Not the duty of local government to take stance on national matters, mayor says.
By: Paul Sisolak
MONTGOMERY A resolution proposed by a Princeton peace organization opposing a possible war on Iraq was rejected by the Township Committee on Thursday night.
Six members from the Coalition for Peace Action presented a page-long resolution to the committee, calling for the township to endorse peaceful alternatives to U.S. military action against Iraq. The resolution was rejected by four out of five committee members.
Committeewoman Jennifer Wall cast the only vote in support of the resolution.
One by one, each coalition member approached the podium and addressed the committee before the vote.
"We’re getting ourselves into a problem that’s going to come back to haunt us," said Montgomery resident Sue Albert. She told the committee one of her reasons for supporting the peace movement was to protect her 12-year-old son, whom she fears will be forced to participate in the war in six years.
"Town by town, we must express our vote for peace," added Ms. Albert, saying that other municipalities may follow Montgomery’s example if the township were to pass the resolution.
Coalition member Shawn Goldak, who distributed copies of the resolution to the committee, also submitted a petition signed by 50 Montgomery residents and students favoring the resolution.
Mayor Louise Wilson read a letter from a Belle Mead resident contesting the resolution.
"A local committee’s vote would imply a unified declaration regarding extremely complex international affairs," read the letter from Michael Amter.
It continued, "Only a vote including the entire residents of Montgomery Township would appropriately reflect our belief."
Mr. Amter stated in his letter that he opposes the committee passing such a resolution because a discouraging message will be sent to many of his friends serving in the armed forces.
The mayor expressed her ambivalence towards the situation with Iraq, but sided with Mr. Amter’s letter, concluding that it is not the duty of a local government to take a stance regarding national matters.
"I do not feel it is appropriate to take the prevailing view of this war," said Ms. Wilson.
Deputy Mayor Karen Wintress agreed a vote in favor of the resolution would not represent the entire township population.
"I do not feel comfortable, as a member of a township committee, to take a position that represents the whole of the township," she said.
Donald Matthews and Sondra Moylan were the other committee members who opposed the resolution.
Councilwoman Wall cited her personal experiences as the reason for her strong support of the resolution. Two of her family members, she said, have been lost after the Vietnam War to drugs and suicide.
"Each human being that is gone you cannot replace them," she said. "With peace, nobody dies.
"We, as committee members, are responsible for knowing more about peace than anybody," she said.
After the meeting, Ms. Wall said this was not the first time she cast a dissenting vote. Her vote on the issue of hunting on public lands was also in the minority. She said the committee’s decision was inconsistent with other resolutions passed before in the township, such as domestic violence and alcohol awareness.
Ms. Wall said she would support the resolution again if presented to the committee.