By: centraljersey.com
PLAINSBORO – In one week, voters will cast their ballots to fill two seats on the Township Committee. With the township facing new challenges, including a municipal tax cap of 2 percent and the arrival of a new medical center, each of the four candidates claims to bring their unique background to the table.
Voters may choose two of the four candidates for a three-year term: challengers Tony Cook and Neil Sutter, or the incumbents Ed Yates and Michael Weaver.
Republican Tony Cook, 52, has recently retired from a 28-year career in law enforcement. He said he hopes to serve his community by bringing change to the Township Committee.
"It’s time to bring a fresh perspective to the table so that all viewpoints are heard," he said.
Mr. Cook, a resident for 26 years, served in the United States Marine Corp from 1976 to 1980. Following his honorable discharge, Mr. Cook began law enforcement in Monroe Township as a patrol officer and later served as a detective for the Criminal Investigation Division, commander of the Patrol Division and Traffic Safety Bureau and most recently, commander of the Criminal Investigation Division. After being promoted to lieutenant, he attended Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, where he underwent training in leadership, ethics, organization, budgeting and risk management.
"I have strong ethical and moral values when it comes to honesty in politics and in life, and I will always bring those honest, value-oriented principles to everything I do to make Plainsboro a better place to live," he said.
Though this is his first time running for a political office, he said his background will help him achieve several main objectives: cutting budget, making local government more transparent and planning for potential traffic congestion when the new medical center is completed. Mr. Cook said he hopes to be elected with fellow candidate Neil Sutter because they share the same motto of "Service and Responsibility."
"It is an honor to run with Mr. Cook, as he has dedicated his life to providing an important service to the greater community," Mr. Sutter said. "We are both committed to doing the best possible for our township that is within our means."
Mr. Sutter, 39, graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in geography and minors in economics and operations management. A Plainsboro resident for 12 years, he has worked as a senior business systems analyst for the Associated Press, where he designed operational efficiency programs that yielded notable savings, he said.
Mr. Sutter has served as the board president of the Ravens Crest East condo association since 2003, where he focused on eliminating the association’s debt and raised capital for an upcoming $12 million renovation of the buildings and grounds.
"I have also looked for more efficient ways of performing our services as well as made sure our contracts are always competitively bid upon," he said, regarding the condo association.
Mr. Sutter is also new to the political scene, but he said he would directly apply his background in fiscal planning to control expenditures and reduce debt while the township handles much-needed projects.
"Together, we can provide real change you can count on," Mr. Cook said.
Mr. Cook and Mr. Sutter hope to take the seats from the incumbents, Ed Yates and Michael Weaver, who hold more than 10 years of committee experience and have known each other for nearly 25 years.
Mr. Weaver, a committee member since 1999, has served in many capacities, including the Cable TV Advisory Committee, Shade Tree Advisory Committee and Open Space, Farmland Preservation and Parkland Task Force. His many titles include trustee of the WW-P Education Foundation and liaison to the Veterans Monument Committee. During his 26 years living in the community, Mr. Weaver has also served as president of the WW-P Soccer Association and member of the Plainsboro Lions Club.
"I met Ed (Yates) because our sons played soccer and baseball together. We both worked through the municipalities to get field space and amenities for the leagues," Mr. Weaver said. "From there, we developed this mutual interest in making sure Plainsboro is a great community to live in."
Mr. Weaver, who holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of New Jersey, said he would continue ensuring that the infrastructure of public transportation is well maintained and reducing the negative impact of the 2 percent tax cap.
Mr. Yates, a committee member since 1998, has been a liaison to the Department of Community Development, a member of the Planning Board, and a liaison to the Plainsboro Historical Society. For his friends and neighbors, Mr. Yates served as president of the Cranbury-Plainsboro Little League and cubmaster of Pack 168. He sat on the Board of Directors for the West Windsor-Plainsboro Babe Ruth League.A 23-year-resident of the Gentry, he holds a bachelor of science degree from Lewis University in Illinois. At 57, Mr. Yates is seeking to finish what he and Mr. Weaver have started on the committee, including plans to build upon the Town Center and the new medical center.
"We have real financial issues," he said. "We want to try to hold down property taxes, and I have experience handling multi-million-dollar budgets, so we’ll continue to work toward making Plainsboro affordable."
Mr. Yates and Mr. Weaver both stress that they have made strides in open space preservation and improving upon roads. The daily conveniences that many residents enjoy did not happen by accident, they said. "Smart roads is smart planning," Mr. Yates said.

