By Lea Kahn Staff Writer
Township Council is expected to choose between a former school board member and a recent newcomer to fill a vacancy on the governing body when it meets Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the Municipal Complex.
Township Council will interview the two candidates — Hemant Marathe and Benjamin J. Steinhauser — and make the appointment at its business meeting. The interim Township Council member will serve through Dec. 31.
Mr. Marathe and Mr. Steinhauser applied to fill the vacancy, created by the resignation of former Township Council member Kristina Samonte. She resigned because she is moving from West Windsor Township.
Mr. Marathe has lived in West Windsor Township since 1994. He served on the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School Board for 12 years, and was the school board president for nine of those 12 years.
He is currently serving on the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and on the Site Plan Review Advisory Board as the zoning board representative. He also belongs to the West Windsor Lions Club and is a coach for the West Windsor-Plainsboro Soccer Association.
Mr. Steinhauser has lived in West Windsor Township since 2011. He is a volunteer firefighter and belongs to West Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, and also belongs to the Mercer County Fire Police Association.
In his application, Mr. Marathe pointed to his experience on the school board, which he said demonstrated his ability to work with various groups “to get things done.” The school district faced numerous challenges, such as explosive growth, the loss of state funding and staff turnover.
Mr. Steinhauser wrote that he had always promised himself that when he settled down and found a home, he would give back to the community as much as possible. Since he moved to the township, he has joined the volunteer fire company.
