At the end of the October 10 work session on the request for a proposal to address the Cranbury Road sidewalk issue, Council President George Borek, under pressure, publicly confirmed his earlier decision to unilaterally cancel the long-scheduled business meeting on October 15. The excuse given afterwards was that “we have nothing to discuss.”
This is total nonsense. Business meeting agendas comprise many separate items: an initial public comment session, council comments, administration comments and updates, approval of bills and claims, discussion and votes on resolutions, public hearings on ordinances, introduction of new ordinances, council reports from liaisons to the various boards and commissions, general discussion topics, and a final public comment session. Often a closed session to discuss confidential matters such as litigation and personnel follows the business session.
The clear inference is that in this political season, Mayor Hsueh wants to minimize public criticism on live and recorded television. Though not required to, he generally attends council meetings, where he often goes on and on with irrelevant comments while Borek sits there and does not dare move the meeting forward. Yet the mayor has missed many recent meetings, possibly because he cannot bear to hear adverse comments. But I have news for him: this goes with the territory.
Such old-time big-city political maneuvering should have gone out with Boss Tweed. Let’s make a fresh start and sweep out these old, outmoded, and improper ways of doing the town’s business. Please elect Hemant Marathe. He has an exceptional record as school board president, and he knows how to run a business.
John A. Church
