A new method for determining a quorum
By: Greg Forester
WEST WINDSOR Township Councilman Charles Morgan introduced a measure Monday that should help the township’s Cable TV Advisory Board function more properly in the face of unfilled seats.
Mr. Morgan’s provision reduces the number of members the board needs to conduct official business at meetings, requiring a quorum based on the total number of seats without regard to unfilled seats due to resignation, removal, or failure, but not less than four.
While the nine-member board normally requires a quorum of five to carry out official business, the Cable TV board had been suffering from absences and vacancies that precluded its members who did show up from conducting business.
The nine-member Cable TV Advisory board makes decisions regarding the township’s cable channel 27, which frequently broadcasts township meetings and other township business.
Some seats on the board are currently vacant, which has made it increasingly difficult for the board to function properly, according to Mr. Morgan.
"This is so those members who show up can actually do their official business," said Mr. Morgan. "There is a larger issue here that I hope we’ll be taking a look at sooner or later."
Mr. Morgan said that with continued vacancies on Cable TV and other boards, the council could consider giving the mayor a time limit of around 45 days to submit appointments to fill those vacancies.
"If he doesn’t give an appointment, it could then shift back to council to fill," said Mr. Morgan. "That could put a fire under the mayor to get the positions filled."
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said he would like to see greater cooperation within the township government because he believed volunteers would be more easily found for the vacancies.
"If we portray ourselves as a government constantly fighting among ourselves we are going to scare away a lot of volunteers," said Mayor Hsueh. "Unfortunately some people have decided to withdraw from various positions, and we need to start reviewing how to get more volunteers involved."
Other members of the Township Council said they agreed with the measure, although they agreed with Mr. Morgan that similar measures should be looked into for boards.
"This is a great idea that is long overdue," said Councilman Franc Gambatese, at his last meeting as part of the council.
Council President Linda Geevers said she would like to see broader measures taken to address problems with other boards and commissions.
Measures such as the one introduced by Mr. Morgan would only apply to non-statutory boards and commissions that aren’t the subject of state law.
"I’m not an attorney but I don’t believe they can do this with commissions and boards that are statutory," said former Councilwoman Alison Miller. "Bodies like SPRAB, Affordable Housing, Agricultural Advisory Committee, and Human Relations Council might be possible candidates for future measures, although I would not do this with any board that has five or fewer members."

