Plainsboro Future: Perry Street — Or Palmer Square?##M:[more]##
If anyone is interested in historical Plainsboro, they should take their pictures on Founders Day this Sunday, May 1, because the town has decided to turn the heart of the old village into hardcore downtown. They have chosen the ambience of Perry Street over Palmer Square.
About 20 years ago, the State Historical Preservation Office wrote that Plainsboro Village could be a historic district, like Cranbury, because so many of the buildings that were here two centuries ago are still here. A visitor from 1800 would have no problem recognizing “downtown” Plainsboro. The epicenter of Plainsboro history is the intersection of Dey Road and Edgemere Avenue with Plainsboro Road.
This summer, the township will spend at least $600,”000 to change the look from village crossroads to urban downtown. Plans were unveiled to the local homeowners after the plans were finalized.
The residents advocate a 25-mph residential speed limit and a four-way stop, so each driver will have their turn to a safe right-of-way. Instead of listening to them, the town insists the speed limits will be kept high and the numerous lights, poles, and the other urban beautifiers that go with a major intersection will be installed.
To make room for this intrusive equipment, trees, lawns, and landscaping are to be removed from what little private property surrounds the old houses. After that, whatever space is left over between the houses and streets is to be paved over with cement sidewalks so the historic houses will have as much curb appeal as all the old buildings in any inner city.
It is sad (or is it arrogance?) that the planners were not interested in the input of anyone from the neighborhood who has observed conditions and behaviors at that intersection for years and even decades. The residents’ suggestions for expediting left turns, through traffic, and pedestrian safety were ignored or rebuffed. The experts deemed such amateurs had nothing to contribute except their real estate. It’s tragic that the town put the interests of those who drive through town above the interests of those who live in it.
The worst part is that the town’s changes will affect property values in the area negatively and they seem unaware or uncaring that such a slide spreads. That’s why Cranbury is Cranbury and Camden is Camden. So take your pictures of Plainsboro as it is before it disappears. Peter Pfister
Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro
Teenager to Candidates: ‘Consider Our Issues’
I am a 16-year-old junior at High School South, so I can not vote in the upcoming election. But if I could vote, I would have a few questions to ask each of the candidates to find out their positions and proposals that are related to the quality of life of the teenagers in this community.
I would ask the candidates to address why there are not any places or activities for the teens in this township outside of the school. I would ask the candidates why there isn’t a teen center or programs run by the Department of Recreation for teens. I would ask why businesses such as a cafe or coffee shop are not encouraged to open in West Windsor that would be safe places for teens to go and relax. I would want answers because after all, we all work hard in school.
Our performance in the classroom and on standardized tests and the colleges we go to are among the reasons we have one of the best high schools in the state. So I do not understand why no one thinks its important to provide safe places for us to relax. Frankly, a teen advisory board is nice but if their recommendations are not implemented, what good is it.
I urge the candidates to look at life through the lens of the teens. This is what you would see: pressure, stress, and long hours to excel in the classroom, on the athletic field, and hours devoted to community service. The teens in this area are good teens and it’s not fair for the adults to complain that all the teens do is drink and get drunk on the weekend. There may be a few teens who do drink, but most of us do not and just want to have fun once in a while after working as hard as we do.
I ask the candidates to see the quality of life issues unique to the teens in this township as an important issue and commit to doing something about it. Solving a problem does not always mean raising taxes or spending lots of money. Nor should you stop trying when one try doesn’t work. Listen to us we can give you suggestions, and then do something about what we suggest.
If I could vote I would vote for the candidate who was serious about working on improving the quality of life of everyone, including teens. So I hope that the parents who have teens or children who will become teens make the quality of life of teens an important issue and vote accordingly.
Kali McMillan
Princeton Junction
Borek: No ‘Yes’ Man
I have always been interested in serving my community. When I moved to West Windsor from Jersey City, where I grew up and still work as a firefighter, I looked for ways to serve this community.
In January, 2003, I decided to run for Township Council. I picked up a petition packet and started to gather signatures. Then I found out my wife and I were going to be the proud parents of an adopted boy and my wife was pregnant. Before the petitions were due I received a phone call from Mayor Hsueh, wanting to know if I was going to run. I explained that I was not and told him about my family-to-be. He said he understood and that it was nice knowing that people like me were interested in running for office.
