Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • May 1, 2013 Ramsey Registration for the Youth & Children’s Summer Camps Programs at the Ramsey Adult School has begun. Two camp experiences are available for Ramsey district students and out-of-district students. Summer Sensations, a morning enrichment program designed for children entering kindergarten through grade five, offers workshops designed to stimulate creative thinking while integrating reading, math, science, computer, music, art, and other skills. Children will build skills and explore their special interests in workshops of their choice, designed and taught by teaching professionals. The camp will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., five days per week. Three, one-week sessions will be offered July 8 through 26. The program will be held at Tisdale School, 200 Island Road in Ramsey. Summer Vibrations is a three-week, multi-faceted, Register now for summer camp programs performance-based music camp for children who will be entering grades five through eight. The camp includes instrument lessons, electives, ensembles, and weekly master forums. Classes are taught by a variety of professionals, including certified music teachers, post-graduate teachers, and touring professionals who are versed in jazz, rock, and classical music and the integration of music and technology. Rock Band will again be held for students with two years of experience on their instrument. The class is designed to bring together serious musicians who have always wanted to start a band or polish up an existing band into a performance-ready unit with a solid direction. Summer Vibrations will run July 8 through 26 from 9:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., five days per week at Dater School, 35 School Street in Ramsey. Register by mail after completing the form located at www.ramsey.k12.nj.us and click on the Ramsey Adult School shortcut, Youth & Children’s Programs link, Summer Camps link. In-person registration may be completed at the RAS Youth & Children’s Programs Office at Dater School, 35 School Street, Room 322, in Ramsey or by calling (201) 785-2300, extension 21701. The Ramsey Adult School accepts cash, checks, and Visa and MasterCard. The Ramsey Chamber of Commerce will host a casual cocktail Meet & Greet event on Monday, May 13 at Wayne Tile, located at 50 Spring Street in Ramsey. New members are welcome to attend and learn more about this active organization. Ramsey Chamber sets Meet & Greet Overtime (continued from page 3) After hearing that it was not clear who would pay for the mayor’s attorney, Mauro added, “Who decides who pays for the mayor’s attorney? We have the right to know who will be paying the (attorney) bills if we go forward.” Since the council’s review of the proposed police budget in February and police overtime specifically in March, the council has been trying to determine who authorized the police officers to attend the Tuesday court sessions. Police Chief James Batelli has told the council that Township Prosecutor Dennis Harraka approved the police officers’ return to court on Tuesdays, but Harraka claims he did not authorize their attendance in 2012 and he said he has no authority or interest in having police officers in court on Tuesday nights. Mayor William Laforet has told the council he made a “handshake” agreement with the PBA in 2011 to limit the police officers’ overtime on Tuesday nights to a two-hour maximum, but he claims Harraka is the only one who can require police officers to come to court. According to Harraka, the attendance of police officers at Tuesday night court sessions on overtime, when plea agreements are generally reached between the township’s prosecutor and those who have received summonses, has not been required since a 2009 change in state law. Harraka explained at previous council meetings that he does not need police officers in court on Tuesdays, but they are required to be in court on Thursday nights, when trials are held in the court. Police officers have, however, been attending the Tuesday sessions on overtime. The issue has been causing friction between the mayor and council, with several members of the public voicing concern about the expenditure of taxpayers’ dollars. Mayor Laforet read a statement at the last council meeting in which he criticized the council for rejecting his plan to privatize recycling collections to save money. He also lamented that the three township union contracts have gone to impasse and arbitration and he voiced disagreement with the council’s decision to use part of the township’s surplus for this year’s budget. Laforet claimed the actions of the council were politically motivated and the council’s decision to start an investigation into the police overtime issue is intended to disgrace the mayor and the police department. “If you were opposed to the overtime,” Laforet asked the council, “why did you sit by for a year? Look in the mirror when you ask who did it.” Williams responded to Laforet, saying, “You do a disservice to the council when you say that every time we disagree with you we are politically motivated and are against your election. That’s patently untrue. You’re telling the public we put political motives above community and that’s unfounded and insulting.”