Villadom Times Weekly Local Newspaper

Area April 21, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 5 In memory of its distinguished benefactor and mentor, the Wyckoff Family YMCA will present the “William E. Boye Jr. Humanitarian Award” at the 28th Annual “Friends of the Y” Dinner on April 28. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Wyckoff YMCA, 691 Wyckoff Avenue in Wyckoff. This year’s event will be “Celebrating Those Who Keep Our Community Green and Beautiful,” and will honor seven individuals who have devoted their lives to enhance, protect, and promote the beauty of the community. This year’s award winners are: Jim and Judy Abma, Vince Barra, Mark Borst, Tom and Mary Bugel, and Scott Fisher. The Abma family began farming in Wyckoff over 80 years ago. In 1981, Jim and Judy Abma saw the need to diversify their farm operation, and added produce, a greenhouse, and a compost business to their poultry farm. Their decision to make a commitment to stay on the farm has provided a living for future generations and has served the community with healthy poultry, produce, and plants. Vince Barra has served as Mayor of Allendale since Barra among 2010 Boye award winners 2007, and is a retired admiralty and international attorney. He has served in various capacities in town government and committees, including the Allendale 9/11 Memorial Committee. Mayor Barra has had a longstanding commitment to preserving open space in the Borough of Allendale, and recently worked to save a sizable parcel of land from development, which resulted in a new park and walking path. In addition, special needs housing is being constructed on a portion of the site. Barra has lived in Allendale since 1985 with his wife, Roseann. They have two grown children. Mark Borst, BSLA, CLT, president/owner of Borst Landscape and Design, founded his company in 1989 and has since grown it into one of the largest design/build, lawn care and landscape maintenance firms in northern New Jersey. He spearheaded the formation of New Jersey’s Certified Landscape Technician testing program, and consults for Vander Koi Associates. He is chairman of the Atlantic Stewardship Bank Development Board and is chairman of the Wyckoff Shade Tree Commission and as a member of the Wyckoff Board of Adjustment. Tom and Mary Bugel moved to Wyckoff in 1968. In the early 1970s, they initiated the first “Save Spring Lake” Campaign. After a second campaign, they enjoyed the rebirth of Spring Lake and the Wyckoff YMCA. Soon after, Tom served on Wyckoff’s first Environmental Commission. In 1987, Tom and Mary helped form Wyckoff’s “Partners in Pride” (PIP), a committee of volunteers who landscape, plant pocket gardens and planters, and educate the public about keeping Wyckoff litter-free. Scott Fisher has been the Wyckoff Public Works Manager since 1999 and is in his 22nd year of service to the township. He is responsible for a staff of 13 who maintain parks, playgrounds, public areas, roads, buildings, and facilities. His responsibilities include snow plowing, leaf collection, and posting regulatory signs. He has been named Public Work Manager of the Year in 2004, 2006, and 2008 by the New Jersey Chapter of the American Public Works Association. He is an active Wyckoff volunteer firefighter. Tickets are $70 per person and are available by calling the Y’s Development Office at (201)-891-2081. Districts plan for school administrator’s departure by Jennifer Crusco On May 1, James Davis will begin his new post as business administrator for the Oakland public school district. His move leaves two districts, Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale and the Ho-Ho-Kus K-8 Public School, searching for a replacement for him. “We will continue to look to see if we can share with another district,” Ho-Ho-Kus Superintendent Deborah Ferrara said last week. She confirmed that her district is seeking an interim administrator until a firm plan is made. Since 2008, the regional district has employed Davis as its business administrator/board secretary, and the K-8 public school in Ho-Ho-Kus has employed him as administrator, assistant board secretary, and transportation coordinator. Although the districts shared Davis’ services, New Jersey law prohibits the same individual from holding the post of board secretary in more than one district. Ho-Ho-Kus, which has a single, K-8 school located on Lloyd Road, currently sends its high school age students to Northern Highlands under a send/receive agreement. Davis joined the Ho-Ho-Kus Public School as business administrator and board secretary in 1997, and left for North Bergen in 2002. He returned to Ho-Ho-Kus in 2004. In July 2008, the K-8 school made arrangements to share Davis with Northern Highlands. That arrangement called for Davis to receive a salary of $167,200, with 70 percent funded by Northern Highlands and 30 percent funded by Ho-Ho-Kus. That formula was determined based on the amount of time Davis planned to spend in each district. Davis has been spending one full day and one half-day at the Ho-Ho-Kus Public School. The agreement was touted as a cost-cutting move that would save each district an estimated $50,000 per year. Both school districts were required to provide an outline of the shared-service plan to the Bergen County Superintendent of Schools, who then made a recommendation to New Jersey Commissioner of Education. The commissioner’s approval was required for the plan to be effected. Davis is a graduate of Saint Peter’s College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting. His salary in Oakland will reportedly be $135,000. �� Celebrate ��