In January, 2005, I once again picked up a petition packet. Now that my children are no longer infants, I can devote more time to public service. As a courtesy, I stopped by the mayor’s office to let him know I was running and left my name with his secretary.
Some days later I received a phone call from Marvin Gardner, the Planning Board Chair, and we spoke about my running for Council. I explained I would run whether or not I was affiliated with a mayoral candidate. Mr. Gardner invited me to come to Council President Franc Gambatese’s house for an interview. Out of courtesy, I agreed. Present were Mayor Hsueh, Mr. Gambatese, Mr. Gardner, and two other members of their campaign team.
We spoke about different issues and my stand on them, and then Mr. Gardner asked me if I could be a yes man for the mayor. I was taken aback by the question. I looked around the room, and told them that’s not who I am. Government officials should want someone open-minded and unbiased to serve with them, not someone pledged to support a mayor’s agenda, sight unseen and particulars unanalyzed. Government officials should put the best interest of the community first. Officials who throw away their integrity and merely vote as they are told are the reason people get turned off to politics.
No one will ever question my integrity. I always weigh whether the community’s best interest is being served or whether someone else’s — a developer, a special interest, a select group — comes first. The community deserves no less.
I am running with Alison Miller for mayor and David Siegel for council. Before deciding to run with Alison, we had a long talk about issues and attitudes and serving the community. Never did she ask me to pledge to vote for anything she favored; in fact, she said she preferred independent, analytical council members.
The community deserves to know who else was asked to be a yes man.
George Borek
Borek Not Asked To Be a ‘Yes’ Man
In a recent letter to the press, George Borek, a candidate for the West Windsor Council discussed his unsuccessful effort to secure the endorsement of Mayor Hsueh and his campaign team, thereby enabling him to run as part of the Mayor’s slate of candidates.
Borek asserts that during the interview process he was asked if he could be a “yes man” for the Mayor. The notion that a candidate interviewing committee would pose such a question is so absurd as to be almost laughable. This complete falsehood and concocted story by Borek raises serious questions about his integrity and the unprincipled measures he would take to achieve victory.
Borek was one of 10 possible candidates interviewed. Interestingly, not one of the other nine possible candidates ever suggested that such a question Borek alleges was posed to him was asked of them.
Borek was not selected to run on the Mayor’s slate because to the amazement of the interviewing committee he could not identify and discuss the major issues and problems in the township. Hopefully he has been tutored since and has become more knowledgeable. In addition, he had no prior involvement in any of our township’s volunteer activities that would enable us to judge his abilities.
Candidates should be judged on their records, their command of the issues, and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Borek should not be poisoning the political environment by mudslinging and uttering untruths. Ugly gutter politics will not be tolerated by the electorate. We will continue to take the high ground and not stoop to Borek’s level and will continue to work to restore civility in local politics.
Be forewarned. The voters will see through any last minute dirty campaign tactics and will send a clear message on Election Day. Heidi Kleinman and Linda Geevers in contrast to Borek have a combined 20 plus years of township service.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh
Marvin Gardner
Franc Gambatese
Fu-Grand Lin
Yes Man? Hasling Says No Way
I am writing in response to a recent Candidates Forum piece, written by one of the candidates, regarding the selection of the Mayor’s running mates in the upcoming West Windsor election. As one of the unidentified participants in the referenced meeting, I feel an obligation to comment on the statements about the type of questions asked in the interview. There was no line of questioning even suggesting that the committee was seeking individuals who would blindly support the Mayor; I do not understand what questions this candidate may have perceived as such.
The goal of the committee was to find individuals who are open-minded, analytical, independent thinkers who can work as members of a team for the common good of the community. Both Linda Geevers and Heidi Kleinman have years of demonstrated service to our community showing a passion for working hard to understand issues and seeking to find the best solutions for the whole. Their records of community service and professional backgrounds were two significant factors in their selection.
Diane Hasling
12 Jacob Drive, West Windsor
Candidates’ Turn: Alison Miller
West Windsor is a vibrant community with a growing sense of its own strength, creativity and unique identity. Three challenges face us: how to find ways to express and celebrate our sense of community, how to deal with development of regional impact in the Route 1 Corridor, and how to control taxes so we can continue to afford to live here.
