By Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
HIGHTSTOWN Mayor Bob Patten broke a tie vote this week among the Borough Council members to introduce an ordinance that lessens the Economic Development Committee’s required meeting load.
The ordinance would allow the committee to meet on an “as needed” basis, instead of the once-a-month requirement spelled out in the committee’s bylaws. The council had voted 4-2 against introducing the same ordinance at its March 2 meeting, but it tied 3-3 Monday when council President Walter Sikorski changed his vote.
Then Mayor Patten, who created the EDC, joined those voting for the introduction.
Despite the monthly meeting requirement, the EDC has not had an official meeting since October.
EDC chairman Bill Gilmore appeared before the council Monday to argue for the change. He said the group has lacked direction from the council and there is no point in having regular meetings if there isn’t a specific topic to discuss.
”The members are interested, but council has not given us a charge,” he said.
On March 2, EDC member Mike Vanderbeck told the council that committee members felt frustrated because none of their ideas had been taken up. He also argued that much of the work being done by the EDC had shifted to the Downtown Hightstown group. However, Downtown Hightstown Director Ryan Rosenberg said March 2 that he did not agree with this assessment, and the former councilman criticized EDC members who did not want to meet once a month.
The issue generated controversy among the council members Isabel McGinty, Dave Schneider and Larry Quattrone who opposed the change. They argued that the committee should be meeting regularly to generate ideas, especially during the current economic crisis.
”There is a certain absurdity, in this of all years, to have an EDC that doesn’t meet,” Ms. McGinty said Monday.
Mr. Schneider said that while the council may not have accepted some of the EDC ideas, that doesn’t mean it should stop coming up with new ones.
”I have lobbied the council for many things that didn’t happen, but I still come,” Mr. Schneider said.
Mr. Quattrone said that not requiring regular meetings would ultimately lead to the dissolution of the committee.
”Not having regular meetings is the first step towards collapse,” he said. “If I didn’t open my shop at 7 a.m. every day, it would collapse.”
All three said they would prefer to change the membership of the committee if the current members do not want to meet.
Councilman Sikorski was joined in favoring introduction of the ordinance by Councilmen Jeff Bond and Mike Theokas, both former EDC members before being elected to the council. Mr. Theokas also serves as the council liaison to the group.
”After looking over this I think there are more positives than negatives,” Mr. Sikorski said. “I think that this just gives them an option, and maybe council has been a little remiss in setting topics for them.”

