Democratic panel will name council replacement
By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
The Township Council’s plans to fill a vacancy on the governing body ran into a roadblock Tuesday night as the members deadlocked on which of the three Democratic Party nominees they would like to see step up to the dais.
Democratic Mayor Pam Mount and Councilman Michael Powers voted to put former Councilman Greg Puliti back on the Township Council, but Republican Councilmen Bob Bostock and Rick Miller voted “no.”
The Republican councilmen nominated former Township Council candidate James Kownacki, but that vote also was split 2-2. The Republicans voted for Mr. Kownacki, but the Democrats did not.
The 2-2 tie votes means the Lawrence Township Democratic Municipal Committee will make the decision at a meeting next week, set for Jan. 28, said Sarah Crowley, the committee’s vice chairman. The nominee can be sworn in immediately after being selected, she said.
The vacancy was created by the resignation of former Township Councilman Mark Holmes, which took effect Dec. 28, 2008. State law says because Mr. Holmes is a Democrat, the vacancy must be filled by a Democrat.
The Lawrence Township Democratic Municipal Committee nominated Mr. Puliti, Mr. Kownacki and newcomer Bernadette Gur to fill the rest of Mr. Holmes’ term, which expires at the end of this year.
State law calls for the council to choose from among the three nominees within 30 days after Mr. Holmes’ resignation takes effect. The deadline is Jan. 27. If the council cannot decide, the matter is referred back to the municipal committee.
“This is uncharted territory,” Mr. Powers said. “We need to step back. We need to identify the qualities we would like to see in a councilperson on our council that will help us in terms of selecting that person.”
Mr. Powers reeled off a list of criteria he believed should be used in choosing a replacement for Mr. Holmes, starting with budget experience. Geographic diversity, public speaking and knowledge of land use issues also are important, he said.
Mr. Powers pointed out the four Township Council members all live in the central or northern part of the township, and representation from the southern part of town is missing. The three nominees live in southern Lawrence Township.
The newest Township Council member also should be articulate and able to speak about issues facing the township because that person could become the mayor one day, Mr. Powers said.
A working knowledge of land use issues is important because “one of us will be the council’s liaison to the Planning Board,” Mr. Powers said.
The Planning Board includes the mayor or his or her designee and one Township Council member.
“Finally, (the criteria includes) the will of the people,” he said. “Has this person been vetted by the community? I do listen to my Republican colleagues. A 15-minute interview can’t substitute for a six-month-long campaign.”
The Republican councilmen argued for hour-long interviews with each nominee as well as the submission of a resume and a letter of interest — none of which are required by state law to fill the opening. The nominees met with the Republican councilmen prior to the council’s regular meeting Tuesday night.
Mr. Bostock said he would echo Mr. Powers’ comments, noting “it’s a good set of criteria.” Trying to do “the will of the people” is important, he said. Anyone who has not run for elective office doesn’t know how humbling the experience is, he noted.
“For me, I think when you have three candidates, (you need) to give extra weight to the people who have been out there and offered themselves and have confidence in their vision and have put up with the brickbats and name-calling. I’ll be giving special weight to (the person) that has been out there,” he said.
Mr. Powers said that “speaking for myself personally,” he believed Mr. Puliti met the criteria of “the will of the people.” Mr. Puliti was the top vote-getter in two of his three campaigns for Township Council, he said.
Also, Mr. Puliti received the most votes cast by the Lawrence Township Democratic Municipal Committee when it chose the three nominees last month, he said, adding “I would be very reluctant to disturb that weight.”
Mr. Bostock nominated Mr. Kownacki, pointing out he lost the 2007 election by a handful of votes. Mr. Kownacki trailed Mr. Bostock — who captured the third of three seats on the council — by 19 votes. He said Mr. Puliti’s most recent campaign occurred in 2003.
Mr. Bostock added Mr. Kownacki already serves on the Planning Board, and he has budget experience through his service on the homeowner’s association at the Society Hill at the Lawrenceville Circle condominium complex where he lives.
After the votes were cast, and neither Mr. Puliti or Mr. Kownacki gained a majority of votes, an obviously disappointed Mayor Mount said the issue would be sent back to the Lawrence Township Democratic Municipal Committee to be resolved.

