As voters prepare to head to the polls in the general election on Tuesday, November 2, the four candidates who are running for Plainsboro Township Committee are weighing in on a number of issues, most namely the tough economy.
There are two three-year Township Committee seats up for grabs. Incumbent Democrats Michael Weaver and Ed Yates will be challenged by Republicans Neil P. Sutter and Anthony Cook.
The News sent out a questionnaire to each of the candidates. Below is a compilation of their responses.
Anthony Cook, a 26-year resident of the township, moved to Plainsboro in 1984 because of its proximity to his job, affordable housing, good school system, and the open space.
His mother worked as a cashier in a cafeteria, and his father was a printer for Avery Label Company. He and his wife, Lori, an executive vice president for a data marketing provider, have a son, Kyle, who graduated from High School North in 2007.
Cook attended Middlesex County College as a part-time student while working full-time. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1976 and was honorably discharged in 1980. The following year, he was hired by the Monroe Police Department, where he worked for 28 years. He retired as a lieutenant in 2009.
Cook was a coach and manager for the Cranbury-Plainsboro Little League and was the treasurer of the High School North Baseball Booster Club.
He is running for election because he believes “the best way to continue to serve my community is through the Plainsboro Township Committee,” he said. “I will bring a fresh perspective to a Township Committee that has been controlled by one party for over 15 years.”
Further, “I sense that people are seeking change and fresh ideas, and are demanding accountability from their government,” he added. “I know that no change will occur in the economic or ethical status of our Township with the same old ideas.”
Cook lists road improvements and traffic concerns among the most compelling issues. “One of the greatest challenges facing Plainsboro with the completion of the new medical center is the impact it will have on our roadways and traffic,” he said. “If elected, I will take the lead for Plainsboro in reviving the Penns Neck Area Bypass/Route 1 Improvement Project. This project would eliminate some traffic signals along Route 1 and substantially reduce the congestion between South Brunswick and Lawrence.”
Cook feels his experience in the police department will help him if elected. He served as a patrol officer until 1985, when he transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division as detective. In 1994 he was appointed as sergeant, and in 1996 he became a lieutenant and commander of the patrol division and traffic safety bureau. In 2000 he was assigned to command the Criminal Investigation Division.
“In addition to my day-to-day duties in the police department, I was coordinator for the Monroe Township Municipal 9-1-1 system, and was instrumental in bringing the 9-1-1 system into the township,” he said. “In 2000 I was appointed the Law Enforcement Coordinator to the Office of Emergency Management, a position I held until my retirement.”
During his tenure in Monroe, he received special training in traffic engineering from the Rutgers Center for Government Services and served as the traffic safety officer for the township. After his promotion to lieutenant, he was nominated to attend the School of Police Staff and Command and the Executive Management Program at the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety. “These programs included classes in leadership, ethics, planning, organizing, staffing, budgeting, and risk management,” he said.
“I have strong ethical and moral values when it comes to honesty in politics and in life, and will always bring those honest, value-oriented principles to everything I do to make Plainsboro a better place to live,” he added. “My record of service to the public interest, my training, and my achievements in that role reflect the dedication I will bring to the Township Committee.”
The three most important issues affecting the township are finding “ways to cut our budget, make our local government more transparent in the way it conducts business, and establish a master plan for our roadways to handle the increased traffic with the completion of the new medical center,” said Cook.
When it comes to the trying economic times, Cook said local governments “have the challenge of needing to accomplish seemingly endless objectives with decidedly limited resources.”
“The traditional options for governments faced with such a dilemma have been either to cut services or increase revenue through higher taxes,” he said. “Plainsboro needs to reduce costs. Shared services would assist in the convergence and streamlining of the Township’s functions to ensure that they deliver the services required of them as effectively and efficiently as possible.”
When asked whether there were any areas of the budget he would cut, Cook said that “the reality of the situation is that all departments within the township are going to have to find ways to cut their budget.”
“We should start learning right now from each other about managing with fewer resources, a situation that’s likely to continue,” he added. “It is okay to send budgets back to the lab, to demand that we eliminate waste and inefficiency, and to devise methods to do more with less. The circumstances demand it.”
With regard to the budget, there is one area he would not cut. “I would not agree to layoff any of our local Emergency Responders as a way to cut the budget,” he said. “The services they provide are vital to the health, safety and welfare of everyone in our community.”
