“A nation has its founding fathers and a township has its town fathers, but the late mayor and township committeeman was more than a town father, he was Plumsted’s patriarch,” Dancer said.
The mayor said Potter was elected to the Township Committee at the age of 34 in 1939 and was re-elected for 39 consecutive years until his retirement in 1978. Potter, a lifelong resident, continued to serve the community as a member of the Planning Board until 1990.
“No other public figure has served as both an elected and appointed official in Plumsted for more than Kenneth Potter’s 51 years. Having served with Kenneth Potter on the Planning Board, I can attest to his legacy as a man with a vision and conviction to save open space and farmland,” Dancer said. “Kenneth was the driving force and vocal proponent to retain our rural character.”
Dancer said Potter had been a member of the township’s New Egypt Fire Com-pany since 1937. At one time he served as the fire company’s treasurer.
Potter was also a former chief of police and in 2001 he was inducted into the New Jersey League of Municipalities Elected Officials Hall of Fame, according to Dancer.
The mayor noted that the Potter’s Square shopping center was named in his honor.
“The late Mayor Potter provided our community with Godly leadership for more than a half-century which was exemplified by his unblemished, impeccable public service record of the highest standards for honesty, integrity and moral character,” Dancer said.