The trouble is, that once the 'boards' are off the front page, one can't follow the discussion. The…Read More 'shout stream' has gone away with the redesign of Patch. The 'reply' feature has also gone. Somehow I don't see these boards as being all that useful for public discussion and interaction. The more effective place is on the articles themselves--they get more page space, and they tend to have a more 'discussion friendly' topic for conversation than the random board postings.

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Karen Egert June 18, 2013 at 06:06 pm

I agree -- they should have a separate tab for Letters to the Editor

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Westfield Resident, Diane Genco Awarded Aletha R Wright…

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Announcements/Around Town June 18, 2013 at 12:21 am

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Announcements/Around Town June 17, 2013 at 08:13 pm

Comment Recommend Briana Coyne

School District, Police Have Not Been Clear on Role of SRO,…

School board should hold town-hall style meeting 'with give and take on both sides of the…

Speak Out/Opinion June 17, 2013 at 06:32 pm

11 Comment Recommend Elizabeth Alterman (Editor)

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karen egert June 14, 2013 at 03:01 pm

Apparently Mr. Common Sense you were not at the Board meeting because if you were you would know…Read More that it was clearly outlined that all decisions and reporting of this police officer will be from the police department -- not the school. So are you saying that Lucy Biegler is now the new spokeswoman ? You said she is calling out the position for what it REALLY is ? The discrepancy in outlined roles and the vagueness of this position is reason enough to question it. Ofcourse you have an opinion , but because our children will be directly affected I think our concerns should be heavily weighed . .

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karen egert June 14, 2013 at 03:05 pm

Rob -- to answer your question , I was never crazy about the DARE program and yes , I was disturbed…Read More that the officer carrying a gun in school . I didn't like it . So I am being consistent. I was new to the school at the time .

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A.John Blake June 19, 2013 at 06:22 am

I have no problem with a policeman in school. His ability to carry a gun is no different on school…Read More property than elsewhere. Let us make sure we all understand that the man is a policeman, not a counselor. I think the idea that the children will be safer is absurd. Cameras in every public area in every school, monitored by the police ,would probably provide better surveillance. I object to any understanding between the Board and the Town which creates a hybrid officer who is required to act differently in school than he does on the street. In the past, the police have been hobbled by "arrangements" between the then BOE and the Town that the police would not enter the schools without permission. Investigations would not be conducted until the Board had finished its investigation. A "safe haven" had been created. This is wrong. In school, the children knew they didn't have to worry about police and acted accordingly. This is wrong. If the people want a policeman in school, let him be a policeman. Let him act as he does on the street. He is not a trained counselor . Don't think he will solve children's problems. At the moment, I don't think the entire picture has been given to us. I cannot believe there is not some writing between Dr.Dolan and the WPD which outlines the authority of each towards one another and over the SRO. I don't believe the BOE is about to allow the " fox into the hen house" without promises that restrict the policeman. I oppose any restriction of a policeman in the performance of his duty. I do not want to see the return of the "arrangements" of the past. The BOE and the Town must provide us with the full agreement or we should dismiss the thought of a SRO.

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Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child Congratules Lower School…

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Announcements/Around Town June 17, 2013 at 12:40 pm

Comment Recommend Elizabeth Alterman (Editor)

WESTFIELD ARTS PAINTING COURSE OFFERED AT THE WESTFIELD AREA…

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Announcements/Around Town June 15, 2013 at 03:44 am

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Discounted Tickets to the 2013 PGA Barclays Golf Tournament…

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Taylor Smith wins 2013 Hardy Human Rights Award

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Announcements/Around Town June 14, 2013 at 02:39 pm

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Announcements/Around Town June 14, 2013 at 05:09 am

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Announcements/Around Town June 13, 2013 at 11:59 pm

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Westfield Memorial Library exhibits watercolors of Dante…

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Announcements/Around Town June 13, 2013 at 08:55 pm

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Junior Womens Club of Westfield Scholarship Presentation

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Announcements/Around Town June 12, 2013 at 02:29 pm

1 Comment Recommend Roz Cohen

Ann Quirk June 18, 2013 at 07:50 pm

I would like to email this info. Do you have a way for me to do this?

