The silence is deafening.

Kudos to Dimitri Musing for standing on principle.

Shame on the Hightstown council for not acting to remedy a dangerous weakness in the structure supporting our volunteers and elected officials. Are there underlying reasons why the republican council remanent refuses to act?

The mayor is "shocked" that Mr. Musing resigned. Really? And there is "general consensus" to bring it up for a vote? At what meeting was that discussed? The council publicly refused on more than one occasion to even bring it to the floor.

An indemnification ordinance will benefit all who serve the town. A resolution will immediately bridge the gap until an ordinance is in place. This is a no brainer.

My question is has there been the threat of a lawsuit? Perhaps by an incompetent and arrogant high level borough employee who should be fired? And if so, why aren't the other council members rallying around someone elected by borough residents? Is this one more thing that the police lapdogs want to sweep under the rug to protect their precious "hometown police?" so many questions that we'll never get the answers to.

Standing on principal? C'mon Gail.
While this may have been a good idea, only EIGHT DAYS had passed.
And there have been many times when Dimitri didn't want to act on matters put before him at the last minute.
No offense, Dimitri, but if you actually thought that ANYTHING could be accomplished with ANY government body, let alone the Borough Council, in less than two weeks, you were far too naive to be a member.
Me thinks you were looking for an excuse to remove yourself from a generally ineffective and often embarassing council at a particularly hairy time.

Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of men and Walter Sikorski, the municipal chairman, who has to get his eight committee members together to recommend three names. The selection will be by three Republicans and one Democrat assuming the insurance matter has not been resolved. That person selected by Council will serve until the candidate selected in the primary by both parties to run for Dimiti's seat is certified after the November election.
So three Republicans choose the replacement. Larry's vote is irrelevant. Hopefully the three nominees will have previous Counci experience and not be recently defeated for Council. The way you get the person that is first choice of the municipal committee isbto include two nominees thatmarw believed to be believed totally unexceptable to the three Republicans.
Walter needs to consult with the three Republican Council members what nominee would be most
acceptable to them and then remove them from the list.

One criteria of the Council Members voting for Dimitri's replacement must be the nominees support of the Chief and Detective Miller. It might help if the nominees saw the results of the police study before they commit to their support. What an unbelievable mess.

It is pretty obvious that Dimitri wanted out. In the past he has always voted for what is right and eventually changed his vote. If you don't like want the police are doing, don't try and run a buisness in the same town. On the hand if you want to try to run a successful buisness in town agree with whatever they are doing or don't get involved. (Larry Q., Jeff Bond) Hopefully his replacement doesn't own a buisness in Hightstown, cares about the PEOPLE of Hightstown and not their own personal gain, is not afraid to question certain issues pertaining to police matters and is a good honest person. Is it possible for McGinty to occupy two seats down there? In the end THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT, why delay it? Retire

Really though, you have to admire Dimitri's pluck. He thought anything in town could get done in 8 days. Whoo! I am still laughing at that... It took a foreclosure to get the drug dealers out of the house on Academy St, despite the fact that the entire town new what was going on including the Chief of Police and his ace "detective" Ben Miller. And that house was a problem for how many years??? Ahhh Dimitri, I give you an A for effort.

I love how everyone seems to know everything but yet not one of you steps up to actually be a part of the change that obviously needs to take place here in HIGHTSTOWN. I am glad to see Mr. Musing resign. Good riddance and don't let the door hit you... Business owners should not be allowed on the town council anyway as it obviously makes for a conflict of interest. ONLY HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE RESIDED HERE FOR AT LEST 10 YEARS should be allowed to run for ANY office in this town. And, I think there should be an income cap on eligibility so as to eliminate the wealthy self-serving faction from town politics. Yeah, that would be great! How about a HOMEOWNER who doesn't live a big, fancy house?

Gee Karen, should we add other requirements too? Dimitri is a damn foreigner, they shouldn't be allowed on council! It should be only white Americans! And they shouldn't be one of them there college educated people neither! And they have to promise to love them policemen too. Probably should be good church going christians too, but not a pope-loving catholic or one of them weird jehova witnesses. Oh yeah, they should belong to a union too cause unions is what made Hightstown great. And if they sometimes run around at night wearing white sheets, well there ain't nothing wrong with that now is there Karen?

