Christopher Lang, Correspondent, @topherlang2 | Apr 23, 2018 | MonroeNow
A new committee member is expected to be appointed tonight, filling the vacancy created when Democrat David Cook resigned earlier this month from the governing body.
Cook, a long-serving committee member and a former mayor, resigned after getting engaged and informed his peers that as a result would spend most of his time in Arizona where his fiancé resides.
By law, the Middlesex County Democratic Organization nominates three individual to replace Cook’s seat since it was an affiliated with the party. The township committee will select one of those nominations and vote on that person to fill the open position. Since Democrats are the majority, they will get to pick the individual, which will likely get the nod to serve. According to reports, names submitted were Michael Ferrante, John Hughes and David Nissen, though MonroeNow has not independently verified that information. Cook’s term expires Dec. 31.
Ferrante, however, is considered the front-runner to fill the vacancy since he is running in the November election for one of two seats with James Taylor, incumbent Democrat, against Republicans Nancy Witt and Wayne Wittman.
“It’s the first community I lived in where there weren’t a bunch of young people chomping at the bit to get the seat,” said Cranbury Mayor Glenn Johnson, a Democrat, in a previous interview. “So we’re going to have three names, whether those three names are people who are thrilled is a different question. Certainly since Mike Ferrante is our candidate for the fall and since we want to fill the vacancy with somebody really good and give him some experience, that’s the reason why we are going to end up naming Mike.”
Approval of the appointment requires a majority vote by committee members.
Other Business
The township committee will also consider a $717,980 bond ordinance for various capital improvements and purchases such as miscellaneous improvements to Brainerd Lake, police vehicle and equipment, and sewer improvements, among others.
Committee members will vote on resolutions that would authorize the hiring of a administrative assistant to the police chief and extend the solid waste agreement between the township and Middlesex County for one year until Dec. 31, 2019.
The township committee session begins at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall meeting room, 23-A North Main St., Cranbury.
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