Cook said that he thinks the 2 percent tax cap on property tax increases is a step in the right direction, “but it is not the final destination.”
“In this economic climate, people know they need to be smarter, more frugal, and make tougher choices in their private lives,” he said. “They know they can’t fool themselves anymore, so they have much less tolerance for politicians who want to do that in our public lives. With our current economic situation, we must get back to basics and pick leaders who listen to us. By cutting costs and finding ways to save we must build a better budget and I am willing to work with the other committee members to achieve this goal.”
As a division commander for the police department, Cook said he had experience in preparing an annual budget as one of his duties. The challenge was in determining how funds were allotted for personnel, equipment, and supplies, he said. “I learned to adopt the practice of recording justifications for such personnel, equipment, and supplies as the need rises,” he said. “This experience provided me with first hand knowledge in how to prioritize expenditures for the betterment of the community.”
Outside of financial issues, Cook said he wants to improve the transparency of the local government. “I am in favor of people getting involved in their local government and having faith in their locally elected officials to solve their problems,” he said. “I pledge to make our township business more transparent in its actions, careful in its stewardship and honest in its dealings.”
Neil Sutter, a 12-year resident of the township, moved to Plainsboro in 1998 to take a job with the Associated Press Cranbury Technical Center.
His father was a physics professor at Franklin & Marshall college in Pennsylvania, and his mother stayed home to look after her four sons.
Sutter earned a bachelor’s degree in geography with minors in economics and operations management from Syracuse University in 1994. He has also taken foreign language classes in Chinese, Russian, and Swedish.
He is a senior business systems analyst for Chartis Insurance. He converts claim units to a paperless system.
Sutter has been president of the Ravens Crest East Condo Association, which has 612 units, for the past seven years. He also serves on the Central NJ Syracuse University Alumni Committee, which holds its meetings in Plainsboro.
Sutter said he is seeking election because he is “looking to leverage my successful experiences through work and serving on the condo association board to the Township Committee,” he said. “Plainsboro is a great place to live and I want to make it even better.”
He said he would like to see government “work efficiently and provide the best services within its means for the residents of the township. Additionally, I would like to see an improvement in the accessibility of information to township residents.”
Sutter said that as president of his condo association, he represents close to 1,000 residents, or about 5 percent of the population in Plainsboro. “I have been a key person on the $12 million renovation project, which is substantially completed under budget and ahead of schedule,” he said.
“I was also able to negotiate favorable loan terms for the association during the height of the financial crisis,” he said. “I have also been involved in many forward looking aspects, such as telecommunications conduit to every unit as well as new energy efficient LED lighting systems. I have exercised an extensive amount of fiscal responsibility with the expenditures of the condo association.”
When asked about the three most important issues facing Plainsboro, Sutter also points to the one-party control in Plainsboro over the past 15 years. “It is important to bring parity to any conversation and make sure all sides of a situation are considered,” he said. “This will ensure expenditures both on an operational and project level are pursued in the most effective means.”
He also wants to improve the “physical conditions of our roads as well as traffic safety,” Sutter said. “There are areas of the township, which could use improved traffic flow. This will cut down on idling cars, which consume unnecessary gas, contribute to pollution and waste people’s time.”
The third issue is that he would look to reduce “and eventually eliminate the township debt load,” Sutter said. “The township is in the process of floating a $24.7 million bond for 14 years. Of this amount, $9.2 million is related to the library and the balance is made up of annual ‘various general improvements’ going back to 1999. Some of these improvements only have a 10-year life span, which means we are paying for projects that won’t even last the duration of the bond. I would be curious to know how the current township committee plans to pay back this bond without issuing yet another bond for an even longer duration. This will cost taxpayers a lot more interest.”
When it comes to easing the burden of taxpayers in the coming years, Sutter said he would try to reduce expenditures when possible through review of the budget in detail. “Additionally, I would improve the relationship with our local businesses so that the township can give whatever assistance that is within the township’s means,” Sutter said.
“This will improve the township’s commercial (tax) ratables, which will in turn ease the tax burden for homeowners,” Sutter added. “Bolstering our commercial tax base will help shift some of the tax burden away from homeowners. This homeowner tax burden will decrease not only for the township’s share of property taxes, but also the school taxes, which makes up approximately 70 over of a homeowner’s tax bill.”
