Candidates to be interviewed to replace Judge David Saltman.
By: Jill Matthews
WEST WINDSOR The township has collected applications and will soon begin interviewing candidates to fill the vacancy left when Municipal Judge David Saltman stepped down from the bench.
Judge Saltman, who was appointed to the position in late 2001 after then-Judge Ray Barson retired to work in a private firm, retired in November, Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said. An interim judge, Lester Maisto, who is currently a municipal judge in Trenton and Willingboro in Burlington County, was appointed to temporarily fill the position, he said.
A four-member screening committee, which includes two council members, Jacqueline Alberts and Charles Morgan, as well as Administrator Chris Marion and the township attorney, Michael J. Herbert, has conducted an initial review of the applications and will soon begin interviewing candidates.
"I’m looking for someone who can move the docket and do the right thing by both the defendant and the police and the prosecutor’s office," said Mr. Morgan, who added he was less interested in an applicant’s qualities on paper and more interested in the applicant’s general judicial philosophy. "So it’s a balancing act," he said.
Ms. Alberts cited good education, experience, familiarity with court procedure and a reputation for fairness and decency for the people appearing before the court as among the qualities she will be looking for in the new judge.
"We’ve been pretty lucky with our municipal judges as a township and obviously we would like that to continue," she said.
The screening committee will recommend a candidate to the mayor, who then makes an appointment with the advice and consent of the council, Mayor Hsueh said.
The township has received 10 applications for the position, including an application from Mr. Maisto, the current interim judge, Mayor Hsueh said. After narrowing down the field, only three candidates are expected interviewed, Mr. Morgan said. The interviews, which were delayed because of the holiday season, are currently being scheduled.
Although a definitive timeline has not been set, Mr. Morgan said he expected the process to move quickly once the interviews are conducted and hoped a recommendation would be presented to the council at its Jan. 31 meeting. Mayor Hsueh suggested a more lengthy timeframe, saying the whole process should be completed within three months.
The position, which is for three years, includes a salary ranging between $31,000 and $35,000 a year, Mayor Hsueh said. The judge will be scheduled to work one day a week but must available 24 hours a day, he added.