Township mayor ‘grateful’ for reaction from Indian community

By: Dick Brinster
   EAST WINDSOR — Mayor Janice Mironov says she knew her decision to oppose the plan for the Indian American Cultural Complex would disappoint a segment of the community, but adds that she’s gratified she’s heard no groundswell of opposition.
   The mayor — accused by Twin Rivers board President Scott Pohl of being in favor of the $142 million tourist attraction despite saying that she had taken no position — effectively killed the plan by Edison-based BAPS Inc. when she said Sept. 6 that she could not support a zoning change for the property near the large Twins Rivers community. She said she was basing her decision on a lack of cooperation from BAPS and a lack of broad public support.
   If there was any large fallout from East Windsor’s extensive Indian-American community, it didn’t surface publicly in the last week. The Herald, which for several weeks received dozens of letters to the editor favoring the proposal by the nonprofit Hindu sect, got only one after her decision. It arrived too late for publication this week.
   Ms. Mironov said Wednesday that she had heard just one request for a clarification on the issue since the meeting.
   "I spoke with many residents of Indian background right after the meeting and a number of people since," she said. "They have been nothing but warm in their comments and have expressed nothing but positive feelings about the community and toward me."
   They showed her respect at the meeting attended by 400 people at Perry L. Drew school, even though she made her announcement before opening a town forum to questions. Virtually no one of Indian descent exhibited any anger toward the mayor despite asking her to change her mind.
   "I’m grateful that the decision was accepted with such understanding," the mayor said.
   She noted that many Indian-Americans have local businesses, serve on municipal committees and support the community and the schools.
   "We wish them always to feel welcome and valued here in East Windsor," she said. "This decision in no way diminished from these sentiments."
   The mayor said that while it’s impossible to find agreement with everything that is done in a town, she hoped to keep the community united. Her decision was applauded by residents of Twins Rivers, the seat of opposition to the BAPS plan and home to about 10,000 residents.
   Ms. Mironov’s motives, before her decision, were questioned by Mr. Pohl, who after the town forum issued a statement thanking her for doing what he felt was right for his constituency.
   The only letter the Herald received this week on the issue was from Jaymin Patel, who said the mayor took the action before allowing discussion. However, Ms. Mironov had stressed many times that she was the one who had strongly suggested BAPS conduct two previous information sessions, where there was considerably commentary on the proposal.
   "High school and college students pleaded to the mayor," Ms. Patel wrote of the effort to keep the project alive at the town forum. "But it seems as if the mayor was totally blinded by her political ambition."
   The only shot taken at the mayor during the forum was by David Bock, an unsuccessful Republican council candidate in 2005 and a supporter of the BAPS plan. He said only naive people would accept the explanation that the mayor acted in the best interest of the township.
   "If you think these decisions made by local politicians are not political, I have land in Florida I’d love to talk to you about," Mr. Bock said.
   But the mayor she said she spoke to many residents to gauge community reaction over the previous four months to a concept that never reached the stage of application to the township.
   "I’m a public official and I try to do what I think is best for the community," she said. "If listening to people in the community is political, that’s what I’m supposed to do."
   BAPS had offered the township an annual $500,000 PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) contribution in addition to a one-time $2 million contribution for recreation and saving open space.
   Asked if her decision was made more difficult by the amount of money involved, the mayor said the town has long been proactive and effective in efforts to raise revenue and attract ratables, and she is optimistic that will continue.
   "There are always various pieces of information and factors to be considered, and you make the best decision you can for the best reasons,’ she said.
   Mr. Pohl complained throughout the process that BAPS was not forthcoming with information about the plan, most notably a traffic-impact study. The mayor offered similar criticism when she announced opposition to the zoning change after saying BAPS didn’t recognize that she would not support the plan unless there was broad support in the township.
   Ms. Mironov limited her public comments during the process to the process itself, only once criticizing Mr. Pohl when the Herald asked for her reaction to his comments. That came after he suggested that a fact-finding committee the mayor appointed would rubber-stamp what he said was her secret support of the project.
   Mr. Pohl’s comments angered Councilman Marc Lippman.
   "Someone like Scott Pohl can distort the process by making unbased comments, such as insinuating that the project was already approved," Mr. Lippman said. "This only makes a creditable process much more difficult."
   BAPS could still formally apply to the township for the zoning change but it is doubtful Township Council would approve an ordinance change without Ms. Mironov’s support.
   Asked by the Herald if it intended to give up the fight or sue the township — something Mr. Pohl said he might do if the project went forward — BAPS was noncommittal.
   "We have no further comment at this time other than we continue to review our options," spokeswoman Liz Thomas said late last week.
   the mayor said the town has long been proactive and effective in its efforts to raise revenue and attract new ratables, and she sees no reason why that won’t continue.
   "We’re optimistic about our future in this regard," she said. "There are always various pieces of information and factors to be considered, and you make best decision you can for the best reasons."