When asked whether there were any areas of the budget he would cut, Sutter said he would look to limit the projects that the township undertakes in order to assist with reducing its debt load.
When asked whether there were any areas he would not cut, he said he would be” reluctant to cut any of the areas relating to police, fire and emergency medical services, as those have a visible and direct impact to the residents of Plainsboro,” Sutter said. “Failure to be adequately prepared in these areas may save money in the short run, but may have long-term consequences or cause a situation that would negate years worth of savings.”
Sutter said he also has past experience in dealing with budget challenges. “Serving on the Ravens Crest East Condo Association board has given me seven years experience in developing and implementing budgets,” he said. “These annual budgets have been as much as $2.3 million, and the budget for the major renovation project was $12 million. When I joined the board, the association was in debt, and through the help of my fellow board members we worked hard to get out of debt. The economic downturn has resulted in a rise in homeowner delinquencies, which has necessitated in careful monitoring of expenditures as well as diligence in pursuing delinquencies.”
When asked about his plans to deal with constraints placed on the township budget by the 2 percent property tax cap, Sutter said that when it comes to income, he would evaluate the township’s current tax assessment process. “Commercial property is a significant component of our tax base and helps offset homeowner property taxes,” he said. “I would work towards making sure our commercial property is being utilized to its maximum potential so that it can have the best possible impact on our budget.”
With regard to expenses, he said he would look at the township’s largest contracts to ensure they are “appropriate in scope and duration.”
“I would pursue opportunities to improve future contracts to generate cost savings for the residents of Plainsboro,” he added. “I would implement technological solutions to modernize and improve operations in the town. There are many efficiencies to be gained that can save time and money as well as improve service. In my current position as a senior business systems analyst, I work on making various insurance business units paperless to accomplish more at a lower cost.”
In areas other than finances, Sutter said he would like to see more information posted on the township’s website. “While agendas and minutes are posted, there should be supplemental information such as reports that should be readily accessible to residents,” he said.
“I would ensure at the township meetings that items on the agenda are clearly explained to those who attend the meetings,” he said. “This will provide for more transparency to the township government and engage the public more.”
Michael Weaver, a 26-year resident of the township, moved with his wife and two children to Plainsboro in 1984 because of the school district’s reputation, “reasonable cost of housing, and the attractive setting of the community.”
His father ran a tailor and dry cleaner business for 60 years. His mother was a keypunch operator and administrative support staff member for Princeton University and the state of New Jersey.
Weaver and his wife, Stephanie, who has been a third grade teacher at Wicoff for the past 22 years, have two grown children, Danyelle and Michael, who both attended WW-P schools.
Weaver earned his bachelor’s in history from the College of New Jersey and is a recently retired senior executive with over 27 years of management experience at AT&T, Lucent Technologies and PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting firm, working in the telecommunications and information technology industries.
He spent two years as a legislative aide to assemblywoman Linda Greenstein. For the past eight years, he has worked at the state level as a senior executive managing operations, network services and systems development organizations. He retired from the state as the deputy chief technology officer for the Office of Information Technology (OIT) in September.
Weaver has over 20 years of experience in the design, development, and deployment of computer systems supporting major business operations as well as over 10 years of experience managing organizations responsible for the screening, selection, and hiring of management, technical, and administrative employees.
Having served on the Plainsboro Township Committee for 12 years, Weaver has been liaison to the Public Works Department, the Committee of Community Associations, and the Parks and Open Space, Cable Advisory, and Veterans’ Memorial committees. Weaver has also volunteered as a member of the school district’s Strategic Planning Committee, a trustee of the WW-P Education Foundation, a coach, member of the board of directors as well as president of the WW-P Soccer Association, a member and advisor of the WW-P African-American Parent Support Group, a member of the Plainsboro Lions Club, and a member of the Fathers’ Coalition, which supports youth in the community.
“As a member of the Township Committee, I want to continue the work that was started during my tenure on the Township Committee, and that is still unfolding to ensure that Plainsboro stays on the ‘right track’ and maintains its recognition both regionally and nationally as one of the ‘Best Communities’ in the state of New Jersey,” he added.
Weaver said the most important issue to him was the “failure of the Governor and the Legislature to act on promised municipal ‘Tool Kit’ reforms,” which Weaver said “places all municipalities in the state, including Plainsboro, in an untenable position, making it extremely difficult to comply with the 2 percent cap while dealing with several cost drivers outside of local government control.”