I support a cultural and arts center, a nature center, expansion of our Senior Center (with extended hours and shared use with teenagers), completion of the sidewalk, bicycle and recreational trails network as laid out by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force, of which I am a member, and construction of athletic facilities in our parks for use by children and adults. I support seeking teen involvement in developing programs for teens. I applaud the volunteers who are responsible for the Farmers’ Market, the Bike Fest, and the programs put on by the Arts Council.
We need to move quickly on safety improvements on our roads and sidewalks, and we need public input to help us identify trouble spots before they become tragedy spots. We need to turn Route 571 in Princeton Junction into a village main street. We need to make sure that proposed development in the Route 1 area is accompanied by transportation improvements that provide necessary access to new development without overwhelming existing development with new traffic.
I am a certified planner. I have used my planning expertise to craft ordinances for West Windsor that preserve greenbelt, require commercial developers to create affordable housing, set minimum areas for affordable housing units, and regulate neon lighting. I have been a member of the League of Municipalities Legislative Committee for six years, and have been a panelist at the League’s conference and had an opinion piece published in the League’s magazine. I have represented West Windsor at the Penns Neck Area Roundtable and the Central Jersey Transportation Forum, standing up for the preservation of older neighborhoods and the need for regional tax-sharing legislation to accompany regional planning initiatives, so that municipalities in which new development is clustered to preserve other municipalities do not bear the burden of providing services to what would have been a regional population alone.
I have spent the last 13 years serving West Windsor as a volunteer; 10 as a member of Township Council. I have honed leadership skills, communication skills, and government skills. I am decisive; I know when and how to compromise, when and how to say yes, and when and how to say no. And I know how to get things done.
Alison Miller
Shing Fu-Hsueh:
America is a land of immigrants where people seek a better future. In 1969 I arrived from Taiwan with little more than a scholarship for advanced studies and a dream for my family. I received my doctorate in engineering from Rutgers University.
I have lived in New Jersey for 36 years and in West Windsor for 20 years. My wife and I have raised two children who have received excellent educations in West Windsor public schools and New Jersey universities. With a new grandson, I am reminded how wonderful it is to be an active participant in such a vibrant community.
What sets West Windsor apart from neighboring communities is our ability to establish a balance between development of a suburban economy while maintaining rural, residential characteristics of agricultural roots. Our challenge has been to integrate all of these together as a community for all, regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, and economic status. We have come a long way in the past few years. All that we have accomplished in the past four years will lay the groundwork for a better West Windsor in the years to come. I want West Windsor to become a chosen destination, not just a “bus stop” for public education.
I have worked hard my first term to establish a solid financial footing on which to fund new, controlled growth. I have delivered this and if reelected, I will further strengthen our fiscal position. I have established positive relationships on the county, state and federal level. This is imperative to fund large-scale safety projects like Grovers Mill Pond, Alexander Railroad Bridge, and Route 571. I have established a number of task forces from bicycles and pedestrians to our high school teenagers. I have used my experience as an engineer, planner, and manager with the Department of Environmental Protection and the Office of State Planning for over 28 years in carrying out my responsibilities.
During my second term, I would like to complete safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. I am committed to advance the redevelopment of the train station neighborhood, which should be a place that serves all residents, young and old. I am committed to improve recreational opportunities that enhance our quality of life. I will pursue the acquisition and preservation of remaining parcels of open space; to support more private/public partnerships; to expand the Senior Center and inter-generational activities; to continue an open and effective government; and to attract additional businesses like Tyco and NRG Energy.
I am honored to have served as Mayor of West Windsor. We have experienced so much change and yet there is so much to accomplish. We must capitalize on the momentum of the recent past to feed our future successes. Working together in an environment of mutual respect for all groups, all different interests, and all of West Windsor’s residents will enable West Windsor to realize its potential. I, together with my running mates Linda Geevers and Heidi Kleinman, would like to be a part of that future. Shing-Fu Hsueh
Council Candidates: David Siegel
I have long had a strong interest in government. My family encouraged this, by word and example. My grandfather served on the school board and council in Morristown, NJ, and my mother on the planning and zoning boards in Unadilla, NY. I grew to appreciate the importance of government, not as a source of power, but as a vital element of the quality of life.
