West Windsor Council held its reorganization meeting on July 1 with little of the fireworks that have marked the meeting in past years. Linda Geevers was named the new Council president, as had been speculated.##M:[more]##
The township historically has seen its fair share of acrimony at its annual reorganization to the point that the event has been facetiously called “Fireworks on the First” by political insiders. This year’s meeting, though, offered none of the pyrotechnics of past years.
In fact, the only major point of disagreement came over the appointment of an advisor to the West Windsor Parking Authority, and even that was settled to everyone’s satisfaction after a brief discussion.
Geevers took the gavel by a unanimous vote. The selection of Heidi Kleinman as council vice president was split, 4-1, with Franc Gambatese casting the dissenting vote.
Gambatese offered no explanation of his “no” vote during the meeting. Afterwards, he told the News that he voted against Kleinman because she didn’t want the position, but was the de facto choice of the rest of the council because they did not want to elect a president, or vice president who would be an incumbent in the May, 2007, municipal election.
Because Geevers was already chosen as council president, and the seats held by Charles Morgan, Gambatese, and Barbara Pfeifer will be up in 2007, Kleinman was the default choice. Gambatese argued that the job should go to somebody who wanted it, and that he, Morgan, or Pfeifer should have been considered.
Gambatese also prompted the only other bone of contention during the meeting. Council was prepared to re-appoint Ron Romack as an advisor to the Parking Authority, when Gambatese also nominated Tom Fortin for the volunteer position. Fortin was one of the 10 candidates who submitted his name for consideration by council to fill a vacancy on the governing body due to the resignation of Kristin Appelget. Although Pfeifer was ultimately selected, Gambatese said he was impressed with Fortin after speaking with him during the process.
Gambatese pointed out that all of the council candidates were urged by officials to remain involved in township government and submit applications to serve on volunteer boards and committees. Fortin had applied to serve on the Parking Authority and should be considered, Gambatese argued.
“Tom’s got great qualifications and is very energetic,” Gambatese said. “I have nothing against Mr. Romack, but I think this is an opportunity to appoint someone who would bring a new perspective.”
Pfeifer seemed to agree: “It’s important to recognize those who participated in the council vacancy selection process.”
Other members of council thought Romack shouldn’t be summarily dismissed from the Authority.
“Mr. Romack has been on the board for several years and is very aware of the issues,” said Geevers. “I have spoken to Authority Chairman Andy Lupo and he has recommended Mr. Romack be re-appointed as an advisor.”
“Absent a good reason, we should not be pushing folks off boards just to get new blood,” said Morgan. “We should support the people who have been there a while, and who have been doing the hard work.”
Gambatese then questioned whether the council could create another advisory position on the Authority to accommodate the appointment of both men. After a quick review of the statutes, Michael Herbert, township attorney, said he saw no reason why it could not.
Ultimately council voted to appoint both Romack and Fortin as advisors to the Authority, and amend the township code, if necessary, to allow a second advisor.
Other action at reorganization included:
Pfeifer to a one-year term on the Affordable Housing Committee;
Kleinman to the Transit Village/Town Center Master Planner Search Committee, and a one-year term on the Planning Board;
Gambatese as representative to the Transit Village/Town Center Master Planner Search Committee, Emergency Management Council, and Government Channel Committee;
Morgan as liaison to the Cable TV Advisory Board; and the Zoning Board of Adjustment;
Geevers as liaison to the Parking Authority, and the West Windsor-Plainsboro Board of Education;
Susan Abbey and Gary Guleria as Zoning Board members, and Kristin Morico as an alternate;
Eva Marie Davis to the Parking Authority;
The law firm of Herbert, Van Ness, Cayci and Goodell as township attorney;
Mary Brennan as municipal judge through June 30, 2009;
John W. Hartmann as public defender for a one-year term; and
Kenneth Lozier as township prosecutor for a one year term, and Russell Wojtenko Jr., as an alternate township Prosecutor for a one year term.
WW Addresses
Illegal Signs
West Windsor residents say they have been singing the same chorus for over three years, and this week Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh and his five-person band, Town Council, joined in and promised to rid the town of illegal signs.
Following concerns raised by new council member Barbara Pfeifer, Hsueh issued a press release dated June 23, saying the West Windsor Public Works department will begin removing “any and all illegal signs located in the public right-of-way during the course of day-to-day operations.”
“This short-term strategy should allow the Township to address the immediate problem of illegal signage throughout the township,” says Hsueh. The second part of Hsueh’s proposed solution will take more time to implement.
“A longer term solution to the illegal signage issue will ultimately require changes to existing township code and a stronger emphasis on public education and enforcement by various township departments. An open and constructive dialogue with Council, residents, and local business owners is needed to ensure that any changes are fair and consistent.” said Hsueh.
The dialogue with residents was part of the Monday, June 26, Council meeting, when Pete Weale placed 22 signs, which he took from locations along Route 571, around the perimiter of the room. During the public comment session, Weale said the town should levy fines for offenders, in this case a furniture store. “Their signs say Lay-Z-boy, I think they’re the Lazy Boys,” said Weale.
He said the fines should in effect be used as a fund raiser for improving underfunded school and township programs. “I know I’d like to have the $22,”000 that these signs represent.”
Township Attorney Michael Herbert addressed Weale’s suggestion, saying the town legally can not fine without giving notice, and can not fine retroactively. Furthermore, Herbert made it known that any fines collected because of illegal signs would have to be used for enforcement of the ordinance against the signs.
Mike Ranallo of Trenton, whose family lives in West Windsor, also spoke during the public comment session, and asked why it has taken so long for the town to respond to complaints about nonenforcement of the ordinance against signs in the public right-of-way.
Though Council President Charles Morgan reminded Ranallo that the public comment time was not to be used as time to engage the council in question-and-answer, he told Ranallo, “It is what it is.”