Let me get this straight, Karen.
It's nearly impossible to find people to be public servants everywhere. (PS-I don't see you doing it.)
And in this "one (whole) square mile of paradise" you want to make it even harder?
Genius!

Please don't portray me as ignorant. I am not one who is crying over all the "illegal immigrants" in town. I just think that public offices should be held by people who genuinely represent all the peole, not just over educated morons who are out of touch with the real, drowning middle class or working class (take your pick of moniker). How dare you compare me to the KKK! You don't know what race I am fool! Shame on you for being such a butthead!! I'd LOVE to be on town council. However, I would never be elected because I don't have the $$$$$ to get in and I am physically impaired at the moment so I cannot pound the pavement. Believe me, if I could I would!!!!!!! OH and FYI: I am personally against unions, am Catholic, and alot more open-minded than you! I am an Independent all the way. Always have been, always will be. Buenos noche los locos.

Personal attacks and responses are uninteresting, uninformed and unwanted. Enough already.

Karen--
You must be "ignorant" when it comes to recent history in town.
The two parties (especially the GOP) are already having trouble finding and keeping candidates. And you want to significantly limit the pool in one square mile?!
And you think the current council and recent candidates are rich and "overeducated?!"
You are the one "out of touch."
AND you want to criticize others for not "stepping up and being part of the change," while you don't plan to either, for whatever reason. Don't have the money? Can't pound the pavement? Then all you really have to do is volunteer for a board or commission.
Step up, Miss Restrictions.

I think the subject of encouraging, and not discouraging public service as Karen would like, is a very valid one.

Why the digression from the issue of Dimitri's replacement procedures? Since we have missed the primary filing, the Democratic and Repunlican Municipal committees will select the candidates for the November election ballot. It may well be that the appointed replacement will not want to run in November. I propose three former Council person as the names to be given to the Republican Coumcil ladies as the replacement for Dimitri. All three should be pro police management as the selectors are. They nominees should disavow the police committee study as a requirement even though the nominees have not seen it. Three obvious pro police management former council members are Dave Schneider, Walt Sikorski, and Jeff Bond. All three were against the police merger or assisted in preventing it. Maybe the committee should ask Larry Quattro who would best serve his agenda of see no evil, hear no evil, and do no evil. Karen of Hightstown could possibly be included in thecthree name presented fir sell toon.

Since I am an ignorant idiot who doesn't know anything about the town, why do you all hate our police department anyway? Why the big push for consolidation? MOVE TO EW if that's where you really want to be.

You don't know me or my situation, so don't judge me. I am just sick and tired of elitism, which is pervasive in our whole country, not just in H'town. Where I grew up it was the same. The rich get to run things while the working poor get screwed over and over again. Most you respondents come off as folks who know it all, are interested in only protecting your personal $$$, and don't care about the plight of those not as fortunate as you. Musing and you guys are cut from the same elitist cloth it seems. Correct me if I am wrong, which I am quite sure one of you will.

Karen, it's not about "hating" our police department. It's very nice to have our own police department, but it's also very expensive. The reason Council was exploring the outsourcing of police is because a State funded study said it would save Hightstown taxpayers $800,000. Economics is the only reason. If you are worried about your taxes being too high, as most of us are, this is something that had to be looked at as it is the biggest expenditure in our budget. Unfortunately the local PBA threatened to sue the Borough, which would have cost us a lot of money to fight.

And regarding asking people not to judge you, aren't you doing the same by calling Mr. Musing elitist without even knowing him? He came from another country, learned to speak the language, worked hard to open his own business and continues to work hard to keep it afloat, just like the rest of us. And calling the rest of the other members of Council rich is misinformed. This isn't NYC; this is Hightstown. The members of our Council all have full time jobs but choose to serve the town after work and on the weekends for a meager stipend. They are hardly "over educated morons who are out of touch with the real, drowning middle class or working class." They are the middle class - a teacher, a gas station owner, lawyer, a book keeper. Try and open your mind a bit.

