April 3, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 19 Midland Park The Midland Park Elementary PTA sponsored its fifth annual Cultural Fair recently, chaired by parents Julie Guciardo and Lena Padovano. With “Events That Shaped Our Nation” as the theme, parent volunteers transformed the Highland School gymnasium into five different time periods that affected U.S. culture: The Industrial Revolution, Turn of the Century, The Great Depression, WWII and The Cold War. Each period was depicted through realistic scenes to give the students a glimpse of what life was like in their parents’ and grandparents’ times. The light bulb from the Industrial Revolution; Turn of the Century entertainment such as the Charleston and the Apollo Theater; Depression-time food kitchens, tenements, shanties and tent cities counteracted by brighter points such as the pro- Cultural Fair lets students catch a glimpse of the past duction of the Wizard of Oz, Babe Ruth baseball games and the development of Monopoly and other games to pass the time. World War II is portrayed through Rosie the Riveter working in an airplane factory; the key role played by the radio; and recruitment and donations to the war effort, along with FDR policies and Eleanor Roosevelt’s involvement. The check points at the Berlin War and video presentations offered reminders of the Cold War. Many of the props were period originals lent by family members or businesses to the museum-quality effort. Planning for the event started last summer with the bulk of the work completed within the last two months. The fair was funded in large part by fundraising done by the PTA along with donations from parents and the community at large. Roof replacement (continued from page 7) the high school, previous projects since 2004 have completed 38,000 sq. ft. The roof project, a one-time expenditure, will cost the average house assessed at $392,000, the borough’s average, an additional $352.96. A 60 percent super majority of yes votes at the polls will be necessary for this question to be approved. The operating budget also includes $100,000 in capital outlay for minor roof work at the high school, Schiffer said. To support the operating budget, the $18,271,356 to be raised by taxation is going up $349,907, a 1.95 percent increase, which is below the 2 percent cap imposed by the state. This translates into a $134.23 yearly increase on the average house. events in the future. Wyckoff has been attempting to control expenses through regionalization and interlocal agreements, notably with the WOLF consortium of Wyckoff, Oakland, and Franklin Lakes. Wyckoff also saved on insurance through the benefits of a safety program sponsored by the Joint Insurance Fund. At the same special meeting, the township committee adopted an ordinance to facilitate the installation of natural gaspowered electric generators for commercial properties as long as the generations do not interfere with traffic or pose problems for off-street parking. Generators must be 20 kilowatts or less, and must be installed at least 15 feet from neighboring property lines. All zoning setback requirements must be observed. During the regional power outages over the past several years, Wyckoff merchants who had private generators were able to keep their stores illuminated and their refrigeration operating, and some merchants allowed customers and other residents to recharge their cell telephones or laptops. There were no audience comments during the budget introduction, which took place at 4 p.m. due to holiday scheduling. Budget (continued from page 4) including the K-8 schools, the regional high school district, and Bergen County. Rooney pointed to costs that had been imposed from outside the township, including the state-mandated increase of 19 percent to 20 percent for police pensions and the need to prepare for a state-mandated revaluation. The revaluation could cost $15,000 to $20,000 this year for advance preparations, and possibly $500,000 next year for tax appeals. The township committee had worked on the budget at 15 formal meetings and 15 other meetings with the cooperation of department heads and the administration. Rooney praised the cooperation of the staff and the department heads. The overtime costs for the road department reportedly came to $62,000 due to the storms during 2012, one of which knocked out power for more than a week in some parts of Wyckoff. The township also purchased a muchneeded emergency generator for Fire Protection Company #1 and made other storm-related investments in case of such Pictured clockwise from top: Laura Krag as Eleanor Roosevelt; Laurie Kamp as ‘Rosie the Riveter,’ working on an airplane; Mary Claire Garrett and Kierstin Meyer taking a 1940s coffee break; an old-time entertainment exhibit; a class enjoying the fair.