noted that some towns, such as Old Tappan, have had a curfew ordinance in place for quite some time and that Jost had spoken to police officers in all of these towns, questioning their experiences and the effectiveness of such a local ordinance. “Jeff feels strongly that we need this ordinance to help control the escalating activities that have been occurring in Franklin Lakes around Halloween and to prevent the significant amount of property damage that happened last year,” DeNicola stated in an e-mail to Councilmen Michael Friscia and Steven Marcus, who comprise the council’s Public Safety Committee. The curfew recommendation was based on police reports of mischief during last Halloween, when cars were hit with eggs, houses were covered with toilet paper, pumpkins were smashed through the rear window of a car, driveway lights were damaged, mailboxes were knocked over and/or damaged, doorbells were rung by juveniles, and (continued on page 19) OPERATION TAKE BACK NEW JERSEY Rambault Lake (continued from page 7) Boonstra, Wiss, and members of the Wyckoff Township Committee estimated it would cost $650,000 to replace the dilapidated dam and, with state-supervised funds available at an attractive two percent, each resident who joined would be liable for about $38,000, which could be reduced if other residents contribute voluntarily. One woman stood up and offered to write a check on the spot, but members of the Wyckoff Township Committee felt that stretching the payments out over 15 years would be more equitable. The lake was once the center of an established private community whose members paid dues for lake privileges and maintenance. The organization faded out in the 1960s, though some neighbors continued to pay for lake maintenance, while others did not. Albert Ferro, a long-time resident and real estate attorney, said the lake should be considered a town-wide responsibility, not a neighborhood project, because it benefits the entire township. Ferro also said losing the lake would reduce the value of each of the houses around the lake by what he estimated at $200,000. He said this would reduce the tax rolls for the entire town, which should be responsible for at least some of the dam restoration. Boonstra also parried suggestions by neighbor Charles Lieberman who said Wyckoff should be responsible for some of the repairs because the township “dumped” water drainage into the lake. Lieberman also argued, as Ferro had, that the elimination of the lake would lower the assessed valuations of neighborhood houses and reduce the tax income of the entire township. Boonstra replied that the lake is part of an estuary that starts in Franklin Lakes and, by that logic, a number of towns could be held responsible – but that the obvious responsibility for fixing the dam was on the neighbors who enjoy the seven-acre lake. “It’s just under $9 a day to enjoy that lake,” Township Committeeman Kevin Rooney told the residents. Lieberman continued to advocate partial responsibility on a town-wide basis, because even some local people might not be interested, but the township committee would not budge. Brian Scanlan, the governing body’s only Democrat, agreed the dam is a neighborhood responsibility. “I don’t think it’s fair to ask the entire town to pay for the cost of restoring the lake,” Scanlan said. Ben Margiotta, another neighbor, urged that the terms of the loan be extended for 20 years if possible, but he concurred that the issue is a neighborhood matter. “I do not want to see the township own that lake,” he said. “I don’t want them telling me that anybody can walk through my back yard.” “I don’t think we can go out to 20 years,” Scanlan responded. “Fifteen seems to be the maximum.” “It’s not the what, it’s the how,” said Buda. He thanked the township committee for providing structure for a meeting to achieve harmony. He and other residents asked to have at least one township committee member supervise the meeting where the neighbors work out the details of incorporation. Origina Prescrip l tio Contain n ers are NOT Necessa ry Wyckoff Police Department Dispose of unused, unwanted, and expired medication in a safe and non-hazardous manner. Keep powerful pain killers, anti-depressants, and other prescriptions out of the hands of juveniles and drug dealers. DROP AT WYCKOFF PD NO QUESTIONS ASKED! Wyckoff Police (201) 891-2121 This advertisement in support of the Wyckoff Police Dept. and Operation Take Back New Jersey is sponsored by the Wyckoff Municipal Alliance