By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
In a contentious reorganization meeting that lasted more than twice as long as usual on New Year’s Day, Township Council selected Councilwoman Pam Mount to serve in the ceremonial post of mayor for this year.
The level of acrimony reached the point that the Rev. Marella Holmes, who gave both the invocation and closing prayer, chastised the Township Council members and reminded them that they were elected “by the people, for the people, to serve the people” — not themselves — before offering the closing prayer at the end of the nearly two-hour-long meeting.
“Right now, in the name of Jesus Christ, we need a healing on this council,” the Rev. Holmes said. “I know that my God will give our council that healing and that unity to serve us, the people who elected them.”
The bickering began almost immediately after the meeting was called to order and nominations were sought for the post of mayor. Ms. Mount had been serving as acting mayor after former Mayor Mark Holmes — the Rev. Holmes’ husband — resigned from Township Council last month.
Township Council, which is short one member because of Mr. Holmes’ resignation, could not agree on a choice for the post, and split along party lines — Democrats Ms. Mount and Michael Powers, and Republicans Bob Bostock and Rick Miller. All were nominated, but none had sufficient votes to win.
Anticipating a deadlock on the mayoral election, Municipal Attorney Kevin Nerwinski researched the Lawrence Township Administrative Code, the state Constitution and state law.
Mr. Nerwinski said that based on his research if the governing body could not agree on a mayor, then the Township Council member who received the highest number of votes in the last general election — which was November 2007 — would be named mayor. The highest vote-getter was Mr. Powers, but he declined in favor of Ms. Mount.
Noting that the mayorship traditionally rotates among Township Council members, Mr. Powers said the Democratic majority on the council had determined that it was Ms. Mount’s turn to be mayor and that it would be his turn in 2010.
Mr. Powers also said it takes “lots of planning” by the mayor to set the agenda for the coming year, and Ms. Mount had already done that. She wants to focus on sustainability and managing truck traffic on Route 206, for example, he said.
Mr. Bostock replied that he was “glad to hear” that Ms. Mount has an agenda for 2009, adding that “this is the first time” that he had heard of it.
“Like it or not,” Mr. Powers responded, “the township has a partisan form of government, but we are one community here in Lawrence. We have to work on the issues for the residents. The fact that we are Democrats or Republicans, I don’t think the residents care.”
Nevertheless, Mr. Powers said, the level of political partisanship has increased “dramatically” on Township Council since 2008. He said it is unfortunate and that “it’s going to come back and haunt us.” It is time to put partisanship aside “as far as governing and day-to-day operations,” he added.
Mr. Bostock shot back that he was “delighted” to hear that Mr. Powers wants to put partisanship aside and that he hoped it would apply to Township Council’s appointments to the advisory boards and committees, as well as to the vacancy on the council.
“I think it’s true that bipartisanship always looks different from which side you’re on,” Mr. Bostock said. “(It’s not) ‘the other guys need to do what we want because we’ve got the majority.’ “That’s not what bipartisanship is about. If we could see more cooperation, more consultation and more consensus-building, I would welcome it.”
Mr. Bostock suggested that a good way to start would be by working with himself and Mr. Miller — using their suggested procedure — to fill the open seat on Township Council.
The Republicans want the three candidates, who have been chosen by the Lawrence Township Democratic Municipal Committee because it is a Democratic Party vacancy, each to submit an essay and take part in public interviews before council chooses one of them.
The Democrats want to follow state law, which means choosing from among the three candidates nominated by the Lawrence Township Democratic Municipal Committee — minus the essays and public interviews.
When the meeting was opened for public comment, Rydal Drive resident Michael Horan called on Mr. Bostock and Mr. Miller to “stop playing political games” and fill the vacancy on Township Council.
Mr. Horan, who is a former Democratic Party candidate for Township Council, said there are too many critical issues looming and that the Republicans should “remove the confrontational (governing) style and work together.”
“If you’re not willing to take that route, then I would ask you to take the route that Mark Holmes took and offer your resignation and allow Lawrence Township to move forward,” Mr. Horan said.
The partisan jockeying, however, continued as Township Council split 2-2 on the law firm to serve as bond counsel and on the reappointment of Municipal Court Judge Paul Catanese. Under state law, the judge will continue to preside over Lawrence Township Municipal Court until another vote can be taken.
In their own closing remarks, Mr. Bostock and Mr. Miller continued to press the issue of the Township Council vacancy and the appointment process they presented — one used in municipalities that are non-partisan, which means the elected officials do not run as Democrats or Republicans.
“The Democrats’ plan (to fill the opening) was not something that we could agree to,” Mr. Miller said. “It flies in the face of open and transparent government. I vowed to the people who elected me that I would fight for open government. I will keep my word.”
Mr. Miller said he had been brought up to respect others, “but I feel less and less respected as an individual” on Township Council. He added that while he does not expect his colleagues on the council to always agree with him, he does expect his thoughts and viewpoints to be considered in the same manner that he considers theirs.
“Sadly, any level of mutual respect seems to have disappeared,” he said. “Never have I witnessed such a petty quarrel. What is so bad about our proposal? Is it just that the Republicans proposed it?”
“Over the years, my remarks at our reorganization meetings have been more hopeful and brief, but I can honestly say that today is a sad day for me as a representative of this town,” Mr. Miller said.
Mr. Powers, whose twin sons were in the audience, said he was “embarrassed” at the adults’ behavior on the dais at the meeting. His New Year’s resolution, he said, is to work cooperatively with the Democrats and Republicans on the council.
“I said I would not get into it, but already the bickering has begun,” he said. “We need to rise above it. We need to serve the residents in the best interests of the residents. Let me tell you, that is not an easy job.”
In her closing remarks, Mayor Mount said she did “not know what politics are. I’m a farmer and a social activist. I don’t do this stuff (politics).”
“For Mr. Bostock and Mr. Miller to say it is irresponsible of us to provide a government that is sound, thoughtful, efficient and careful in considering the residents of Lawrence is a travesty. I won’t stay silent,” Mayor Mount said.”
“I, as you all know, am driven to get things done,” she said. “We will continue to do that. We have a job to do this year in this town and, for many years ahead, it’s going to be a rough road. We all need to remember this is our town and these are our neighbors. We love this town and we love each other. Let’s move forward.”