The situation could potentially result in reductions of services and more of the cost burdens for operating the municipal government can be shifted onto the local municipalities, Weaver said.
He said that the Township Committee has already passed a resolution calling on the governor and legislature to pass a “more effective ‘tool kit’ with real reforms and comprehensive mandate relief.” In that resolution, the Township Committee requested changes in statutory interest arbitration reforms, civil service reforms, public employee pension and benefits, disciplinary procedures, school and special district elections, municipal revenue protections (like the Energy Tax) and cap exceptions for certain mandated costs.
Without those reforms, “Plainsboro along with other municipalities will have little choice but to implement significant program and service cuts within its discretionary spending budget which could adversely impact our citizens,” said Weaver.
Weaver said his service as a volunteer and elected officials have given him a good understanding of the needs and concerns of the township’s diverse constituents.
“I also have extensive experience in the inner workings of both state and local governments which enables me to ‘get things done’ when our local priorities have been identified and need to be addressed, even if there are significant hurdles that must be overcome,” said Weaver.
One example, he said, was his work with local, county, and state officials to keep the Schalks Crossing “Orphan” Bridge Project moving through the “complex planning and implementation process.” As a result, he said, “we have been able to get significant improvements completed on the bridge as we continue towards completion of additional comprehensive improvements planned for this structure.”
In order to ease the burden to taxpayers, Weaver said that Plainsboro has been recognized for its shared and cooperative services efforts, including already implementing the Plainsboro/Cranbury court system, West Windsor/Plainsboro animal control agreement, and the Government/Educational Television Station shared with the School District and West Windsor.
“As a result, Plainsboro has been able to achieve more effective delivery of services with reduced operational, purchasing and insurance costs for our taxpayers which require greater municipal coordination,” said Weaver, adding it has enabled Plainsboro to consistently achieve one of the lowest municipal tax rates and one of the highest bond ratings in the county.
He said he and his running mate support continued “creative” approaches to cost reductions, including a new initiative to share dispatch services with other communities within Middlesex County.
When it comes to the budget, Weaver pointed to the township’s budget planning process, in which the Township Committee and members of the administration set priorities, including specifying where it “makes sense to reduce or eliminate particular items that are up for funding consideration.”
“Only after thoroughly weighing the effects and alternatives that each decision will have on the citizens of Plainsboro does the Township Committee choose what should be cut or eliminated,” he said. “Ed and I fully support this process as the most effective method to determine appropriate budget cuts that need to be made.” He said that process enables the township to achieve one of the lowest tax rates with the highest bond rating in the county.
When asked about areas he would not cut in the budget, Weaver referred to that process, but also said that “we do pay particular attention to all critical services required by the community which includes: police, fire, emergency and human services particularly those that support seniors, children and the most vulnerable in our community.”
Weaver said he has budget experience from both his private and public sector career responsibilities. “Most recently, during my eight years in state government I demonstrated a proven track record of managing operations, network services, systems development and associated budgets,” he said. “In those positions, my duties included annually developing and managing operating budgets and systems development budgets exceeding $30 million which supported the Information Technology Divisions in the agencies for which I was responsible.”
He said that during those years, state government administrations were constantly looking for ways to reduce cost and lower budgets while maintaining and improving services where possible. “I personally managed my organizations and spearheaded several projects that achieved those goals of reduced costs and improved services.”
When it comes to other issues outside of budgeting, Weaver said he plans to continue to push for improvements to the township’s roads and bridges. “The recent ground breaking for Phase II of the Traffic Calming project on Plainsboro Road is just one example of commitment that Ed and I (along with the other members of the Township Committee) have for keeping our infrastructure in good condition through a comprehensive plan of constant maintenance and improvements,” he said.
He also said that as liaison to the Committee of Associations, he plans to work on expanding participation and improve communications with neighborhoods that do not have formal associations representing them.
“This will enable us to hear regularly from constituents who may not know the most effective ways to raise issues or communicate with the township administration about the need for services in their particular neighborhoods,” he said.
Overall, Weaver said that he and Yates have talked to many voters, the vast majority of whom feel that Plainsboro is moving in the right direction as a community. “This has been achieved through an ongoing planning and management process that regularly takes input from residents and businesses within the community and incorporates them into proposals and projects being considered to address potential changes and improvements needed in the community,” he said.
