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MONTGOMERY — New township Mayor Mark Caliguire called on his fellow committee members Thursday night to meet head on the fiscal challenges that loom in 2010.

Mr. Caliguire spoke following his unanimous selection as mayor by his colleagues on the Township Committee at reorganization meeting, replacing

Committeewoman Louise Wilson.

   ”The tough call is to roll up your sleeves, figure out how to do more with less, reduce costs, reduce debt, create efficiencies and avoid tax increases,” he said. “Our neighbors not only deserve it, they need it. Let us commit ourselves today to pushing the envelope, challenging the status quo, and leading by example.”

   He said that he’s tired of hearing from friends and neighbors that they can’t see themselves staying in Montgomery or even the state because it’s becoming too costly.

   ”I find it discouraging that too many believe that no matter what this township committee does, no matter what our school board does, and no matter what our freeholder board does, the challenges continue to outpace the solutions,” he said. “For those of us born and raised in New Jersey, that loss of faith is both heartbreaking and it’s a call to action.

   He expressed his frustration with the “fiscal mess in Trenton,” and the pressure the township faces from COAH, unfunded mandates, underfunded school aid formulas, pension liabilities and state budget shortfalls. At the local level, he said, it’s important to act to make things better for Montgomery.

   U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-7) also attended the meeting, and swore in Mr. Carter to his term and Mr. Caliguire as mayor and Ms. Dyer as deputy mayor.

   In his remarks, Committeeman Thom Carter said that he planned to use to his term to address a problem he heard from residents as he went door to door as a candidate last fall.

   ”I heard the same thing over and over again, ‘Montgomery hasn’t been living up to her potential,’ “ Mr. Carter said. “Our friends and neighbors feel that we have been going down the wrong path and that if we are to reach our great potential we must change course, enlarge our vision, and make difficult decisions to ensure that we reach higher ground.”

   The new Republican majority will put the township back on the right path, he said.

   ”Over the past few years, we lost our way: Our taxes went up, our debt increased, and our surplus was depleted,” he said. “Now we stand at a difficult crossroads and people are depending on us to change course and live up to our potential as leaders. We plan on doing just that.”

   In her remarks, Ms. Wilson said she “looks forward to working with the new mayor and the new majority.”

However, Mr. Caliguire did not share her concern.

”I don’t recall it being quite the Wild West of finances she seemed to be implying,” he said. “There were some regularities, not necessarily ones that an auditor would catch.”

As a Republican majority moved into Montgomery Township's leadership, new Mayor Mark Caliguire called for cuts and consolidation to reduce taxes in 2010.

The first-time mayor told township residents at last week's reorganization meeting that he would advocate for shared courts, tax assessor services, health services and recreation.

"I will never agree to give up local control over core municipal functions, but the assumptions of the past about what can only be done locally have been superseded by economic reality," he said.

Calling tax increases the "easy" choice for solving budgetary issues, Caliguire said he would rely on shared services to take the township out of fiscal hardship.

"The tough call is to roll up your sleeves, figure out how to do more with less, reduce costs, reduce debt, create efficiencies and avoid tax increases," he said. "Our neighbors not only deserve it, they need it," he said.

New Councilman Thom Carter agreed and said he is ready to help the township find solutions to high taxes, increased debt and a depleted surplus.

"Now is the time for us to back up all of our words and rhetoric with deeds," he said. "I know that it will be hard, but in the end it will be worth it. We will have put our house in order and fulfill the sacred trust that you, the citizens of Montgomery have put in us."

Newly appointed Deputy Mayor Kasey Dyer added that her focus this year is to consider public input on how to eliminate wasteful municipal spending.

Eager to deliver on his promises, Caliguire scheduled a budget discussion for the committee's Jan. 21 meeting.

"With less money coming from Trenton this is going to be a really challenging year for the budget, so I want to get as much of a head start on it as possible," he said.

Tiffani N. Garlic is a reporter for the New Jersey Local News Service. She may be reached at (908) 243-6238 or tgarlic@njlns.com.

New Montgomery mayor sworn in; GOP majority takes over council

By PAMELA SROKA-HOLZMANN
Staff Writer

A new mayor has been sworn into office and for the first time in eight years, the Township Committee now has a Republican majority.

