Mayor and former mayors do the honors
By John Tredrea
Five former Hopewell Township mayors joined current mayor Vanessa Sandom and other officials Monday night to honor Sally Brenner for her long-term of service on the township Zoning Board of Adjustment. Ms. Brenner has retired from the board after 25 years.
”You have been very devoted,” Caroline Woodward, township mayor in the late 1970s, said to Ms. Brenner. “You have spent hours and hours serving your community.”
Mayor Sandom, who served on the zoning board for several years before being elected to the Township Committee and becoming mayor, told Ms. Brenner from the dais, “Everything I learned about how to behave up here came from you, while I was on the zoning board.”
Zoning board cases can be difficult. The board can be in the middle of disputes between neighbors and property owners as it tries to decide whether to grant variances to applicants. As the term implies, getting a variance allows an applicant to “vary” somewhat from the township zoning code. For example, a use variance could allow a commercial use in a residential zone.
”To me, Sally exemplifies public service as opposed to politics,” former Mayor Linda Maiden said. “This township is indebted to you.”
Frank Klapinski, current vice chairman of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, said 25 years of service entails an incredible amount of time, thought and effort.
”All the meetings and site visits and homework,” he said.
A plaque given to Ms. Brenner by the zoning board the former mayors gave her a plaque as well said she had contributed leadership, stability, strength, intelligence and integrity.
Accepting her awards, Ms. Brenner said, “I’m overwhelmed. I don’t know what to say, it’s very touching. I enjoyed my time on the zoning board. I learned a lot. I worked with people who are really special.”