Aschenbach: Investigate Woodmont Development Process

Editor's note: This piece was written by Daniel Aschenbach, Commissioner of Public Affairs. It has not been edited. If you'd like to submit a letter to the editor, email whitney@patch.com.

To the Editor:

Maybe Assemblyman Bramnick, who created an Assembly Committee on Corruption, should schedule a local government corruption hearing in Cranford. I am sure he won't because how can he investigate his political peers and those who have contributed to the county republican organization. How could such corruption be the case in a nice suburb like Westfield or Cranford? How could beloved Republican office holders be part of such a mess?

He should investigate the use of political influence by the Union County Republican Chairman Phil Morin and a Township Commissioner -David Robinson -to try to push through the Woodmont development that would have benefited a major Republican contributor who was also at the time a Republican US Senate candidate. Mrs. Estabrook gave $72,000 to the Republican Party in 2008. Phil Morin, was the attorney for the project , who at the same time was on the campaign committee of the owner of the property. Morin transferred several thousand dollars to candidate Robinson's election fund during the time of the planning board hearings on the project. Attorney Morin who was also chief county Republican fundraiser professed he had no conflict of interest working on this project despite being involved in appointing most of the members of the planning board.

I just want to point out the importance of this matter from the vantage point of average citizens who are concerned about their homes, the quality of their schools and neighborhoods they live in. The Cranford Woodmont development process was failed local government at its best. Residents had legitimate concerns about area flooding and traffic. All development discussions are subject to this type of debate. But no one was listening on Woodmont application because the political fix was in. To make matters worse, after the public opposition and the project was dropped abruptly without any explanation, it was sold to a new developer that now wants to build 400 apartments adjacent to single family area that has significant drainage problems. That new developer has brought a COAH suit and is now forcing the type of density that does not belong in that area. Many have asked why did the developer pay such a high price for the property? Was it because as part of the transaction there was a wink about the ease in filing a COAH lawsuit. Isn't Phil Morin an expert legal advisor on COAH? To those republicans who will look aghast at such an assertion that Mr. Morin gave such advice I think someone should request the facts and disprove this relationship. Because--- the failure of this planning process has resulted in the potential for a major development Cranford does not want.

There should be accountability for what took place. Voters can't impeach a political chairman. But they can create accountability for elected officials that did nothing to serve Cranford. I do think there should be a constructive response because I am sure this type of fact pattern is happening elsewhere in other communities. Here are my constructive ideas for consideration by state and local governing boards to try to make sense of this.

(1) Litigation against the State of New Jersey joined into by Assemblyman Bramnick that eliminates COAH but maintains the guidelines and emphasis on affordable housing giving tools to local governments to develop affordable housing that meets the needs of their community. Cranford has been serious at development of affordable housing and does not need the state to force a moral obligation on it.

(2) All Township Committee, zoning board and planning board members should be required to certify to the Township Clerk that they have not received any political contributions or have any business contracts with developers.

(3) Require TV 35 to do two interview programs with the local Township Committee election candidates in a fair and responsible format so that candidates do not have to raise so much to purchases print ads.

(4) All political contributions to local candidates on the state Election Law Enforcement Commission web site be displayed on Cranford.com so citizens can make their own judgments on improper political contributions.

(5) Township Committee adopt a bylaw that requires all economic redevelopment projects be coordinated through bipartisan task forces which include professional staff.

Sincerely,

Dan Aschenbach
Township Committee