Bettina Roed, who served as West Windsor’s animal control officer for 17 years and then sued the township after her position was eliminated because of a shared services agreement with East Windsor, may get a chance to take her case to trial. On January 7 Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson denied West Windsor’s motion to dismiss the case for lack of merit.
The township’s cost cutting move in 2011 came after Plainsboro voted to end the ACO shared services agreement between itself and West Windsor. Roed, along with several residents who support her, sued the township. At issue was the extent to which police officers should be involved in animal control situations, especially as first responders, and to what extent they are actually involved. Before ruling on behalf of the township, the judge wanted both sides to bring in experts to weigh in on this issue.
The interim ruling does not mean that the township will not ultimately prevail. Even if the judge finds that the West Windsor police department is acting in the capacity of animal control officers too often, it does not necessarily mean that the West Windsor ACO position will be reinstated. As an alternative, the shared-services agreement with East Windsor could be modified to reflect the court’s concerns.
Among other rulings, Judge Jacobson is known for her ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in New Jersey.
