Vote expected Thursday on replacement for Kristin Appelget
By: Emily Craighead
WEST WINDSOR With public presentations from each candidate and voting set for a special West Windsor Township Council meeting Thursday, recordings of executive-session interviews with the 10 candidates vying for an open seat on the council were released Friday.
The recordings cover three closed meetings held last week. On May 15, council members interviewed Nitin Shah, Tom Fortin, Dan Fabrizio, Carol Brugger and William Aprea. On Wednesday, they interviewed Barbara Pfeifer and Robert Suto, and on Friday they interviewed John Wydra and Fatima Aziz.
Council President Charlie Morgan and Councilwomen Linda Geevers and Heidi Kleinman spent half an hour asking each candidate the same questions. Councilman Franc Gambatese, citing prior work commitments and his objection to the closed interviews, did not attend.
The questions addressed candidates’ roles in community organizations and other work or personal experience. The council members also asked for the candidates’ thoughts on the redevelopment process in the vicinity of the Princeton Junction train station, as well as what the candidates think a council member’s priorities should be and whether they voted in the most recent school board election.
Another question solicited suggestions for saving money in the budget. Specifically, Mr. Morgan asked whether, to save a penny on the tax rate, the candidate would choose to eliminate leaf and brush collection.
Mr. Shah emphasized his bicultural perspective gained through living in India and the United States, as well as his business experience.
"I have a lot of ideas as far as generating revenue," he said, adding that the township could encourage businesses, build a hospital, or even a theme park." Further development would benefit the community, and the township should focus on creating an identity, Mr. Shah noted. He said he would opt for high-density development at the train station to provide more opportunities for young people.
Mr. Fortin serves in the Estates at Princeton Junction homeowners’ association and commutes to New York. The train station redevelopment should respect the train station’s primary function, allowing commuters to get to and from the trains unencumbered, he said. He said he envisions a downtown area similar to Palmer Square in Princeton.
Although he says he is "by nature a fiscal hawk," Mr. Fortin said he knew to expect high taxes when he moved to West Windsor, and would pay an extra penny on the tax rate to preserve leaf and brush collection in the township.
Mr. Fabrizio, who served as president of the HSBC sports and social club, said the redevelopment should take into account pedestrian and bicycle safety. Density should be limited in the redevelopment area, he said, suggesting apartments on top of a restaurant or offices.
Part of being a good council member is to be a good listener and a good salesman, and to be fair, he said.
Ms. Brugger moved to West Windsor in 2000 and said the redevelopment is "a great idea long overdue." She said she favors making the train station area an attractive destination without adding too much housing and traffic.
Experience as an attorney, in marketing and as a consultant has taught her how to deal with complicated issues and work with people, Ms. Brugger said.
Mr. Aprea, an attorney, said it is important for council members to keep in mind that they represent the whole community.
"You need to try to represent yourself and your personal situation," he said, adding that it is important to understand the value different people bring to town. He said he would favor higher-density development in the train station area, provided the impact on the town’s infrastructure is taken into account.
Ms. Pfeifer said council members’ priority should be bringing people together to advance an agenda. A Planning Board member and a former commuter, she said the success of the redevelopment will depend on properly determining the project’s scope.
Although she said the state tax system and school taxes play the largest role in determining residents’ tax bills, Ms. Pfeifer suggested the council and administration should reconsider the open-space tax and the amount dedicated to acquiring additional land.
Mr. Suto, who serves on the board of trustees of the Windsor Haven condominium association, said he supports Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh’s vision for the train station area redevelopment. Pedestrian safety and improved parking facilities should be a priority, he said.
A council member’s role should be to bring knowledge, offer advice and point out questions and issues that haven’t been considered, Mr. Suto said.
Mr. Anklowitz, a member of the Friends of West Windsor Open Space and president of the Windsor Ponds homeowners’ association, said his experience growing up in West Windsor and knowledge acquired from his parents and grandparents, who also lived in West Windsor, shaped his perspective on the township.
He said the redevelopment plan should be flexible to accommodate changing commercial and retail needs, with little housing. Council members should be able to think on their feet, think through issues and think forward as issues change over time, Mr. Anklowitz said.
Mr. Wydra said he supports the redevelopment as a "positive move to create an identity for the township." Traffic should be addressed through the redevelopment, he added, and the area should provide a gathering place for the community a place to get ice cream, dinner or a drink, with a permanent home for the farmer’s market.
High taxes in the township result from the property-tax structure, Mr. Wydra said, adding that there are areas such as the Public Works Department where more money should be spent.
Ms. Aziz, who has been active in human- and social-services groups during her 25 years in West Windsor, said she favors a middle path for the redevelopment, avoiding density that might attract crime.
Council members should represent different segments of the community and avoid animosity to work together through difficult decisions, Ms. Aziz said.
"One has to stand out whether people like you or not," she said.
On Thursday, each candidate will have the opportunity to make a three-minute presentation to the public, after which council members will nominate their choices to fill the council seat vacated May 8 by Kristin Appelget.
None of the candidates ruled out running in the November and May elections should they be chosen to fill the council vacancy.

