Vote on bills came immediately after stormy, prolonged debate on whether committee would entertain resolution, written by Arlene Kemp, stating that the township should not pay any legal expenses Jon Edwards may incur as a result of a controversial e-mail he wrote nearly five months ago.
By John Tredrea
By a 2-0 vote at the conclusion of its stormy May 1 meeting, the Hopewell Township Committee voted to pay a little over $8 million in township bills for the month of April, Deputy Mayor Marylou Ferrara told the HVN Tuesday.
Most of the $8 million will be forwarded to the regional school district and Mercer County, whose taxes are collected by the township.
Voting in favor of paying the bills were Ms. Ferrara, who presided over the meeting due to the absence of Mayor Fran Bartlett, and Committeeman Jon Edwards. Committeewomen Arlene Kemp and Vanessa Sandom both said "pass" when the roll was called on a resolution to pay the bills.
The vote on the bills came immediately after a stormy, prolonged debate on whether the committee would entertain a resolution, written by Ms. Kemp, stating that the township should not pay any legal expenses Mr. Edwards may incur as a result of a controversial e-mail he wrote nearly five months ago (see separate story).
When the May 1 meeting was adjourned, no one including municipal attorney Ed Konin, who was filling in for his partner Ed Schmierer was sure what the two "pass" votes meant in terms of whether or not the resolution to pay the bills had been approved.
Also shortly after adjournment, Ms. Ferrara said the committee might have to schedule a special meeting this week in order to cast another vote on paying the bills. It turns out the special meeting will not be necessary, she said Tuesday.
"We’ve researched it from a legal standpoint, and the ‘passes’ are not counted as votes," she said. "Therefore the resolution passed and the bills have been paid."