Republican Mark Caliguire was appointed mayor by municipal officials during Thursday's annual reorganization meeting at the municipal courtroom. Republican Kacey Dyer was appointed deputy mayor. Republican newcomer Thomas Carter was sworn in to serve a three three-year term. Carter and Caliguire had defeated Democrats Mike Fedun and Keith Hovey in the November general election.

During his campaign, Carter, a Montgomery High School graduate, said he knocked on the doors of township homes and learned from the residents about their concerns. Some included property taxes rising, debt increasing and township surplus depleting, Carter said.

"I heard the same thing over and over again, 'Montgomery hasn’t been living up to our potential,' '' he said. "Our friends and neighbors feel that we have been going down the wrong path and that if we are to reach our great potential we must change course, enlarge our vision and make difficult decisions to ensure that we reach higher ground."

Carter then added, "Now we stand at a difficult crossroads and people are depending on us to change course and live up to our potential as leaders. We plan on doing just that. To do this, we must put aside the partisan bickering that comes with campaigns and move forward with the voice of the people in mind."

For the first time in eight years, the Township Committee will have a 3-to-2 Republican majority when a newcomer is sworn in during the annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 7.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the municipal courtroom, 2261 Route 206, in the township's Belle Mead section. Republican newcomer Thomas Carter and Republican incumbent Mark Caliguire will be sworn in to serve three three-year terms. Carter and Caliguire defeated Democrats Mike Fedun and Keith Hovey in the November general election.

"I am excited to serve this township," Carter said. "Montgomery has great potential and I plan to be part of the team that helps Montgomery reach that potential."

In addition to Caliguire, the other incumbents returning on the Township Committee include current Democrat Mayor Louise Wilson, Democrat Brad Fay and Republican Kacey Dyer.

Similar to the Hillsborough Township Committee, members of the Montgomery Township Committee are expected to select a mayor and deputy mayor. Democratic Deputy Mayor Cecilia Xie Birge decided not to run again on the Township Committee and lost her bid for a seat on the Somerset County Board of Freeholders. This was Birge's last year of a three-year term on the Township Committee.

Carter said a top issue for him will be transforming the 256-acre Skillman Village — previously known as the North Princeton Developmental Center — for use as a park.

In early concept plans, township officials had initially envisioned Skillman Village as a thriving cultural, educational, recreational and civic hub within a pedestrian-oriented, campus-like environment. Due to the current economic climate, municipal officials now are discussing plans to sell the entire 256-acre site to Somerset County for use as a park.

"My number one priority is moving on that offer, selling that land and paying down our debt," Carter said.

Freeholders in 2008 expressed interest in buying the site as a county park after the township received no proposals from possible redevelopers for the project. Township officials hope to recoup some of the township's approximate $22 million debt load from the Skillman Village project through a possible county project.

The township bought the former North Princeton Developmental Center property — an in-patient psychiatric-care facility and Village for Epileptics that the state closed in 1996 — for $5.95 million in January 2007.

MONTGOMERY — Following their big win in Tuesday’s election, Republicans are poised to take charge of the Montgomery Township Committee for the first time since 2001.

   The party gained a third seat after incumbent Mark Caliguire and challenger Thom Carter defeated Democrats Michael Fedun and Keith Hovey.

   Mr. Carter now joins Mr. Caliguire and Republican Kacey Dyer on the Township Committee with Democrats Louise Wilson, who is also currently serving as mayor, and Brad Fay.

   Deputy Mayor Cecilia Birge chose not to run for re-election to the committee in order to focus on her campaign for a seat on the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Her bid was unsuccessful, and her term on the committee will expire at the end of the year.

   The winners will be sworn into their three-year terms at a reorganization meeting in the first week of January, where it is also expected that Mr. Caliguire will be selected by his colleagues as the new township mayor.

   The Republicans ran a strong campaign, pounding the township’s Democratic leadership for insisting that a pending sale of the troubled Skillman Village site to Somerset County for parkland exclude a parcel for affordable housing to meet Montgomery’s COAH obligations.