Oh, and good for Dimitri! Congratulations on achieving the American dream! All Americans should be so lucky! While my husband and I struggle to stay afloat, he's wheeling and dealing in private antiques and sinking a zillion dollars into the Smith House. At least the Smith House looks great and apparently has alot of air-conditoning! Save money by consolidating the PD?? Hmm....I KNOW there are other ways to save money in the borrow. Please do not dismiss me as someone who knows nothing at all.....I know alot more than you think-even though I only graduated with degrees from lowly state colleges.

Why can't everyone grow up? It's a wonder anything gets accomplished in this town anymore with the personal attacks and bickering. I sometimes feel like we live in a one square mile playground. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but it seems like most don't want to listen to opinions that are not their own. This holds true for both newcomers and lifers like myself. We all live in the same town and share the same concerns. As we're now at a crossroads, let's hope that cooler tempers prevail and our new leadership can actually merge opposing opinions and steer discussions in a forward direction, harnessing the tremendous enthusiasm this town and its residents share.

As a person who covered the borough for several years as a reporter and a person who lives outside the borough, I'm surely not looking to "protect my personal $$$."
And John's description of the folks on council is right on the mark.
But, Karen, since you seem to know many other ways the borough can save money, why not enlighten everyone on how to do that? And then no one would see a problem with spending millions of dollars per year on a police department covering one whole square mile. That is, while its members aren't threatening to sue their employers.

To Lifelong Hightstown Resident - I totally agree with you, bickering and personal attacks will not solve anything. Neither will complaining on this blog. But it's important debunk people who are making false claims that our government is only out there for the "elite" in Hightstown - and now that I think about it, is there an elite class in Hightstown? it is Hightstown, not Princeton, after all.

People like Karen seem too think that class warfare exists in Hightstown, and there is no way that "they" could be friends with "us." It is simply not the case. My wife and I are both white collar professionals (who graduated from state schools), but our neighbors are an auto mechanic, a public works employee, a waitress, and a cashier at a local convenience store. We all get along great - and I would certainly vote for them if they ran for government and had good ideas about how to make our town a better place.

There are many stories of people in this town who didn't have a lot of money and got elected. It dosen't take money to get elected in Hightstown; it takes motivation, a willingness to serve and some time to dedicate. The local party will pay for the brochures and the signage. Trust me, the local Democratic and Republican party will latch onto just about anyone who has interest and some motivation, even the cashier, receptionist or day laborer. You should get out there and attend a meeting and share your ideas on how to make Hightstown a better place.

This makes the 33 rd comment. That says people can think and write about their thoughts. Karen's obvious feelings of being down trodden are valid but to place the blame on others for her feelings is not a solution to a problem or definig a problem. Serving in government takes a lot of work and time. The job titles that Karen mentioned are those of people struggling to survive. Spending time on government business is likr trying to drain the swamp whe you are up to hour ass with aligators. It appears citizens have no idea what the workload is to serve . The Board of Education meeting packets are inches thich as are Borough Council meeting packets.
Too often the people that get elected are not prepared for the work load and to often ignore their meeting preparation efforts. The governing business is complex with decision making based on choosing the least worse choice. When elected officials don't do their homework you get meetings like We see at Borough Council. No one reads the meeting agenda documents until at the meeting except one, Isabel McGinty.

I do not believe that class warfare exists, but I do believe there is alot of bias. I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I suppose I, or someone like me who is Independent, would not benefit from the $$$ a political party would use to back a candidate.Kudos to having a mixed neighborhood! That's the reason why I chose to buy a house and live here! I love the socio-economic and ethnic diversity! We all benefit from such a community if we let it.

