Otto Kostbar JAMESBURG — After more than a decade of service on the Borough Council, Otto Kostbar has resigned his seat.
Kostbar said his day job as an attorney has become more time-consuming, and he no longer has the time needed to serve on the governing body.
The five other council members have appointed his successor, Russ White, who is serving the borough for the first time.
Kostbar said that his legal work has greatly increased in recent years, and he almost chose not to seek re-election last fall, when the Democrat won his fourth threeyear term.
“I was a little hesitant to run, but was talked into it,” he said. “My profession has gotten so time-consuming that I cannot put the time into the council to do it right.”
He leaves after nearly 11 years on the council. His other public service has included 10 years as the borough’s land-use board attorney, 10 years on the Jamesburg Public Library board, including three as its president, and 12 years as attorney for a Monroe Township fire district.
“To do it right [serve on council] takes a lot of time and research. It was best to step down. They got the best person to take my place,” he said of White.
Kostbar also said that after all his time in community service, he needs more time, not just for his profession but also for his personal life. Looking back at this time on the council, Kostbar said he is most proud of his help in improving the safety of the small borough. He said that when he joined the council, Jamesburg had one of the highest crime rates in the county and an undermanned police department. Changes in the department have resulted in a much reduced crime rate, making Jamesburg one of the safest towns in the county now, he said.
“It was quite an accomplishment for us,” he said. He noted that the effort came from a number of town officials, as well as grant money. “At one time we had a reputation as a very unsafe town,” he said.
Kostbar said he does leave the council with some frustrations, including the fact that it was so “extremely difficult to really deal with the state government” on issues such as unfunded mandates.
The Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, on the other hand, was much more responsive to the borough’s concerns, he said.
Kostbar praised White, noting that the two served on the land-use board together. White is “very interested [in serving] and will do a great job,” he said.
Kostbar also said he was lucky to have served with some great public officials.
Councilman John Longo, who served with Kostbar on the council for the past eight years, said Kostbar “was very active and fruitful” in discussions and decision making, and brought great insight to borough issues. He also credited Kostbar with helping to secure many grants, and for chairing the finance committee through difficult budgetary times. In addition, Kostbar served on the police committee and as council president for a period.
Longo said the Democratic committee gave the council the names of three residents interested in assuming Kostbar’s seat, and the council chose the candidate they felt was most qualified. He said White had already planned to run in this November’s election.
“This will give him some experience prior to the November election,” Longo said. He said White is a lifelong resident with good credentials.
White, who is a neighbor of Kostbar’s, said he has long been interested in serving on the council. He said he has decided to run for the remaining two years of Kostbar’s term in November.
“I think there’s a lot of potential for this little town,” said White, who is married with two daughters.
Kostbar is the third member of the sixperson council to resign in the past year. In September, Tom Bodall resigned after being arrested, and was replaced by Daria Ludas, who was then elected in November. Longtime Councilman Joseph Jennings stepped down in November after accepting a job with the state Department of Labor, and the council appointed Brenda Deans to take his place.
Longo and Barbara Carpenter are now the longest-serving council members, both in office since 2001. Brian Grimes has been on the council since 2007. Mayor Anthony LaMantia has held his seat since 2000.