   ”I’m unbelievably overwhelmed,” Mr. Carter said Wednesday. “I think what it boils down to is, we had a great issue.”

   Negotiations between the township and Somerset County to sell some portion of the 256-acre property have been under way since the summer. The township acquired the property, formerly the North Princeton Development Center, from the state in early 2007.

   The township has about $22 million of debt associated with the purchase and cleanup of the property, according to township officials. The market value of the 256-acre property is $14.135 million as of Feb. 26, according to an appraisal report dated June 1 that was obtained by The Packet.

   Democrats on the committee supported negotiating to retain a parcel of the land that was identified in their latest Council on Affordable Housing plan for 77 units. The plan, filed at the end of 2008, includes provisions for a total of 274 new affordable units in the township over a 10-year period.

   The Democrats warned that they were warned by their professionals that amending the COAH plan would leave the township vulnerable to a builder’s remedy lawsuit that could result in as many as 3,000 new housing units in Montgomery.

   Meanwhile, the Republicans consistently held an outspoken opinion that the entire property should be sold, calling for an amendment to the COAH plan to move those units elsewhere in the township.

   With their new majority, the Republicans now promise to take charge of the negotiations.

   ”The first thing on our list is going to deal with the Skillman Village issue and turn it into Skillman Park,” Mr. Caliguire said.

   Tuesday’s result across New Jersey is an indication that voters felt dissatisfied with their governing bodies, he added.

   ”They just felt that the party in control, at any level, they weren’t dealing with the problems,” he said.

   Looking ahead, the township will face tough fiscal challenges in 2010, said Mr. Caliguire, who has served on the committee since 2003.

   ”I want solutions. We need solutions,” he said. “We need to start working now to make sure the budget for next year is as lean as it can possibly be.”

   Mr. Carter, 31, who lives on DeHart Drive, said the Republicans will now be in a position to achieve their goals of lowering the township’s debt and reining in taxes.

   ”At the end of the day, it really takes three votes to get things done in this town,” he said.

    After graduating from Montgomery High School, Mr. Carter earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Brigham Young University. He returned to Montgomery in 2005, and works as a project director for the American Red Cross in New Jersey.

   ”The fact that the people gave me this opportunity I take very seriously, and I’m humbled and look forward to living up to their expectations,” Mr. Carter said.

   Mr. Caliguire received 4,013 votes and Mr. Carter received 3,715, according to the township clerk’s office. Mr. Fedun and Mr. Hovey received 3,258 and 3,021 votes, respectively.

   In a letter sent to The Princeton Packet on Wednesday, Mr. Fedun wrote, “On behalf of Keith Hovey and myself, thank you to those people of Montgomery who entrusted us with your vote” and concluded: “Congratulations to Mark Caliguire and Thom Carter for their victory.”

   Deputy Mayor Cecilia Birge received 3,411 votes for her bid for freeholder, while her running mate Doug Singleterry received 3,082. They were defeated by Republicans Patrick Scaglione and incumbent Jack Ciattarelli, who received 3,604 and 3,625 township votes, respectively.

   Township voters strongly supported Chris Christie for governor. He received 3,982 votes, compared to 2,806 for incumbent Jon Corzine, according to the township clerk’s office.

   They also supported Republican candidates for state Assembly Peter Biondi and Denise Coyle. The public question was approved by a vote of 3,266 to 2,327.

   Voter turnout among the township’s nearly 14,000 registered voters was about 50 percent, according to the township clerk’s office.

ksnodgrass@centraljersey.com

Republicans won a big victory in Montgomery on Tuesday, gaining a third seat on the Township Committee as incumbent Mark Caliguire and challenger Thom Carter defeated Democrats Michael Fedun and Keith Hovey.

Mr. Carter now joins Mr. Caliguire and Republican incumbent Kacey Dyer on the Township Committee with Democrats Louis Wilson, who is also currently serving as mayor, and Brad Fay.

The Republicans ran an strong campaign, pounding the township's Democratic leadership for insisting that a pending sale of the troubled Skillman Village site to Somerset County for parkland exclude a parcel for affordable housing to meet Montgomery's COAH obligations.