CRANBURY — Incoming Democrat Committeewoman Pari Stave and incumbent Republican Alan Danser said they would support Republican Michael Mayes.
By: Brian Shappell
Republican Michael Mayes will likely become Cranbury’s next mayor in the new year, even though the Township Committee will boast a Democratic majority.
Incoming Democrat Committeewoman Pari Stave and incumbent Republican Alan Danser, the current mayor, said this week they would endorse Mr. Mayes, a Republican, at the committee’s Jan. 4 reorganization meeting.
Mr. Mayes confirmed Wednesday that he has an interest in serving as mayor in the 2001, which would be his first term in the position.
"It would be both a pleasure and honor to serve as mayor if that is the committee’s desire," Mr. Mayes said. "I’ve also been very pleased and impressed with the job Mayor Danser has done."
Mr. Mayes is in the final year of a three-year committee term. Mr. Mayes said he will decide prior to the April deadline whether he will seek a second term as a committee member. Mr. Mayes, when asked last year if he was interested in the position of mayor, said he didn’t feel he was qualified with only one year of experience on the committee. He also said Art Hasselbach, Alan Danser or Tom Gambino would be better choices for 2000.
"I’m now at a point where I feel I have enough experience to be effective," he said.
Since Mr. Mayes started as a committeeman in January 1999, he has served as liaison to the Board of Education, the Cranbury Business and Professional Association and Finance Committee.
Ms. Stave’s support of Mr. Mayes’ candidacy is key to his appointment because the mayor is usually selected from the majority party. The last Democrat to serve as mayor was Tom Gambino in 1997. It was his third consecutive year as mayor.
Ms. Stave said she supports Mr. Mayes because he has been an impressive committee member throughout this year. Ms. Stave also said naming Mr. Mayes as mayor would show the committee is more concerned with issues than it is with party lines.
"I think it will send the message that we are a nonpartisan team," she said. "I think he’ll be professional, fair and open-minded."
Mayor Danser agreed with Ms. Stave that Mr. Mayes has been "an outstanding committee member" and that Cranbury is a nonpartisan town concerned with issues.
"That’s the way it should be," Mayor Danser said. "We don’t usually have votes split down party lines. It’s a freak of nature when that happens."
As mayor in a committee form of government, Mr. Mayes would have few special powers. He will be just one of five votes on the committee. The mayor does run the meetings as chairman, makes some appointments and sits on the Planning Board.
Mr. Gambino said he did not ask to be the next mayor in 2001, but "would have served if I was asked." Mr. Gambino also said he is undecided if he will be running again this year for committee. His term ends Dec. 31, 2001.
Democrat Greg Overstreet would not say if he was interested in the position. However, he did say communication between committee members and with the public is the most important issue and needs to be improved.
"It’s not so important who is mayor; whoever is must run an open and inclusive government," Mr. Overstreet said. "He has to respect and include committee members and the public in decisions."