I have attended Cinnaminson Township Committee meetings sporadically for several years.
During the public comments portion, people sometimes ask questions. Historically, the committee will address questions directly. Recently, that has changed. Through several avenues, including social media, conversations on the sports fields and people attending the meetings, a number of questions have been raised which call into question the decisions of the committee. The motives for some of these actions have also been questioned.
The result? Meetings — once sparsely attended — are now packed with residents seeking answers. Some questions are pointed and obviously uncomfortable for the committeemen, so much so that we are now constantly reminded by township solicitor John Gillespie that the “comment” section is for comments, and the committee has the right not to answer questions.
During the May 15 meeting, presentations on economic development were presented. I and others had questions. Mayor Minniti referred to economic development director Mr. Mike Minton to answer my questions during public comment. As our discussion continued, Mayor Minniti told Mr. Minton to take it offline. Mr. Minton was kind enough to answer my questions after, but no one else had the benefit of hearing them.
Committee has chosen not to answer public comments. If a committee member attempted to answer a question, they were quickly silenced by Mayor Minniti. Instead, you can email your concerns, or are referred to another township official. This is all well and good, but many people have similar questions, and a public answer would be beneficial to the community as a whole
Cinnaminson residents are merely trying to separate fact from fiction with regard to township dealings. Many are asking the same questions, addressing them publically would seem to make the most sense from a committee point of view. They instead have gone silent. The Mayor answered only one question in the last meeting, pertaining using the township building as his address on a financial disclosure form.
So, my last question: Is this change because our questions might affect their chances in the upcoming election, or is this the new norm?
Marie Birbeck
