Franklin Lakes January 16, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 17 Planners recognize Lauber for 50 years of service by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Planning Board recently recognized board member Jules Lauber for his 50 years of volunteer service to the board and the borough. The current board members, including Mayor Frank Bivona, joined with Lauber’s wife Janet, Assemblyman David Russo, former Mayor G. Thomas Donch, and about 50 former board members, former township officials, and other former borough volunteers, in surprising Lauber immediately after the adjournment of the board’s reorganization meeting this month. Russo read a Joint Legislative Resolution from the state Senate and General Assembly that described Lauber as a highly esteemed longtime resident of the borough and recognized him for his outstanding record of service and achievement on behalf of the community. “His history of skillful guidance and effective civic leadership has earned for him the highest respect and deepest admiration of his friends and colleagues,” the resolution continued, pointing out that Lauber has given a half century of continuous service to the planning board. The legislative resolution also recognized Lauber’s contribution to the community as chairman of the Franklin Lakes Anniversary Celebration, past president of the Franklin Lakes Republican Club, and coach of numerous sports teams for the borough’s recreation department. The Laubers also received a proclamation from Mayor Bivona on behalf of the borough council which read, in part: “This prestigious accolade is bestowed upon Julius and Janet Lauber in grateful acknowledgement of their exemplary history of service and dedication to the residents of Franklin Lakes.” The proclamation chronicled the Laubers’ marriage in 1956, their move into the home they had built in the borough in 1960, how he started his career working for his father’s construction company, later started his own company, and his service on a variety of committees. Jules Lauber wearing his new field trip gear. “One of Julius Lauber’s greatest contributions to his community to date,” the proclamation read, “has been his service as a member and former chair of the Franklin Lakes Planning Board having assumed that position in 1963 and serving for 50 consecutive years, including service as chairman for 18 years and vice chairman for 30 years. Within all the spheres of his life and work Julius Lauber has been a model for others to emulate and has set a standard of excellence toward which others might strive.” The proclamation recognized Janet Lauber as “a profes- sional in her own right who has supported her husband in all his endeavors with respect to his duties to the borough.” Lauber is a graduate of Lehigh University and was the owner and operator of the Lauber Construction Company, where he used his expertise and skills as an engineer and as a carpenter until his retirement in 1999. He was a member of the planning board during a period of rapid growth in the borough and he reviewed and oversaw the approval of the site plans for the corporate headquarters of the International Business Machine and Becton Dickinson companies. Lauber’s friends and colleagues related many stories about Lauber’s work on the planning board. They pointed out that, during his many years on the board, he has played a key role in developing site plans for numerous subdivisions, residential developments, and commercial developments. They also advised that he and Janet have maintained personal files on the many construction projects he reviewed and joined in approving or denying over the years, and that historical information has provided him with a vast amount of knowledge about past decisions of the board and the reasons for those decisions. Planning Board Chairwoman Kim Vierheilig provided Lauber with a “field trip kit,” a reference to the trips planning board members take to sites that are the subjects of applications. The kit included a bright yellow hard hat and safety vest, which Lauber donned to the delight of his friends and colleagues. Additional kit items were a flashlight, a tape measure, mosquito repellant, a first aid kit, and the ingredients for a martini, which Vierheilig said Lauber likes to enjoy after such a field trip. “This is awesome,” Lauber said of the presentations and of the crowd. Franklin Lakes Scribe Local resident exhibits at library Franklin Lakes resident Erika Glick is exhibiting her work in the art gallery and showcases at the Franklin Lakes Public Library during the month of January. Born in Romania, raised in Israel, and living in the U.S. since 1968, Glick is a multi-talented artist who works in a variety of media. She has studied with Barney Hodes at the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn School of Painting and Sculpture, Ramapo College, Peter’s Valley and The Sculpture Center in New York City. Often finding nature as her muse, Glick works with clay, wood, paper, rocks, shells, metal, and semi-precious stones. The library is located at 470 DeKorte Drive. For more information, call (201) 891-2224. Nursery school holds Open House First Step Preschool, located at 454 Pulis Avenue in Franklin Lakes, will host an Open House on Wednesday, Jan. 23 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event will include information about the school’s new additions to its curriculum, which include Mad Science, yoga, music, Spanish, and cooking. Full- or half-day sessions are available for two-, three-, and four-year olds and pre-kindergarteners. Before and after care programs are also available. Parents who are unable to attend the Open House are invited to visit the school daily from 9 to 11 a.m. For more information, call (201) 847-8198 or visit www.firststeppreschoolnj.com. Jewish sisterhood launches new chapter The Rosh Chodesh Society, an international Jewish sisterhood with 350 chapters, recently launched its newest chapter for northwest Bergen County. The society provides a forum to discuss important challenges facing Jewish women and a modern response through its annual course of learning. RSC’s newest course, “It’s About Time: Kabbalistic Insights for Taking Charge of Your Life,” is a practical and insightful spiritual journey toward self-mastery and living a happier, more fulfilling, and more effective life. Each of the seven monthly classes focuses on one aspect of personal life related to the kabbalistic energies of the month from Sefer Yetzirah, the oldest written mystical text of Kabbalah. The program, which will cover emotional mastery, sleep and renewal, nutrition and dieting, happiness, communication skills, faith and knowledge, and how to implement lasting change, is designed for women of all Jewish affiliations and backgrounds. The program is open to the community. To register, or for more information, contact the Mimi Kaplan at (201) 560-2640, or visit www.roshchodeshsociety.com or www.chabadplace.org. The NWBC chapter of Rosh Chodesh Society is sponsored by the Chabad Jewish Center. Meetings are held at Chabad located at 375 Pulis Avenue in Franklin Lakes. Board of education to meet The Franklin Lakes Board of Education will meet at 8 p.m. on Jan. 23. The session will be held at High Mountain Road School, which is located at 765 High Mountain Avenue. Kindergarten Open House announced Barnert Temple Preschool and Family Center invites Jewish parents who have a child entering kindergarten this fall to tour the school and watch the kindergarten class in action. On Jan. 18, parents are invited to sit in the class and visit with the teacher and director from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. Barnert offers full-day kindergarten on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with half-days on Tuesday and Thursdays. There is an afternoon-only kindergarten enrichment program on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The school also offers various enrichment classes, including cooking, soccer, and pottery on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Classes are open to the public. RSVP for the Open House at schooloffice@barnerttem ple.org or (201) 848-1027.