Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • August 1, 2012 Franklin Lakes “The GI,” a piece of World War II military firefighting equipment made in 1944, is now back in Franklin Lakes after 33 years. The government-issued piece was used in the borough from 1946 through 1979, and has now made its way back to New Jersey by way of a New York collector. “It was destined for the South Pacific when the war ended,” said Jim Webb, president of the Franklin Lakes Fire Department. Webb said the piece was sold as military surplus, and arrived in Franklin Lakes in 1946 in pieces -- ready for assembly. “From 1946 to 1979 we used it for brush fires,” Webb said of the vehicle, which came equipped with four-wheel drive. The borough, which had purchased the GI, then sold the piece. “Two months ago, we got a call from a man who found it in a storage building near Syracuse, New York,” Webb continued. “A collector of military vehicles had it.” The collector, whom Webb described as an elderly man who is planning to move, arranged to sell the piece back to Franklin Lakes. “We repurchased it, and it’s back in the borough as of Sunday (July 22),” Webb added. He noted that the department purchased the GI with department funds and brought the vehicle back to Franklin Lakes on a flatbed truck. The group that traveled to Syracuse to reclaim the GI, affectionately known as the Recovery Team, included Fire Captain Ryan Dodd, who spearheaded the effort, Tom Pia- Department plans to restore brush-fighting vehicle Tom Pianettini, Ryan Dodd, Chuck Bohny, Jim Webb and Chet Kowalski with ‘The GI.’ Franklin Lakes Mayor Frank Bivona recently announced plans to host another Meet the Mayor session on Tuesday, Aug. 14. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at borough hall on DeKorte Drive next to police headquarters. There will be no agenda for this session, which is intended to be a free-flowing discussion based on questions raised by residents on issues of interest. “Come with your questions on the recently-acquired property on McCoy Road,” Bivona urged residents, “or the installation of sewers, crime prevention, development of the golf course, the borough’s road program, taxes, or any other issue of concern to you or your neighbors.” The last Meet the Mayor session was held on May 21 for the sole purpose of discussing the recent sale of the High Mountain Golf Course to a developer. About 200 residents of the borough and the surrounding communities attended that meeting to hear Bivona, the borough attorney, and the affordable housing counsel explain the potential impact of the recent sale of the golf course to a developer who intends to build homes with some affordable housing on that 131-acre site. The golf course borders the Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve and residences in Wyckoff and North Haledon. As a result, Mayor to host residents the development will impact a wide area surrounding the borough. However, Bivona pointed out that the golf course property is entirely located in Franklin Lakes and is zoned for residential one-acre lots. The borough’s recent purchase of the Temple Emanuel property on McCoy Road for the purpose of building special needs affordable housing might generate some questions at the August session. That 15.7acre property was the subject of a controversial hearing after the temple congregation purchased the property about 15 years ago and planned to build a temple there. That plan was denied by the zoning board after a public hearing that lasted for 31 meetings, but that denial was reversed in Superior Court and a revised plan was ultimately approved by the zoning board. The temple was never built, and the congregation ultimately purchased the Union Reformed Church property on High Mountain Road in June 2008 after that church merged with a Wyckoff congregation. The installation of sewers in the business district might also generate some questions since that project has been delayed and might impact to return of school children to the Franklin Avenue Middle School. Bivona emphasized that residents will not be limited and may bring up any issues of interest to them. FJ MCMAHON nettini, Chuck Bohny, Chet Kowalski, and Webb. While the GI starts and runs, Webb said the vehicle is in needs a fresh coat of paint and is missing some original equipment. “We haven’t checked the pump yet,” he said. While the GI is no longer ready for service as part of the fire department’s fleet, plans call for the vehicle to be renovated as a parade piece. Those plans are still in the preliminary stages and, according to Webb, “It could take several years.” He added, “It’s part of our history. It was in active service for over 30 years. I joined the department in 1972, so I remember when it was in service.” Webb said the GI is now located in the department of public works garage, but the fire department is seeking a permanent home for the vehicle. He said the GI is the size of a large pickup truck and said its 20foot length would fit in most garages. The FLFD acknowledged Vanderbeck Tree Service for providing the truck and trailer used to bring the GI home.