I have been involved in various organizations, many in a leadership role. I have learned how to work with people to get a job done. In my professional life, I have had to learn how to work independently, and how to be part of a team. I have learned how to analyze problems, and that sometimes the key issue is not what it appears to be.
I developed my own set of values. I came to prize honesty and integrity, even when it meant saying things others might not want to hear. And I came to strongly value integrity and reliability in those I work with. I want my associates to be people who mean what they say, and will do what they say. I want them to be people I can trust, people who will not try to distort the record to make themselves look good or someone else look bad. And because Alison Miller and George Borek are people like that, I am running with them. We share specific plans and ideas, we share more general goals for the Township, but more importantly we share those basic values.
All these experiences and values I will bring to the West Windsor Township Council, if elected. I will work hard for the township. I will lend my knowledge, my perspective, and my skills to the Council. I will do the best job I can for the people of West Windsor.
I will always be ready to listen to anyone about public issues. But more than that, I will seek out as many views as I can. I will insist on open, transparent government. I will ask that the talents of anyone willing to volunteer be put to use, if at all possible, instead of appointing only those unlikely to disagree.
I will try to make sure that projects are well and sensibly planned, but not endlessly studied. I will not count an unfinished project as an achievement — I will not fool myself, or try to fool others, into thinking that writing a plan is the same as building a bridge.
Specifically, I support a village main street in Princeton Junction, a new COAH-certified affordable housing plan to avoid another Toll suit, mixed-age use of the senior center, caution in approving new residential development, employment of a grants specialist, and continued purchase of land for open space.
I will insist on good long-term capital spending plans. Then I will insist that planned projects happen, unless conditions change.
I will make a good council member for West Windsor. Please vote for me on May 10th.
David Siegel
Linda Geevers
I am running for West Windsor Council because I believe that I can provide new leadership and a unique point of view after having been a pivotal part of the WW-P Board of Education for six years. As a school board member, I held several key leadership positions, including Vice President for three years and chair of the administration and facilities committee. As a Council member, I would encourage the Township’s business administrator to address through the budget the six-year capital improvements plan. It will benefit the Township to do more long term planning.
I certainly will continue to be cost effective in budgeting, in seeking grant money, in encouraging public/private partnerships for community needs and in lobbying our legislative leaders to find solutions to end the over reliance on property taxes to fund municipal and school budgets.
I believe it is important to communicate with the public through continued town hall meetings, a possible periodic newsletter, new cable TV station programming, an improved municipal website, and other means. I will certainly continue, as I have done in the past, to encourage public participation as key decisions are made.
Working as a realtor and having served on a condominium board of directors, I am sensitive to any impacts that new development can have on existing residential areas. I pledge to work with various neighborhoods to address their issues and concerns.
As a council member, I would like to improve upon our quality of life by making roads safer for pedestrians and bikers, providing for more recreational uses, expanding the Senior Center, renovating the old Princeton Junction firehouse on Alexander Road into an Arts Center, and creating a possible new Village Center that will give us “a sense of place.” Together, we will form our township’s vision and then implement the action plans to achieve our desired goals.
Linda Geevers
Letters For Miller
As a lifelong resident of West Windsor, I have always been devoted to my community. That is why I am excited that Alison Miller will be our next mayor.
I have witnessed West Windsor change from a rural township with a handful of villages into a developed suburban municipality. Our local government is much more sophisticated and complex than it was when I was a child and my great-uncle Fred Earl took turns being Mayor with the other two members of the then three-person Township Committee.
I have known Alison Miller for many years and I have always respected her honesty, extensive knowledge base of local issues and her straightforward, unselfish commitment to West Windsor. She knows that everything that happens in town affects everyone else in town eventually, particularly through taxation and traffic issues. Therefore, Alison seeks out others’ opinions, listens to everyone who has something to say, and then makes an informed decision that will best serve us all.
The key to effective leadership in West Windsor is informed and decisive action by a Mayor and Township Council majority that speak in a clear voice to West Windsor residents.
