Millstone township committeeman had brief, but active, tenure on governing body.
By: Scott Morgan
MILLSTONE He was in many ways, an outsider; a self-proclaimed "fifth wheel" and "intellectual" who has enjoyed holding the public ear.
While some called him into question, others called him a tonic. Few, however, could call his brief tenure on the Township Committee uneventful.
Jan. 2 marks the official end of the Bill Kastning era on the Millstone Township Committee; a three-year stint Mr. Kastning himself variously has referred to as rewarding, enjoyable and frustrating. In January, as his seat is filled by Committeeman-elect John Pfefferkorn, Mr. Kastning said he will turn "to pursue other things."
There are plenty of things Mr. Kastning will take from his brief time in office. Beyond the memories of the good, the bad and the ugly, Mr. Kastning said he will take a sense of accomplishment and pride in what he has done.
"I feel I had a major impact," Mr. Kastning said. "I felt I brought a lot of new ideas. Millstone is desperate for forward-looking people."
Mr. Kastning said he has always believed his forte rests in planning and analysis. A former planner, financial analyst and computer operator for AT&T, Mr. Kastning said he is particularly proud of creating the Civics Club in the middle school and of his work on the Watershed Council, which seeks to protect the five watershed areas originating in Millstone. Education and environment, he said, are two of his abiding passions.
In his life after the local government, Mr. Kastning said he will miss the opportunity to see and hear the concerns of residents, even the complaints.
"Problems are really opportunities," he said.
As for what he hopes for the future of the Township Committee, Mr. Kastning offered a word of advice: "Be more focused on policy and planning than on day-to-day operations" such as administrative duties.
But while Mr. Kastning prefers to remember the good, he pulls no punches about what he considers the bad. And the ugly. Particularly dogging has been an extended investigation begun last November into alleged business malpractice by the Millstone Open Space and Farmland Preservation Council, of which Mr. Kastning is a founding member. An investigation by the Monmouth County prosecutor’s office exonerated him last January, but an independent investigation, opened by Mayor Cory Wingerter and the Township Committee one week after the prosecutor’s findings, continues to this day.
Mayor Maltz said the committee hired an independent investigator to quash ideas that Mr. Kastning may have been exonerated through political favors.
That investigation has left Mr. Kastning to feel he has been the victim of political posturing.
"There is no love lost between me and the four of them," he said, referring to his fellow committeemen Mayor Maltz, Mr. Wingerter, Bill Nurko and Charles Abate. "Why did (the investigation) take 11 months? The obvious answer is that it was a political witch hunt."
Mayor Maltz and the remaining committeemen have denied such allegations, but Mr. Kastning said he has no doubts they were "out for blood."
The hard feelings and the lengthy investigation had nothing to do with Mr. Kastning’s absence from the November election, he said. Rather, he said, he chose to remove himself from public office, in part, to relieve the demands and the strains such office puts on personal and family time.
Besides, he said, "I felt I’d done all I could do."
So what now? Mr. Kastning said he will enjoy some time out of the sun and continue working with environmental causes to help protect the area’s sensitive lands.
As for the Kastning legacy, Mr. Kastning said he is delighted to leave his chair to Mr. Pfefferkorn, who is considered by many political insiders as an upstart. But, true to his nature, Mr. Kastning offers a caveat.
"There is no question in my mind (Mr. Pfefferkorn) will do a good job," he said. "But it takes a consensus to tango. And a rookie has a steep learning curve."
Still, though, Mr. Kastning said he believes his successor will help continue his efforts.
"I’m very happy he’s the one who won," Mr. Kastning said. "If I were to leave my legacy to anyone, I’m glad it’s him. We need someone up there who can stir the pot."