Common Sense group hopes to give voice to WW silent majority

A concern that the council is hearing only one side of the story

By: Emily Craighead
   WEST WINDOR — A fledgling group, Common Sense, wants to speak for what they believe is a silent majority in the township.
   Their challenge is to find out what that majority is thinking, and to make that perspective heard at township meetings.
   "I don’t know how you can tap that majority," said Barbara Pfeiffer, who was one of nearly 30 people to attend the group’s first meeting Saturday. "I don’t know if that majority is a monolith — in fact, I don’t think it is."
   Township Council Vice President Franc Gambatese organized the meeting, partly in response to the one-sidedness of recent public discussions about changing the name of the 08550 ZIP code and post office to "West Windsor."
   It wasn’t the outcome that bothered residents who contacted him, however, so much as the process, he said.
   "What upset people was that one side of the opinion was shown, and that didn’t necessarily reflect what people thought," Mr. Gambatese said.
   Similarly, he said, Canal Pointe residents’ vocal opposition to the University Medical Center at Princeton’s move to West Windsor may have blocked a project that could have benefited the township as a whole.
   "Again, one group of people were highly opposed to it and that’s all you heard," Mr. Gambatese said.
   There is a fear that other projects could be jeopardized if only detractors speak out.
   "There was a lot of momentum after the election, but I feel we’ve hit some snags," Mr. Gambatese said.
   His suggestions for the group’s goals are to seek to represent the majority township voice, to take the pulse of public opinion, and to attend various meetings.
   This group would not push an agenda, but shed light on other sides of the debate, he said.
   The structure of the group remains undetermined, but Mr. Gambatese said he plans to distance himself from the group once he gets the ball rolling.
   "People have reached out to me," he said. "They want me to organize, and I’m happy to help."
   However, as a councilman, he said, "It’s not appropriate for me to say this is like a party I’m directing. This should be your group."
   Shawki Salem, a Zoning Board of Adjustment member, cautioned against creating an organization that might increase tension between local groups, saying there is a greater need for the township administration to keep the public better informed about important issues.
   "Our community really went through an ugly period in the sense that our community was divided," Mr. Salem said. "I’m not sure we want to go back to that period."
   Another resident, Fu-Grand Lin, said the group could bring a variety of viewpoints to the fore without being confrontational.
   "We should focus on how we’re going to present this and make the silent majority heard," Mr. Lin said.
   Most people at the meeting agreed on the need for improved access to township information — more detailed e-mail alerts and more frequent updates to the township Web site.
   Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, who also attended the meeting, assured them he will request the hiring of a public information officer.
   Getting the word out is an important step, but it’s not enough, according to longtime resident Bill Benfer.
   "The problem is that there’s not sufficient attendance at any meeting," said Mr. Benfer. "If you get the information from the township, you have to do something with it."
   The length of township and Planning Board meetings that sometimes drag on until midnight discourages many residents from attending, according to Mr. Benfer.
   "The structure of this organization has given way to ungodly long hours of debate," he said.
   Even when the meetings are brief, West Windsor residents who may have long commutes to work, children to take care of and generally busy lives cannot fit an evening meeting in their schedule, according to Ms. Pfeiffer.
   "They don’t have the time," she said. "It’s not an excuse. It’s the reality."
   Suggestions to overcome that obstacle included creating e-mail lists or using the West Windsor Plainsboro Today Web site (www.wwptoday.com), as well as encouraging residents to contact council members.
   In the meantime, Mr. Gambatese encouraged everyone at Saturday’s meeting to attend the Dec. 19 council meeting, where the council will vote on declaring approximately 350 acres in the vicinity of the Princeton Junction train station as an area in need of redevelopment.
   "I don’t want to see the same 30 faces in the crowd every time an important issue comes up," he said.
   The group is planning a second meeting in January, to determine the support and enthusiasm for proceeding with Common Sense. The time and date of that meeting have yet to be determined.
   "If people are willing, get yourselves organized," Mr. Gambatese told the group.