Hightstown Historic Preservation Commission Members Resign

Four members of the Hightstown Historic Preservation Commission have handed in resignation letters and others are expected to follow suit because of the lack of communication between the Commission and the Borough Council.

The resignations come after HPC members said they were not consulted before the Borough Council , which the Hightstown Civil War monument will be lit up following the Nov. 25 Santa parade in town. 

Mayor Steven Kirson said Tuesday he has received resignation letters from HPC members Richard Pratt, chairman; Julie Ely, vice chair; Lee Brown, secretary and treasurer; and George Keith, alternate #2. 

"It's unfortunate,” Kirson said. "I didn’t expect that to happen.”

HPC members attended the Nov. 7 council meeting and asked the council to rescind their vote on the because of the process in which it was approved. The council voted in favor of maintaining the project.

“The mayor and council entity set up the Historic Preservation Commission to oversee the historic district and other historic properties throughout the town,” Pratt said Tuesday. “Even after we brought it to their attention, that the process was violated, they continued to hold fast on their vote, so they don’t hold any value to having a HPC.”

Kirson said if the communication issue was brought up sooner it could have been addressed.

“I would have been willing to handle that very readily,” he said.

HPC members said if they were consulted about the Lights on the Square project they would have suggested moving it to another location in town, and that any color of lights to light up the monument, other than blue and white, are inappropriate. 

"We object strongly to using the Civil War monument as a decorative site for the holidays. It isn’t an appropriate use of a war monument intended to honor dead soldiers from our community," Pratt said at the Nov. 7 council meeting.

As for the future of the HPC, Kirson said he would like to see it move forward and they will begin looking for volunteers to serve on the commission.

“Hopefully we’ll find some people who have interest in the Historic Preservation Commission and who want to participate and we’re open to any volunteers who want to step forward,” Kirson said.

When asked if he would ever serve on the board in the future, Pratt said “some major things would have to change.”

“Right now there is no respect from the mayor and council for the Historic Preservation commission,” Pratt said.

“This isn’t about whether I agree with the lights, someone else agrees with the lighting, this is about the process being sidestepped by the mayor and council,” Pratt said.