Regarding the May 11 WW-P News article on the Mercer County Community College solar installation:
Why is it that no one seems to be noticing that Marvin Gardner, West Windsor’s Planning Board chair, also serves as a trustee of Mercer County Community College? Surely the Board of Trustees was aware and approved the college’s proposed plans for the solar farm. If oversight is not their core responsibility, what, pray tell, is the role of that board?
Given his dual capacities, Mr. Gardner should have brought this matter before both the Mayor and the Town Council. Maybe the Mayor knew all along?
Shouldn’t we also have expected that the project would have made it to the West Windsor Planning Board agenda when Mr. Gardner first learned of it? If not, then why not?
And doesn’t it seem a bit too disingenuous to imagine that Gardner, the Mayor’s longtime friend, colleague, and campaign chair, failed to keep his boss in the loop as things progressed.
The issue significantly impacts the community, so how could the two public officials with the most clout ignore it?
Maybe it’s time for both the Mayor and Gardner to remember that their loyalties are owed to the residents of West Windsor, not to political bed fellows in the county’s Democratic administration and not to the president of the community college. Change is needed.
Honesty, integrity, and openness do not seem to be qualities on display in this controversy.
Marshall Lerner
