Politically engaged, but not politically involved is how Mayor Christopher Bobbitt would have described himself 10 years ago.
Living and working in cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, Bobbitt felt that politics and government were too distant for him to become involved.
Even when Bobbitt and his wife moved to Lawrence Township from California in 2004, entering politics was the last thing on his mind.
That’s why Bobbitt, who is wrapping up his two-year term as Lawrence Township mayor, said he never thought he would hold such an important political position.
“I am still amazed at where I am,” said Bobbitt, whose mayoral term ends on Dec. 31.
He will remain a member of the council until his term expires in Dec. 31, 2021.
Having settled down in the smaller town of Lawrence Township, Bobbitt wanted to get involved in the community. He applied to serve on one of the township’s advisory boards and committees, and landed a spot on the Growth and Redevelopment Committee.
He enjoyed it.
But Bobbitt’s real entry into politics came when he sought to fill a vacancy on the Lawrence Township Council, following the death of council member Stephen Brame.
Bobbitt said he was asked by then-Mayor Cathleen Lewis if he would be interested in serving as an interim council member, until an election would be held to fill out the remainder of Brame’s four-year term.
“I thought it would be a low risk, low stress way to dip my toe into politics,” Bobbitt said.
Although he was not chosen for the interim position, he decided to run in the special election to fill out the two years left on Brame’s unexpired term. He was elected to fill out the term, and then he ran for election and won his own full four-year term in 2017.
Bobbitt said he wanted to run for the Lawrence Township Council because he believed that he had something to bring to the council. It was his experience as an architect, and “as an outsider who had fallen in love with Lawrence Township,” he said.
There are similarities between architecture and local government, Bobbitt said.
In government as in his architectural practice, he listens to residents’ and clients’ wish lists. But in government as in life, there are budgets and constraints. It comes down to how to get the most use for the dollar spent, he said.
While that is the hard part of being mayor, there is a fun side to it too, Bobbitt said.
“I really love two things about being mayor. I try to connect with people, especially children, to ‘demystify’ what it is like to be the mayor,” Bobbitt said.
“I enjoy going to events, like the Lawrence Intermediate School’s ‘Walk This Way’ [pedestrian safety initiative],” he said.
“I like reading books to the children at a daycare center. I like to say ‘hi’ to children at the Memorial Day parade and other events. I think it is important for children to know we are regular people who are trying to do the best for the town,” Bobbitt said.
The other aspect of serving as mayor that he enjoys, Bobbitt said, is speaking to legislators on behalf of Lawrence Township about issues that impact the residents. This is something that he would not be able to do if he were not the mayor, he said.
On the other hand, there are some challenges that go along with being mayor, he said. He knows more than he is allowed to disclose publicly, because an issue may be under investigation or still developing.
“You can’t come out and say what your understanding of an issue is,” Bobbitt said.
It becomes even more challenging when there is a story that fits a preconceived notion, but which may not be true.
Bobbitt pointed to the recent police investigation into an alleged bias incident that occurred at Lawrence High School. The incident involved racially charged remarks by a handful of students, but he could not comment because of the investigation.
When Bobbitt was asked about his proudest accomplishment as mayor, he was quick to point to the township’s purchase of a 5.8-acre parcel for open space preservation. The land is located next to the Colonial Bowling and Entertainment Center at 2420 Brunswick Pike.
“To me, it embodies the best of what I think Lawrence Township can be. The reason I say that is because when the [application for] a hotel came up, I had my concerns,” Bobbitt said.
The property owners were seeking approval from the Lawrence Township Planning Board to build an extended stay hotel on the property. The land borders Colonial Lake, and the proposal drew fierce opposition from neighbors.
Bobbitt said he did not fully realize how deeply residents in the Colonial Lakelands neighborhood felt about the development, which was across Colonial Lake from their homes. They would be able to see the hotel from their neighborhood.
Within a few days, the residents gathered 2,500 signatures on a change.org petition that they had circulated in opposition to the extended-stay hotel. Bobbitt brought up the issue to the Lawrence Township Council.
“It was our ‘Penn Station’ moment,” Bobbitt said, referring to the demolition of the historic Penn Station railroad station in New York City. It was demolished in the 1960’s.
“We would forever regret that decision (not to buy and preserve the land), because once it is gone, it is gone,” Bobbitt said.
Lawrence Township collaborated with other agencies to negotiate the funding for the purchase of the land, he said. The township used money from its Open Space Trust fund, plus money from county and state sources.
“It came together in the right way, and that’s how government should work,” Bobbitt said.