Consensus builder needed in borough

By: Vic Monaco
   Over the last year, Hightstown Borough Council and Mayor Bob Patten have accomplished little when it comes to addressing the town’s urgent issues.
   One notable "accomplishment" was avoiding a 28-cent tax-rate increase and instead instituting an 18-cent hike. But that was only after the borough was lucky enough to get $200,000 in extraordinary aid from the state — the same entity many local leaders blame for so many borough problems.
   Despite their own good intentions and the help of some hard-working borough employees, the council and mayor have often come across as a Keystone Cops act.
   That’s the case as it has taken about six months for borough leaders to hold three meetings to discuss a potential plan that Mayor Patten’s heart is not into — the consolidation of the borough Police Department with East Windsor.
   But never has the dysfunction been more evident than with the council’s dealings in trying to redevelop its most important piece of available property, the former rug mill tract.
   Consider that over the last year, Borough Council has:
   • let go of one developer after he raised his plan from 80 to about 130 residential units;
   • showed some excitement about a 100-unit plan from that developer’s partner;
   • let that plan go, instead choosing to seek new proposals, and then spent time reviewing a 143-unit proposal;
   • sent the redevelopment ordinance back to the Planning Board to raise the number of allowable units and make other recommendations;
   • cast aside most of that board’s suggestion along with longtime plans for on-site affordable housing and a new or refurbished borough hall as part of the project; and
   • backed off on those changes when confronted with an angry Planning Board and approved a revised ordinance that apparently paves the way for the return of the original developer.
   Mayor Patten, who votes only in the event of a council tie, is quick to point out that council is responsible for all this action. But he also said, when announcing his re-election campaign, he was proud of the way he runs council meetings.
   These meetings were best summed up recently by Mayor Patten’s mayoral opponent, Councilman Walter Sikorski. He said it’s like watching sausage get made.
   But this is not meant as an endorsement of Mr. Sikorski because he is among those, including the mayor, who have seemed incapable of doing what is so desperately needed: develop a consensus and take meaningful action in an efficient manner.
   In East Windsor, it often appears that decisions are made behind closed doors, as there is precious little public debate at government meetings. In Hightstown, it appears that none of the elected officials ever talk to each other except at their public meetings, where some pick away at details and change course with no warning.
   Perhaps the only member of council not contributing to this act is newcomer Ryan Rosenberg. While we hope he speaks up more often in the future, at least when he speaks he makes his position clear and sticks to it.
   This also is not meant as an endorsement of Republican council candidates Ron Neibo and David Keeler, who are opposing incumbent Democrats Dave Schneider and Larry Quattrone. While we are not usually proponents of change for change’s sake, we do look forward to hearing the ideas from the GOP candidates because change is sorely needed.
   Someone — anyone — needs to quickly show the ability to build consensus and get off the proverbial dime.