School board hires grant writer

The Board of Education hired a grant writer, Bruno Associates, Clifton, to help secure grants and loans on the school district's behalf.

Bruno Associates will be paid $55,000 per year, plus 2 percent of grant funds awarded to the board, but not to exceed $10,000.

"Going forward, this district will realize substantial money," board member John Talty said at the Aug. 24 board meeting.

Bruno Associates replaced Birdsall Engineering as the township's grant writer in 2004, after a Republican majority was voted on to the Township Council the previous November. Bruno had previously held contracts with the township on and off for over 20 years, but the Democratic Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli and council in 2001 hired Birdsall Engineering as a grant writer for $35,000 a year.

The council's Republican majority brought Bruno Associates back in 2004 for $55,000 a year, saying the extra $20,000 was worth the grant monies the firm earned the township.

To prepare for its upcoming negotiations with its Transport Workers Union, which are slated to begin Sept. 7, the board approved the hiring of Anthony P. Sciarrillo, Lindabury, McCormick & Estabrook, Westfield.

The firm, which will be paid $145 per hour, not to exceed $22,000 in total, will negotiate on behalf of the district with TWU Local 225 Branch 4, which represents 450 bus drivers, food service and cafeteria workers, groundskeepers, maintenance workers and clerical staff.

- Danielle Medina