Hightstown’s miscue reveals good, bad, ugly

By: Vic Monaco
   The recent revelation that Hightstown had failed to enforce a 2004 ordinance requiring Planning Board applicants with major plans to disclose their political campaign contributions is an embarrassment.
   At the same time, we have no reason to believe at this point that there was anything underhanded or that this was anything more than an oversight.
   Those who claim, as Borough Council President Dave Schneider did, that certain local developers were trying to buy Planning Board votes apparently have no evidence of that and took an easy route during the political season. And those who wanted to place the blame squarely on the shoulders of Mayor Bob Patten were distorting the issue in an apparent attempt to derail his re-election bid — an effort that failed by 28 votes.
   That’s not to say Mayor Patten didn’t inadvertently make himself a prime target after touting, before and during the election, the borough’s pay-to-play ordinances as some of the toughest around.
   More importantly, the mayor did not handle the situation well.
   Mr. Patten, who initially said he was unaware of the oversight, later stressed that the whole issue was moot because the Planning Board had not reviewed any major applications since the ordinance went into effect. The problem: That turned out to be wrong.
   Planning Board Attorney Gary Rosensweig, put in an awkward position by the mayor, who sits on the board, pointed out that indeed the board had reviewed eight major applications over the last two years, including at least one from a political supporter of the mayor.
   Mr. Patten now says "major" is all a matter of interpretation. But Mr. Rosensweig was using the best source possible in making that determination — the language in the borough’s law.
   The one positive that came out of this, and it is notable, was the reaction of Mr. Rosensweig and other borough employees. None hid from the issue, regardless of political affiliations. All immediately returned phone messages for comment. And all acknowledged immediately that a mistake had been made.
   That would not have been the reaction in many other communities, and it is highly commendable.
   Perhaps some local politicians could still learn a thing or two from borough staff when it comes to open and honest government.