Please join me and vote for Alison Miller and her running mates, David Siegel and George Borek.
Susan Connolly Parris
West Windsor has a choice in the municipal election on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 for a new mayor and two new council members. That choice will set the tone and direction for the next four years.
The choice for my husband John; my mom, Ann Clauser; and myself goes to Alison Miller for mayor and David Siegel and George Borek for township council. Alison Miller is unafraid to make decisions and willing to take action on long-overdue promises and projects. Alison has generously given countless hours to serve this town and as mayor she will be involving the whole community in decisions.
David Siegel regularly attends West Windsor Council meetings and recommends many thoughtful approaches and solutions to community issues. George Borek is a decorated firefighter who is not a “yes man” and is willing to speak up on issues, and voice much-needed opposition.
It is for these reasons that I encourage all West Windsor voters to lend their support to Alison Miller for mayor and David Siegel and George Borek for West Windsor Council. Rae Roeder
Former Council Member
Letters For Hsueh
There is no doubt in my mind that West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh should be re-elected for a second term. I came to this conclusion, after reading the Mayor’s Re-Election website, www.Hsueh.org.
I could not believe all the things this man has accomplished in the past four years. He needs to be given the chance to continue and complete what he has initiated. He certainly has created the momentum and has the energy to get things done. There are three main reasons that I have focused on regarding my decision of support:
1. West Windsor had the lowest percentage property tax increase in Mercer County this year
2. The number of sizable non-taxpayer funded grants for major township improvements is astounding
3. The mayor is community supportive and involved in recreation, the arts and social, youth & senior activities
As the saying goes, “When you have a winner, stick with him.”
Paul Eland
15 Coneflower Lane
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh has accomplished so much for this town. He has also selected a wonderful team in Heidi and Linda.
Shing has proactively pursued and procured more than $9 million in grants and commitments from other levels of government to accomplish important township goals at no cost to local taxpayers (e.g., farmland preservation, Green Acres, county open space, Princeton Junction vision study, Junction redevelopment boundary study, Grovers Mill Pond, Route 571, Bus Rapid Transit study, Fire House streetscaping, etc.)
He has also developed public/private partnerships to fund programs at little or no taxpayer expense (e.g., state of the art batting cage and lacrosse/football field in Community Park, 9/11 memorial, contribution for additional West Windsor patrol officers and funding cultural/arts programs in amphitheater at Nassau Park/Pavilion, procured funding for future environmental center from developer)
I am proud to say that I will vote for Shing and his team. Frank Ho
26 Rosewood Court
We are pleased that Mayor Hsueh has agreed to run for another term. We moved to West Windsor in 1968. Since then we have seen the demands of the office of mayor greatly increase.
Now we are fortunate to have a mayor with the education, the work experience, and the ability to deal with other government agencies for the benefit of our community. Mayor Hsueh has been tireless in his pursuit of what is best for West Windsor.
Ruth Finkelstein
Paul Finkelstein
I am pleased to support the re-election of Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh in this year’s election, and the election of his running mates Linda Geevers and Heidi Kleinman to council.
I have a good working relationship with the mayor, and look forward to working with him to continue to improve the quality of life for all West Windsor residents.
Linda and Heidi will bring new talent and ideas to the Council, and I look forward to working with them and supporting their candidacies.
With a number of complex issues facing the West Windsor community in the coming years, we need experienced and dedicated individuals who are willing to learn, to listen, and to make balanced reasonable decisions based upon the expected long-term benefits to the community as a whole.
Kristin Appelget
West Windsor Council
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, Linda Geevers, and Heidi Kleinman are running together on a “fusion ticket” in the upcoming West Windsor Municipal Election.
I endorse this ticket as a team that will best serve West Windsor over the next four years.
While I have not agreed with Mayor Hsueh on every issue, I have shared his views on a great majority of them. Shing-Fu Hsueh has devoted much of his time over the years to issues of importance to West Windsor. He deserves our support for another four-year term as mayor.
Linda Geevers will join Council fresh from the School Board. Her perspective from that experience will be invaluable to council, particularly as we address budget issues. Linda has demonstrated an appetite for asking all the questions that are necessary to understand the issues important to the West Windsor community.