I am not against a wealthy person leading the way-as long as they are honest and open. I am simply tired of the working class (for lack of a better term) being forgotten about in all politics, not just in our town. I do get out there and attend meetings and I have and will speak my mind. It's funny because when all the talk was either pro or con consolidating the PD, most of the residents who spoke up with their empassioned pleas where against the consolidation. Yet, when the matter hit the local paper, the supposedly unbiased media turned things around to look the opposite. Not trying to start anything, just stating the facts as I personally experienced them. As I have said before here and in public, one key to getting things rolling in this town is to stop the nonsense regarding the Bank St property and Minute Maid. We had a great deal in the palm of our hands, but the town got greedy and now we are in a litigious mess. This must be straightened out pronto and I am certain if all of the brainiacs of our town put our heads together we could make things happen to make our town more fiscally fit, viable, independent, beautiful, and safe.

Yeah, right, blame the media for spinning things.
Perhaps the media should have reported how the former mayor would lobby to get his supporters to come to meetings to back up his positions. Or how the police department would do the same.

Karen, glad to see you are an independent thinker, but keep in mind that stating your are a Republican or a Democrat dosen't matter much in this town. In a recent election a Democratic Councilman was about to switch to Republican to run for Mayor, and Rob Thibault, who recently lost as a Republican candidate for Mayor, is about to run under the Democratic banner for a Council seat. Political parties are such nonsense in a town this small, all they do is serve to further divide residents and create an "us" against "them" mentality. We ALL want our streets to be safe, our garbage picked up and our schools to perform well.

The good thing about being on a Board or Commission in town is that you don't have to play the R vs. D game - you just need a desire to make our town a better place, and be able to put in the time. I'm sure you could find one to participate on, as there is everything from Environmental Commission to Animal Welfare to Economic Development. There are also many non-government affiliated groups in town that are doing good things like Downtown Hightstown, Voices of Hightstown, the Elks, Masons, etc. Plenty of ways to participate outside of Council.

FYI, I just checked the Borough website, and there are many current opportunities to serve and participate in Hightstown: http://www.hightstownborough.com/volunteers

Fire Department
EMS
Fair Committee
Environmental Commission
Tutors, etc

speaking out about the merits of police consolidation has it's risks as Rob Thinault can attest to.
He was arrested by Detective Miller for having a revoked drivers license because of an unanswered warrant for his arrest in North Carolina. The warrant was due to mistaken identity of the vehicle license. Since Rob was not in north Carolina at the time the warrat was declared a mistake but the HPD continues to prosecute Tjhibault in the West Windsor court. When the judge gets the information from the Couny Prosecutors office and dismisses the charges with a reprimand to the police department and when Rob sues this town for knowingly going ahead with a false prosecution, we wil submitnthe bill to you Karen. Ninety-five percent of this town was for consolidation of the police departments for the efficiencies and savings that would result. the killer was the East Windsor Mayor's unwillingness to employ our officers. That ended the deal.
There is omly so much I can take of out right ignorance, misimformation and intolerance. Karen, your message is like tHe National Republican party message. That message is untruths, hidden agendas, scape goatism, and endless drivel about government. The world you perceive is not the Hightstown I live in. it is a false world you created for yourself to rationalize a twisted view and opinion of this town. Enough!

I believe it took a great amount of courage for Musing to resign. The residents of the Borough repeatedly speak and behave with the assumption that they have the right to abuse elected officials, simply because they checked a box in a voting booth. HTown politics are inhibited by some disgruntled individuals who have chosen to utilize their time and energy for destructive purposes. Rather than identifying goals and a strategy for building a vibrant community, we are entrapped in a high school football game where everyone wants to play for Boston College, but no one is willing to train or join a team. We all live in the same town, we are all affected by an ineffective government, we are less affluent as a community not only because of grotesque taxation, but because we lack vision and respect for each other (see above comments from Borough residents).

I'm glad Dimitri realized that the majority of those politically vocal in the community are less interested in success than the echoes of their own unproductive banter and a thirst for drama. And within those theatrical musings are plenty of legal threats . . . and the moral threats to the community continue to be our lack of action and fear of collaboration, driving us closer towards a dormant bypass that connects Princeton to the Turnpike. Best wishes, Dimitri! Your optimism and efforts aren't unnoticed!

Me thinks simple Simon Simmons doth protest too much to be anything but a former council person who could't take the heat for being one more incompetent council persons.
The Abuse we citizens take from the idiocy of Borough Council is felt each quarter in our tax bill.