Open-space lawsuit at heart of election

To fight or not to fight -- that's the question at the heart of the race for an open three-year seat on the West Amwell Township Committee next month.

The two candidates disagree about whether the township should continue fighting a lawsuit filed three years ago by the Fulper family, who own several large parcels of land in the township. The suit claims that local ordinances to restrict development unfairly decrease the value of their property.

Democrat Ron Shapella said the township, including himself when he was on the committee, has done everything possible to end the litigation, including an ultimately unsuccessful attempt at negotiation from 2007 to 2008. He noted that the township filed a motion yesterday asking the judge to dismiss the suit.

Shapella is replacing Democratic Mayor Bill Corboy on the ticket. Corboy, finishing his first three-year term, dropped out a month ago.

Political newcomer George Fisher is running on the Republican ticket to challenge Shapella, but he said his political party is a mostly arbitrary choice for him in this election.

Yet it does carry political consequences; a win for Fisher would shift power on the three-person committee from the Democrats to the Republicans.

Fisher said he wants to serve because he thinks West Amwell is losing money fighting the Fulper suit. He thinks the township should settle the case.

He said the township has spent $617,000 fighting the lawsuit.

"We're taking money away from these other services and applying it to the lawsuit because the attorney wants to be paid at the end of every month," he said.

The municipal building is open only four days a week now to save money, Fisher said, and he thinks it should remain open on Fridays. He'd also like to see free garbage pickup restored to the town....