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Joseph I. Petsroric becomes MD

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Announcements/Around Town June 12, 2013 at 04:05 am

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Campus Security Expert Says Town, School Officials Are…

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Speak Out/Opinion June 11, 2013 at 10:44 pm

17 Comment Recommend Elizabeth Alterman (Editor)

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Charles Sullivan June 12, 2013 at 05:28 pm

Maddy, Thank you for your comment and I agree that's a lot of money. I just wanted to let you know…Read More that I wanted to give the board some options to consider in case they felt the need to hire a hybrid public safety officer with experience in security operations. Does the town need one, maybe. Can the WPD do more in regards to daily school security, yes I think so but they don't have to assign a cop they already have on the books for this activity. Thank you again for time.

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New perspective June 13, 2013 at 02:45 pm

Mr. Sullivan - thank you for your lengthy explanation and detail. I think one of the statements you…Read More made should speak volumes to all "Resource officers are proactive, and they can stop something before it starts, Police Officers are re-active and they respond to locations to enforce the law." Do we really want an armed officer in the school who MAY react to let's say someone who has a watergun but the police officer *thinks* it is a real gun at first quick glance? This happens everyday thoughout this country all by accident. Do we really need WHS to be another statistic? Here's another question....why just have an SRO at the High School? Aren't the middle school aged children MORE prone to peer pressure and stress that can cause them to want to harm others as a reaction? In my Non-Professional opinion, middle school aged kids are more of a danger than High School kids.

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John Q. Public June 14, 2013 at 11:17 am

Mr. Sullivan, I believe I read that the SRO position had been eliminated for budgetary reasons in…Read More the past but that doesn't really address the first issue I mentioned, nor does your comment about having external foot patrols. (As an aside, I believe the crossing guard in the morning at the corner where the auditorium is is a regular sworn police officer). In addition, I see the presence or lack of such external patrols and the lack of coverage if a single SRO has a sick day as logistical issues that can be worked out as opposed to legitimate objections. I don't really see these as evidence going against the SRO concept.

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'Armed Police Officer at WHS Is Not the Best Option,'…

In a letter to the editor, resident Karen Egert says its time to get creative about helpful…

Speak Out/Opinion June 11, 2013 at 10:43 pm

12 Comment Recommend Elizabeth Alterman (Editor)

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concerned citizen June 11, 2013 at 08:03 pm

Egert is just against guns, that's it. Everything has to fit into this, her small world, and she…Read More tries hard to make it fit, squeezes it, bends it and massages it. She gets help from the elitist billionaire Nanny Bloomberg for the talking points, but he has none regarding this specific topic, so she flounders.

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john June 11, 2013 at 10:28 pm

Karen, karen, karen. it is to easy. never mind.

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karen egert June 15, 2013 at 10:28 pm

GGG - I have nothing against the Westfield police . On the contrary, on the few occasions I had…Read More interactions with any of them., they were all professional , courteous and very helpful . I am grateful for our Westfield police . I believe that the wonderful job they do as trained police officers is spectacular . I just disagree with the use of a police officer that has only been trained in the duties of an SRO for 7 to 10 days to be the ones counseling our children. . But please don't say I'm against police officers . That's inaccurate and unfair .

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Matt Sontz: Candidacy is About 'Improving Town Government'

In a letter to the editor, the Third Ward Democratic candidate introduces himself and his…

Speak Out/Opinion June 11, 2013 at 10:43 pm

1 Comment Recommend Elizabeth Alterman (Editor)

karen egert June 11, 2013 at 01:38 am

Thank you Matt for working to represent the third ward . If elected I hope you will work to move…Read More the traffic light on Central Ave that is literally on a resident's driveway . It also flashes as soon as it turns red . As my street is one block from there , I often see residents walking across the crosswalk while the lights are flashing . It doesn't make sense and it's dangerous . Putting that light there is also a terrible thing to do to that resident in our Third Ward . It's wrong and we need it moved .

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