Rocky Hill Borough Council 2000

2000 VOTERS GUIDE

NON-PARTISAN ELECTION INFORMATION

Vote Tuesday, November 7, 2000

CANDIDATES FOR ROCKY HILL BOROUGH COUNCIL

The League of Women Voters of the Princeton Area is a nonpartisan, non-profit volunteer organization which works to promote active, informed participation of all citizens in their government. The League provide nonpartisan information on public issues, and takes action on issues after member study and consensus. In publishing this material, the League neither endorses nor rejects the views of any candidate quoted.

All candidate information in this guide was compiled from candidates' responses to questionnaires. Replies are printed in the candidates' own words, without editing or verification. Due to space limitation, the candidates were given a word limit for replies. Incumbents are indicated by an asterisk (*).

Reprinting of this guide in part or in whole is not permissible without written permission of the League of Women Voters of the Princeton Area.

Copyright 2000 by the League of Women Voters of the Princeton Area

The League of Women Voters of the Princeton Area submitted the following three questions to all candidates for Rocky Hill Borough Council:

1. With increased development in the area and the increasing through traffic in Rocky Hill Borough, what specific public safety improvements will be done during 2000 on Princeton Avenue, Crescent Avenue, Washington Street, and Montgomery Avenue?

2. What role will the borough council play in improving traffic violation enforcement and pedestrian safety in the Borough? Should a policeman be hired?

3. How does the council plan to improve regional cooperation with neighboring communities and Somerset County to handle the roads, sewers and water, and traffic management? How will the small villages in our area maintain their quality of life in the face of pressure by commuters, traffic and speeding difficulties, and over development?

CANDIDATES FOR ROCKY HILL BOROUGH COUNCIL

GEORGE E. B. MORREN, Jr.*

Republican Party

Address:118 Washington Street, P.O. Box 166, Rocky Hill, N.J. 08553

Education:Ph.D., Columbia (1974)

Community Activities:Member, Rocky Hill Community Group; Participant, Traffic Calming Study of the Somerset County Planning Board; Participant, Central New Jersey Traffic Forum; Rocky Hill Public Safety Director; Rocky Hill Emergency Management Coordinator; Secretary, Mayor's Special Subcommittee for Traffic and Public Safety

Responses:

1. Public Safety Improvements:As a member of the Borough Council, I will work with the county and seek alternative funding to speed up the timetable for fully implementing the traffic calming plan for Washington Street. These improvements include reconstruction of dangerous intersections and the installation of bulb outs, particularly at cross walks. We will also improve signage on all borough roads and continue to press DOT for speed reductions including the pending request with respect to Montgomery Avenue.

2. Enhanced traffic enforcement:We hope to work with the State Police to sustain the sharp increase in police activity we have experienced recently. The borough council will also consider alternatives a (not the cheapest) will involve an interlocal agreement with a neighboring municipality or participation in a new regional police department. Ultimately the voters will weigh the cost.

3. Regional cooperation:Rocky Hill has its own water system and shares sewer service with Montgomery. We will continue to press Montgomery to open Blue Spring Road, oppose straightening River Road, and reduce speeds on its portions of Princeton and Montgomery avenues. Montgomery has already chosen to locate its densest, least desirable development in the southern part of the Township including on its border with Rocky Hill. We will need to be more militant in our approach to Montgomery across a broad front of issues affecting our quality of life. We also need to support towns in the region what oppose such developments as Route 92 and the Griggstown bridge.

CHARLES PIHOKKEN*

Republican

No response received.