By Katie Wagner, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — A new chairman and vice chairman of the Planning Board were selected by their fellow members this week.
The elections were necessitated by former Planning Board Chairman Steve Sacks-Wilner’s resignation, made through a letter dated Feb. 4.
The board elected Tom Lee, an architect who has been vice chairman of the Planning Board for seven years, to chairman and William Rodgers, an economist who’s been an alternate on the board for two years, to vice chairman.
Mr. Rodgers’ ability to fit the hours of commitment required of a vice chairman into his schedule was a major reason he was selected to this position, according to mayor and planning board member Cecilia Birge.
Mr. Sacks-Wilner, who has served the last six years as board chairman, said he no longer has the ability to work so many hours a week for no pay. He said he began working for Capital Public Affairs in Plainsboro in January to supplement what he makes as a lawyer.
”As much as I loved serving as chairman of the Planning Board, I had to cut loose the 25 hours a week I had been dedicating to my non-paying job so I could take this new job and provide for my family,” he said.
Mr. Sacks-Wilner added that he also decided to resign because of the many application reviews and discussions he would not be able to participate in as board chairman because of conflicts of interest in his work as senior vice president and director of land use and strategic planning for Capital Public Affairs.
”I went home after that last board meeting in January and thought about how it just didn’t make sense any more for me to do this, because of all the conflicts of interest,” he said. “With the big projects and public policy issues, the conflicts became bigger than the job.”
Mayor Birge said both the Planning Board and the community will miss Mr. Sacks-Wilner.
”Steve has done tremendous amount of work and brought a tremendous amount of depth and many different perspectives to the job,” Mayor Birge said. “He’s been a strong advocate for environmental stewardship and smart growth. He also understands the business needs that various applicants face in front of the Planning Board and has the ability to bring many different groups’ opinions together and move forward the community’s agenda to make a win-win situation for everyone.”
While Mayor Birge is sad to see Mr. Sacks-Wilner ago, she said she was thrilled that Mr. Lee and Mr. Rodgers have agreed to take on new leadership roles on the board.
”Mr. Lee has a lot of experience not only in terms of dealing with the public and applicants, but also in his personal business as a very skilled architect,” she said. “I’m very, very pleased that the Planning Board is in such intelligent hands.”
She added that Mr. Rodgers is a well-respected economist with much experience in public service. The new vice chairman is a professor at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
Mayor Birge appointed Mr. Rogers to a four-year term on the board at the Feb. 21 Township Committee meeting. She also appointed Tony Glockler to board advisor and former board advisor Jane Griesinger to an alternate spot on the Board during the meeting.
