Petition Against Borough Hall Bond Ordinance Filed

A committee consisting of Steve Misiura, Denny Hansen, Rick Pratt, Fred Montferrat, and Walter Sikorski created a petition for a public referendum on the Hightstown bond ordinance that funds the creation of the new Borough hall. The petition was filed on Wednesday, April 24 with Borough Clerk Debra Sopronyi.

The Hightstown Borough Hall has been uninhabitable since it was damaged by Hurricane Irene in 2011. The bond ordinance was approved by Borough Council on April 1.

New Jersey law N.J.S.A. 40:49–27 establishes a right to a public referendum regarding any ordinance authorizing the incurring of an indebtedness, Sopronyi explained. The law states that the petition must be signed by 15 percent of the people who voted in the most recent election for State Assembly, which in Hightstown was the 2011 General Election where 1,063 people voted, Sopronyi said. Therefore, at least 160 people were needed to sign the petition and a total of 355 “uncertified” signatures were on the petition, according to the clerk. Sopronyi has 10 days to verify that all people who signed the petition are indeed certified to vote.

All propositions submitted under N.J.S.A. 40:29-27 shall be voted upon at the next general election held in Hightstown at least 30 days after the petition is filed, unless the governing body calls for a special election, according to N.J.S.A. 40:49-10.

Misura and Montferrat are members of the Hightstown Planning Board, which previously recommended that the Borough Council not rebuild the Borough Hall in its existing location because it is within a flood zone.

Misiura is also a Hightstown Democratic Candidate running this year alongside Hansen. Misiura and Hansen are looking to replace Republican incumbents Selena Bibens and Lynne Woods, who have both shown support of the bond ordinance to rebuild Borough Hall in its current location.

TELL US: What do you think? Do you think that Borough Hall should be rebuilt at the 148 North Main Street location, or should the council look into putting the municipal offices at 415 Main Street, the Lucas property, where the police department is currently residing.