The September meeting of Mayor and Council was filled with recognition of several different residents, volunteer organizations, and young fundraisers. Here are the highlights of the Fanwood Council meeting on September 17, 2018.
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month – Mayor Mahr and the Council invited local volunteer groups whose mission is to prevent suicide to speak about their organizations. First was Caring Contact, a 24-hour crisis hotline staffed by local volunteers, represented at the meeting by Executive Director Janet Sarkos (right) and volunteer Nancy Parenti. On behalf of Contact volunteers, they accepted the Volunteer of the Month proclamation including the framed print of the Fanwood historic train station. Also represented was Scotch Plains-Fanwood Parents United, a newly formed group of concerned parents raising awareness of bullying in the schools. Speaking for the group was Anthony Fiore. Finally, the most compelling speaker, Dianne Grossman who lost her 12 year old daughter Mallory to suicide in 2017 after relentless bullying at school. Dianne and her husband Seth formed Mallory’s Army, a foundation to address bullying and suicide prevention, especially in schools. Mrs. Grossman spoke of her daughter as an “everyday child from a good family. Bullying and behavior—we can cure that.”
Lemonade for Homeless Vets – Mayor Mahr presented a proclamation to Fanwood children (left to right) Olivia Haley, Dante Castronuovo and Ian Weisholz who raised $1,265 for the Valley Brook Village Community for homeless veterans by selling lemonade. A portion of the funds was spent by Fanwood and Scotch Plains businesses to benefit those vets.
Kruthers 70th Wedding Anniversary – Mayor Mahr presented a proclamation to Bob and Grace Kruthers, Fanwood residents since 1954, who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on September 12, 2018. The Kruthers, who have known each other since age 6, are both 92 years old and have lived in Fanwood since 1954. Bob is a Life Member of the Fanwood Rescue Squad after 65 years of active service. He has also been a member of the Knights of Columbus for more than 60 years and has been active as a Eucharistic minister. Grace was also a Eucharistic minister and supported her husband faithfully. Both have been members of St. Barts’ since moving here.
Borough Engineer Antonios Panagopolous reported that the North Avenue repaving project will commence shortly and the Madison Avenue repaving/sidewalk project will begin in early fall.
The Council passed a resolution to spend approximately $5,000 to hire a consultant to do an audit of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School Board’s spending/budget practices in an attempt to learn why Scotch Plains and Fanwood residents pay the highest percentage of local taxes to our school board (60%) of all our surrounding communities and most others in Union County including those with comparable populations and demographics.
