Our Mayor is not a leader. He is a tired old man with no imagination, no expertise in government operations and appears to be defensive and disgruntled most of the time. He needs to retire to a rocking chair.
Why this opinion? Well, think about it...is there a strategic plan for the Boro? What is the vision for the future of the Boro? What are the priorities for the expenditure of taxpayer dollars?
The Mayor has no clue about constituent communications. Most companies now have full time staff to manage communications...the website, Facebook, Tweeter, newsletters. The Boro website is an embarrassment...no interactive capability, no comment area...not to mention that its appearance and content is antiquated and inaccurate. The only communication I have received from the Boro is a note to renew dog tags!
And, what is his leadership answer...a Wine Festival, that is opposed by the Chamber of Commerce.
He does have plenty of time though to complain about Republicans on the Council! Mr. Mayor there is a reason that they are there...you have failed in leadership 101!
The rest of the Council is composed of a couple of attorneys, a couple of businesspeople (none of whom run a business IN THE BORO), a few people we know little about. Not one of them has a bio or statement of principles on the website...probably just an oversight!
After attending a few events around the Boro, one of the things conspicuous by their absence...not one Council person was present, and no presence by the administration. That's like the Superintendent of Schools not appearing at HS sporting events...that's like the Board of Education members not attending the HS plays. This Mayor and Council have absolutely no "team spirit", enthusiasm for their Boro events, and no clue about why their presence at these events is important. The culture of Boro government is a throwback to yesteryear...We make decisions and "to hell with everything and everybody else".
I attended a Christening in south Jersey this past weekend. I drove through a small town called Robbinsville. I hadn't been there in many, many years. That town was plagued with the same issues as our Boro...no "town center", scattered businesses, and a just plain tired look. To my amazement, they are in the midst of a Renaissance, a rebirth. Nearing completion are two "Town Centers"...clusters of very attractive buildings that compose locations for businesses, a civic center, and attractive colonnade. Can you imagine a land locked small town had the foresight to encourage the construction such a community focal point?
Now, in our Boro what do we have? A meeting of business people sponsored by Councilman Goss to figure out how to increase business traffic along Route 88, and what do they come up with...Christmas lights along Route 88. Now isn't that the most imaginative proposal you have ever heard?
Or, worse yet the Mayor's proposal to stage a wine festival buried at a river park with light traffic and little support from the business community.
Now let's contrast that with the plan for a "Town Center" based on an innovative Jersey shore architectural theme, with shopping, restaurants, etc. Perhaps a center that is punctuated with a civic center and attractive gardens. I suggest there are lots of ways to finance such an undertaking...first, explore with a commercial developer such a plan... second go to the business community and talk about advanced location sales...third, local bank financing be explored... fourth, a fund-raising drive to build a civic center.
Where would you put it...how about the albatross skate park on Route 88 and all the land behind it that is now ball fields.
The vision might be to hold daily events at the "Town Center" over the summer months...a real draw for businesses all along Route 88. A civic center for the use of the residents. Relocate the skateboard park and ball fields to a more remote location.
Yes, there would have a lot of leg work to do. Yes there would have to be a feasibility study. Yes, you would have to seek out developer interest. Yes, if tax incentives are used to encourage such an undertaking, a tax study would have to be explored.
This is the kind of "stuff" the Council should be doing. Local government in Robbinsville seemed to find the time to make a town center a reality.
But, alas, our Council finds greater importance in arguing about professional appointments, coddling the Boro employees, and spending time on Christmas lights and wine festivals. There is no imagination, innovation, future thinking on this Council...just the same old, same old.
In my view, the Council needs to bear down on increasing property values (I have written about how to do that), increasing ratables, and thus reducing taxes. A town center would do all these things.
As I started out...the current Mayor and Council may not be up to thinking ahead of the next Council meeting.
What do you think?
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