Local News

McGill, Robinson oppose Sutton

Wednesday, October 15, 2003

By JEAN JONES
Staff Writer

COMMERCIAL TWP. -- Green Party candidate Kenneth McGill and Democrat Elmer "Bill" Robinson will attempt to unseat incumbent Republican Ronald Sutton Sr. in the race for one open seat on the three-member township committee.

Sutton, a Republican, has been on the committee for 12 years and wants to continue.

"I like being able to help the public," he said.

Sutton said he sees the biggest issues facing the township as police protection and sewage treatment for the Laurel Lake area.

"They did a survey eight years ago and said Laurel Lake was a time bomb," he said.

Tiny lots, some only 40 feet wide, and poor drainage combine to cause septic system malfunctions, and pollution in the nearby Maurice River was said to be of the sort produced by malfunctioning septic systems.

Sutton feels the current committee has done a lot for the community and will continue to try to keep taxes down, as well as continue to try to find a way to support a local police force to augment state police coverage.

"Roads here used to be so bad that the front end of a car could fall into the potholes," he said. "We have blacktopped every road in the township and we're working on drainage and curbs at Laurel Lake."

Not all the township's efforts have been concentrated at Laurel Lake. In Port Norris, the Main Street Project is bringing new sidewalks, curbs, street lighting and landscaping, all done with grants.

"We want to extend it to Strawberry Avenue. It will enhance the town," he said.

Sutton is a graduate of Millville High School and is single, with grown children. He operates Ron's Animal Shelter in Norma.

Robinson said he feels there is a need for new blood on the committee.

"People get entrenched and things get stale," he said.

Robinson has never served on the township committee but he was an elected fire commissioner for 12 years and was treasurer for all those years, creating the lowest fire budgets in the township, he said.

"The fire commissioners are an autonomous body with the same powers as the township committee, including setting taxes," he said.

Robinson sees the crime rate and senior citizen problems as the township's main issues. He feels the current committee is going in the right directions with its road program but says some things have had to be done over because they were done incorrectly the first time.

He is a small business owner with a trucking company. Robinson also is an ordained minister with the Crossroads Evangelistic Association in Bridgeton.

Married for 30 years, he has three grown sons. He attended Penn State for two years , majoring in liberal arts and music, and retired from the railroad as a trainmaster.

McGill is running because he wants to serve his community.

"Previously, I have been nonpolitical, although I am a lifetime member of the PTA and a Mauricetown Historical Society volunteer," he said.

From his perspective, the big tissues are the lack of good, well-paying industrial jobs and lack of local police protection. The township is covered by New Jersey State Police, which has a barracks at Haleyville.

"I'd like to see more redevelopment down by the waterfront. You could bring in tourist dollars with small, local businesses, Cottage businesses could spring up .People could present crafts of a bygone era to go along with what's going on with the Meerwald (New Jersey's official tall ship, berthed at Bivalve). We could bring back what was," he said.

"I'd also like to see an environmental group get involved with things like walking tours or the bike path at the PSE&G wetlands restoration area," he said.

McGill feels the township is not doing enough for economic development.

"They say they want new business, but they're not doing enough to bring businesses in. They cater to the mining companies," he said.

McGill is a plumbing designer, employed by Concord Engineering Group in Voorhees. He is married with one daughter, a graduate of the University of Florida. He attended Glassboro State College and Kean College and took various courses for his trade. He currently is attending Cumberland County College, taking courses in the design field.