Pohl broaches East Windsor departure, some follow
By Matt Chiappardi, Staff Writer
EAST WINDSOR Scott Pohl, the longtime Twin Rivers board of trustees president, has opened what is likely a Pandora’s box: secession from the township.
Mr. Pohl broached the subject at a Nov. 15 forum for candidates for the board, rising during the residents’ questions portion to ask the candidates where they stood on the secession issue.
Candidate Al Wally, a constant critic of the board and of Mr. Pohl, immediately answered, “For the first time I agree with Scott Pohl 100 percent.”
Township Mayor Janice Mironov later declined to comment on the issue except to say she thinks the state is more interested in the consolidation of municipalities.
”I suspect the state, governor and legislature would find (succession) interesting, since they have been moving in a direction toward the contrary,” she said.
There are six candidates vying to sit on the board. Steve Commer, Gus Elsworth and Mr. Wally are attempting to unseat incumbents Rodger Frey, Joe Molinari and Lori Vono.
At the forum, Mr. Commer joined Mr. Wally in supporting the secession idea.
”It would probably be a good idea,” Mr. Commer said. But he echoed Mayor Mironov by saying, “the state is more into combining towns,” than creating new ones.
Mr. Elsworth and Mr. Molinari opposed the idea, while Mr. Frey said he didn’t know enough about the issue to make a decision.
Incumbent Lori Vono was on vacation, according to Mr. Molinari, and did not attend the forum.
Mr. Elsworth said the he “disagrees completely” with the succession idea.
”You must realize what you’re going to have to purchase,” he said.
”You’re going to have to come up with your own buses, your own vehicles to plow the snow,” he added.
Incumbent Mr. Molinari joined with Mr. Elsworth saying he would be “totally overwhelmed” by the idea.
”The cost involved would be exasperating,” he said.
Twin Rivers is home to about 10,000 of the township’s 25,000 residents.
Mr. Molinari went on to list all the services he believes a Twin Rivers borough or township would need to keep itself afloat, including a school system, police and fire departments, and a rescue squad.
”The mayor would pull all of those firetrucks out of here,” if Twin Rivers were to succeed said Mr. Molinari.
Ms. Mironov acknowledged that the firetrucks that serve Twin Rivers are property of the township.
”I don’t think there are any other options,” she said when asked about removing the trucks if Twin Rivers were to secede.
Mr. Pohl acknowledged after the meeting that any secession attempt, “would be an uphill battle.” As for the challenge of obtaining municipal services, Mr. Pohl said it would be no different from communities that already either share services or receive them from outside entities.
He said that if the state’s oldest planned unit development were to become its own municipality, Twin Rivers would be able to borrow money more easily and have easier access to insurance. He also said residents’ association fees would become their municipal taxes, which he claimed could provide them with tax savings.
He added that Twin Rivers can expect to see a column outlining his ideas in support of the subject in next month’s edition of the community’s newsletter, “Twin Rivers Today. “
When asked if he would run for mayor of a potential breakaway town, Mr. Pohl, board president since 1999, nixed the idea.
”By that time,” he said, “I would want to retire.”
Mr. Pohl and Mayor Mironov have publicly crossed swords in the past, most recently over a letter Mr. Pohl sent to the Township Council asking it to stop promoting township events at Twin Rivers events.
The rest of the candidates forum had the five hopefuls in attendance answering questions from the about half dozen residents who attended. Much of the evening saw Mr. Wally levying a myriad of accusations and insults at the board and the other candidates. He and Mr. Molinari had a brief heated exchange.
Some questions did get through the noise.
Resident Eric Fleger asked how candidates would feel about televising the monthly board meetings.
Mr. Commer and Mr. Wally both said it is a good idea. Mr. Molinari disagreed and said, “If you people want to see the board meetings, get up off your butts and come out.”
Mr. Elsworth and Mr. Frey both said they were undecided about the issue.
Mr. Fleger also wanted to see how the candidates stood on expanding the community’s recreation program.
Mr. Elsworth said he would not want to see any recreation program limited only to residents of Twin Rivers.
Mr. Frey enthusiastically embraced the idea, while Mr. Molinari said it would depend on how many volunteers the board could drum up to run any additional programs.
Mr. Wally said that any expansion would require more money than is available in the Twin Rivers budget. He said he had “a bunch of ideas” on how to raise more money, but declined to list them, saying he did not have enough time.
Mr. Commer suggested Twin Rivers contact the East Windsor Regional School District and inquire about using some of its facilities a few times a month for recreational purposes.
The Twin Rivers board elections are scheduled for Dec. 13. The winning candidates will be elected to three-year terms on the nine-person board. Unlike municipal elections, votes are weighed by the assessed value of the home from which the votes come instead of a one-person one-vote system.
Residents can either vote in person at the board of trustees meeting scheduled for Dec. 13, or by proxy. Proxies, mailed to each resident’s home, must be either dropped off at the community trust office on 92 Twin Rivers Drive West, or mailed to the accounting firm of Wilken & Guttenplan at 1200 Tices Lane #1, East Brunswick, N.J., 08816 by 5 p.m. Dec. 13.