Heidi Kleinman brings a unique perspective to the council race with her background as an architect and her experience on the planning board. While I have not agreed with all the positions she has taken on the planning board, she has demonstrated strong intellect and strength of character in her willingness to stake out independent positions of importance to her.
Linda Geevers and Heidi Kleinman have contributed countless hours of time on behalf of the West Windsor community over the years. They deserve our support for a four-year term on council.
Charles Morgan
Vice President,
West Windsor Council
Shing-Fu Hsueh’s laudable accomplishments as Mayor of West Windsor are a matter of public record: The quality of life in our community has improved. Mayor Hsueh’s commitment to public service, his knowledge of government, analytical skill and engineering experience, and his sense of team work made it happen.
Mayor Hsueh is also a man of impeccable integrity, known by our community for his sound judgment and practical advice. Ten years ago, the Princeton Chinese Language School conducted elections for the school’s leadership at a critical time in its history. The parents of the school sought Shing-Fu Hsueh as an impartial and trusted observer of the election proceedings to ensure their fairness and accuracy. The election was very successful and the results were embraced by the School community, largely because of Dr. Hsueh’s role as observer.
A well-rounded man, Mayor Hsueh has cultivated a variety of interests, a character trait that enables him to handle better our Township’s issues from a variety of perspectives. For example, on the one hand, he was appointed by several national professional and research organizations as a member of their technical review committees. On the other hand, Dr. Hsueh is also an amateur artist and has created a number of art works. Mayor Hsueh has fostered and participated in many of the cultural celebrations held in our ethnically diverse community, and supported various sports events here.
Dr. Hsueh has a strong commitment to teaching. He has been an adjunct professor at Rutgers in environmental science and engineering since 1987, providing younger generations with the benefits of his technical knowledge and insight.
Combined with his strong belief in balance in one’s life, Dr. Hsueh has applied his commitment to teaching by leading Tai-chi classes in our community every weekend for more than 10 years. An expert in this ancient martial art, Dr. Hsueh teaches how to integrate exercise through graceful movement, mental acuity via concentration on posture and form, and serenity that reduces stress.
Shing-Fu Hsueh is a father and grandfather. He and his wife of 33 years, Sue, have two productive and well respected children. Their son, Steven, graduated from Princeton and operates an investment management business in our area. Their daughter, Susan, graduated from Rutgers and teaches Chinese at Grover Middle School. Steven and Susan are credits to their parents who have nurtured them to become the fine adults they are today.
Shing-Fu Hsueh is not only the right person as Mayor of West Windsor Township for the quality of his leadership, but also for the quality of his character.
Nord F. Winnan
41 Lorrie Lane
I support a sound cohesive Community Vision! If, like me, you are tired of fence sitting and know that “time is of the essence,” then let’s commit to stop the politics and continue moving forward. We need a dedicated group in West Windsor’s governing body that can work together and get things done! Dedicated professionals willing to listen to all points of view before they act. And then have the integrity to take responsibility for those actions.
It’s finally happening. West Windsor’s attracting outside funding from the state and the Federal governments. Let’s not turn off this tap and squander the goodwill that has been painstakingly built. There is more to come and a cohesive electorate can effectively represent our Township’s best interests and secure these funds.
At little or no taxpayer expense, public-private partnerships have been developed. Programs have also been established to obtain the critical items and resources that provide improvement in our safety (e.g., contributions toward additional patrol officers).
If you want to see more funding for cultural and arts programs, environmental programs, and more funding for open space I strongly suggest that you vote May 10th, for the Community Vision Team. Shing and his team can and will get us more.
Barbara Pfeifer
3 Beardsly Court
I have known the Mayor of West Windsor for the past several years having worked with him during my time as part of the West Windsor Arts Council (WWAC). I trust the Mayor and his Community Vision Team of Heidi Klienman and Linda Geevers. Heidi, whom I also met at the WWAC, has worked hard on the planning board while Linda, a recent member of our school board, has worked diligently on behalf of our children.
Take a look at all the things the Mayor has accomplished in the last four years. Projects which were laying idle for decades have been brought to life and work has started resulting in grants and other contributions of over $20 million. We need a Team that is willing to work