“As a result, we have been able to accomplish many of the best ideas and changes proposed by a broad range for community stakeholders,” said Weaver.
Ed Yates, a 24-year resident of the township, moved to Plainsboro in 1986 with his wife because of the open space and school system.
His mother was an insurance adjuster and his father was a Triboro Bridge and Tunnel officer. He and his wife, Blanche, a real estate agent, have been married for 36 years. Their five children all attended district schools and graduated from High School South.
Yates has a bachelor’s degree in aviation maintenance management from Lewis University in Illinois and is a senior project manager for Coastal Electric Construction.
Yates has served on the Township Committee for the past 12 years. He is the liaison to Community Development and the Historical Society. He is a former president of the Cranbury-Plainsboro Little League, former Cub Master of Cub Scout pack 168, former president of the Gentry Homeowners Association, and a former board member of the Babe Ruth Baseball Association.
Yates said he always believed it was important to give back, and pointed to his volunteer positions with the little league and other organizations, as well as his services on the Township Committee. “I believe that I offer a wide array of skills that, if elected, will allow me to assure that Plainsboro remains a great place to live and work,” he said.
The most compelling issue for Yates is “the necessity for Plainsboro to remain on course with our long established community plan which address successful financial and land use plans,” he said. “As a result of this successful plan Plainsboro has been recognized as model municipality in both of these areas.”
In addition to his experience on the Township Committee, Yates said he gained experience in his professional career, with 30 years in the electrical contracting business, 25 of which were in project management. “I have managed some of the largest electrical projects in New York City,” he said. “I believe that my experience in dealing with construction budgets that range in value of $20 million to $175 million afford me a unique skill level to deal with the budget challenges facing Plainsboro in the coming years.”
Yates said that “all communities in New Jersey are facing significant financial challenges in the coming years, reduction of state aid, the imposition of arbitrary budget caps, and uncertainty with regards to future affordable housing obligations and requirements,” but because of its past performance record, “Plainsboro has been recognized for its leadership in addressing these difficult challenges. I believe that we are uniquely positioned to meet these challenges in the future.”
During these trying economic times, Yates said that Plainsboro’s focus in the past, and what the focus continues to be, is on good financial planning. He said the township’s budgetary process “not only takes into account the current year, but also establishes a five-year look ahead at key financial indicators,” he said. “This allows us to make adjustments to assure stability in the budget process. In addition to strong control on expenses we have been aggressive in securing outside funding resulting in millions of dollars in grants and aid and we will continue to be aggressive in obtaining these funds in the future.”
Like Weaver, Yates said he will also continue to maintain strong leadership in the area of shared services, like the court system, animal control, and health services.
When asked about any areas he would cut, Yates said that the financial tools that Plainsboro uses in its planning process allow “a one year and five-year look ahead at several trend indicators,” which “allows us to implement an effective cost reducing effort. In the future Plainsboro will be challenged in the area of labor cost issues.”
When asked whether there are any areas he would not cut, Yates said it is “inappropriate to discuss budget cuts or no cuts without examining the long term effects of these actions.”
“Our process is one that looks annually at all budget issues and all cost savings,” said Yates. “One of our challenges will be in labor cost issues. One of the challenges we face is to be fair to both our municipal employees and our residents.”
When it comes to experience in dealing with budget challenges, Yates said that as a senior project manager for a major electrical construction firm, his duties have included budget control, staffing, scheduling, and procurement for large electrical projects. “These projects all have had demanding project schedules in a difficult construction industry and were all successful.” He also pointed to his 12 years of budgeting experience on the Township Committee.
Yates said that as liaison to Community Development, he is proud of the township’s open space accomplishments, as over 50 percent of the township is permanently preserved. He said the township has also secured millions of dollars in new ratables.
“As liaison to Community Development, I will assure adherence to our master plan so Plainsboro maintains its reputation as a great place to live and work,” said Yates, who referred to the township’s recognition in the April, 2008, edition of New Jersey Monthly magazine as “one of the top 10 communities in the state.”
As for the 2 percent statutory cap on annual property tax levy increases, they will “result in combined revenue losses and a tax levy cap on municipal spending.” He also pointed to the resolution adopted by the Township Committee and echoed the comments of his running mate.
