Don’t ignore the letter S in the name of the West Windsor Neighborhoods Association.##M:[more]## The newly formed group, holding a series of Thursday night meetings in the coming weeks, is making an effort to engage residents from all corners of the town to get the redevelopment process back on track.
But at a July 12 meeting of the WWNA, the S that came to mind was s as in “spy.” For a few moments, at least, some members of the new association feared their group was being infiltrated by the same forces that had brought the redevelopment planning process to a grinding halt just weeks before.
The confrontation began in the first few minutes of the meeting, while Richard Eland was leading about 25 residents in a discussion of an ad to invite any and all West Windsor residents to join. The discussion turned to neighborhoods and the need to remember the “s.”
At that point Hemi Nae, a co-founder of the Princeton Junction Neighborhood Coalition, rose to speak. While the PJNC has been critical of the redevelopment process (see letter, page 2), Nae emphasized that the PJNC’s concerns were more than just redevelopment. “We’re an educational group, not a lobbying group,” he said. “I believe we have many of the same objectives as you do. Please refrain from saying that we are opposed to your group.”
Eland responded: “Our group has not been formed in opposition to yours. Ours was formed to rekindle some of that energy present at the first charrette at the Hyatt.”
“Let’s join both groups together,” said Nae. But not everyone in the room thought that was a viable concept. One participant looked squarely at Nae and said: “We joined this group because we felt the charrettes were hijacked by Princeton Junction residents.”
That drew a comment from a woman who had just introduced herself as a newcomer to the WWNA. She did not believe anyone had hijacked anything. “I thought it was the proposal for 1,”000 homes that caused the problems,” said Virginia Manzari.
Manzari’s response led to another facedown: “Be honest,” a woman demanded of Manzari. “You are a member of Charlie Morgan’s group.”
Manzari admitted that she was a member of the new Document Committee but insisted that her invitation to join the new committee formed by Morgan was based on her interest in the economics of redevelopment, not in any political involvement.
Manzari, an eight-year resident who lives on Berkshire Drive with her husband, a New York commuter, and their two children, has an MBA from Cornell and has previously worked in business development and marketing with Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, and J & J.
She attended two charrettes and became interested in the details of the retail market study performed by the Hillier consultants. Manzari’s interpretation of the data was different from Hillier’s, and she questioned whether the amount of retail proposed for the redevelopment area could be supported. “When I asked the question at a candidates’ forum, no one could give me an answer,” she said in a subsequent phone interview. “But I think Charlie appreciated my initiative — he asked if I would serve on the committee.”
Of the WWNA and PJNA, Manzari says, “to me, as an outsider, they agree on a lot of things. I would hate for nothing to happen.” But, she added, “I hope I’m not being naive.”
After the exchanges with Nae and Manzari, the WWNA group got back to work on a mission statement, led by facilitator Muriel Petri, a member of the group.
While Eland — an attorney with a title insurance agency, a 19-year West Windsor resident, and a former member of the Planning Board — is the catalyst of the group, he notes that more than 50 individuals have expressed an interest in the group and it has had around 30 people at the meetings.
“We have been contacted by Steve Goldin’s group,” Eland reported in an E-mail interview, “but have decided to not to participate. It compromises our standing to foster a citizen driven process as opposed to a developer controlled process. We are looking towards what benefits the community, as whole, not just the developer.”
Eland sees a role for the group even if redevelopment comes back on line. “I think of us as bigger than one issue.” The groups will meet on Thursdays, July 19, August 2, August 9, and August 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Senior Center. E-mail westwindsorna@gmail.com.
