East Windsor Township voters will have some choices to make in deciding who will represent them on the East Windsor Township Council for the next four years when they go to the polls on Nov. 5.
Up for grabs are four seats on the East Windsor Township Council, currently held by Democrats Marc Lippman, Janice S. Mironov, Peter Yeager and John Zoller. They are being challenged by Republican Party candidates Paul Hummel Jr., Anna Lustenberg, Vincent Stottlemyer and Steven Uccio.
Laying out his case for re-election, Lippman said he is familiar with municipal government in the township. It has helped him in proposing improvement projects, and analyzing and resolving issues within the township, he said.
Improving the quality of life for township residents is one of the issues facing the township council, Lippman said. It has done so through the development of a senior citizens center that was accomplished without spending taxpayer dollars, and refurbishing municipal parks as well as creating new ones.
Balancing development and open space is another issue, Lippman said. The township council has been successful in attracting new businesses and development projects, while preserving open space and farmland.
“My passion toward making East Windsor Township an exceptional place to live and raise a family has never changed, and I look forward to continuing it,” said Lippman, who has served on the East Windsor Township Council since 1996.
Mironov, who has served as mayor since she took office in 1996, pointed to the connections she has made over the years and that have been helpful in advocating for the township. She has served as vice president of the New Jersey Conference of Mayors and is a past president of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities.
“I believe we have an accomplished and proud record of governing and building community through being responsive, communicative, outreaching and accessible,” Mironov said. She said she hoped that she has been able to earn the residents’ trust as a caring, pro-active and effective leader.
Mironov said the municipal property tax rate has been flat for seven years, while the township has been able to maintain quality services. Many new businesses have moved to East Windsor Township, including large pharmaceutical companies.
Asked about the issues facing the township, Mironov said balancing development and open space preservation is an important concern. Bringing in new businesses expands the township’s tax base, but those efforts have to be balanced by the preservation of open space and farming, she said.
Also, maintaining the level of services that residents have come to expect while also keeping costs in check is a challenge, Mironov said. The township takes part in many shared services agreements with other towns. It also seeks out state and county grants and donations to keep costs low, she said.
Yeager, who was appointed to the township council in March 2011, and who won re-election twice, said he is accessible to the community and attends many community events. It allows him to stay in touch with the residents, so he can better represent the perspective of families that live in the township.
One of the main issues facing the township, Yeager said, is its ability to maintain the level of municipal services that residents have come to expect – despite increased costs. The township seeks grants for road projects and for enhancements to its parks and recreation facilities, he said.
State policies and their impact on the township is another area of concern, Yeager said. Policies in such areas as housing, energy, the environment and transportation and taxation potentially can have an impact on the municipal budget and on how the township develops and evolves, he said.
“Our council continues to monitor developments in Trenton and has taken the lead in implementing policies in these areas to minimize any disruptions to our community,” Yeager said.
Zoller, who has served two terms on the township council, said he wants to ensure that the township continues to flourish under the current makeup of the council and the leadership of Mironov. Municipal property taxes are low and the municipal tax rate has not changed in several years.
Zoller is the council’s liaison to the township’s economic development committee, the environmental commission and the municipal alliance for the prevention of substance abuse. He said he is looking forward to supporting those programs and others that will enhance the quality of life for residents.
Zoller explained that sustaining the township’s financial strength, plus balancing development and open space preservation, are among the key issues facing the township. Conservative financial planning is key to a fiscally healthy municipal government, he said.
“Balancing business growth with open space conservation is a land use challenge for any community,” Zoller said.
New businesses like the township for its attractive transportation and infrastructure, which is financed through grants and shared-services agreements with other towns. Open space preservation is addressed at the municipal and county level, he said.
Lustenberg, one of four republican candidates seeking to unseat the incumbent council members, served on the East Windsor Township Council from 1994-97. She also served on several boards and committees, including the planning board and the economic development committee.
While the key issues facing the township are fiscal responsibility, public safety and economic development, Lustenberg pointed out that the one issue that concerns her the most is the East Windsor Township Council’s lack of openness.
“Our open public meetings are anything but open and public. The council chooses to use the planning board meeting room for their meetings and, without the use of microphones, attendees have difficulty hearing what is being discussed,” Lustenberg said.
Lustenberg pledged to have the meetings videotaped and posted on the township website so residents can view the meetings. She also said she would post the council agendas online and post the ordinances and resolutions so residents would know what is being discussed.
Stottlemyer pointed to his strong background in logistics, having operated his family’s wholesale food distribution company for 20 years. He was able to help the business grow without sacrificing its quality of services.
Stottlemyer said that based on comments made to him as he goes door-to-door to campaign, residents are concerned about the neglect of dead or diseased trees that need to be removed, and transparency and communication.
Many citizens have said they had made multiple calls to East Windsor Township officials about the dead or dying trees, but there has been no response from them, Stottlemyer said. The trees and the potential for limbs to fall present a danger to children and pedestrians who use the sidewalks, he said.
Stottlemyer said transparency and communication are an integral part of service. The township’s website needs to be revamped to make it easier to use. Residents should be able to see what is being addressed, he said, adding that council meeting minutes need to be brought up to date.
Uccio, who is also seeking to unseat the democrats, said he has run for Congress and the state assembly. It has given him some insight into how local, state and federal politics “interplay with each other,” he said.
“I have also been around long enough to see that the issues people have been voicing for five or 10 years really haven’t gone away. I think East Windsor needs new representation, from top to bottom,” he said.
Like Lustenberg and Stottlemyer, Uccio said East Windsor Township government needs to be more transparent. He said he is “passionate” about accessibility.
“I think we are a couple of steps behind what we could be doing, especially when you look at neighboring towns. East Windsor Township isn’t on Facebook, it’s not on Twitter and we don’t video-record meetings,” Uccio said.
“There are so many things we could be doing that take virtually no money and would invite more people to participate in local government,” Uccio said.
Hummel, the fourth Republican Party candidate, could not be reached for comment.
