WEST WINDSOR: Maher accuses mayor of playing party politics

WEST WINDSOR Councilman Bryan Maher criticized Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh for the way he has handled the controversial Mercer County Community College solar farm project after a public forum on the Windsor Plaza development on Wednesday.

Questioning the extent of the mayors knowledge of the project, Mr. Maher accused Mayor Hsueh of siding with the Mercer County Democrats and pushing this agenda quietly for their purposes.

He said the first time hed heard of the project was April 4. I brought this up months ago and read about it last fall so either hes an absentee mayor, he doesnt know whats going on in the town or he lied, said Mr. Maher. Theres no gray area and he needs to be called out on that.

Mayor Hseuh, who was not at the forum, said he heard about the project more than a year ago, but had no idea of the projects scale, engineering and other details until a month ago.

But Mr. Maher said he thinks partisanship has been guiding the mayors actions.We have a Democratic mayor in this Democratic county who didnt say anything about this (so as) not to upset the upper Democrats he aspires to be one day, he told the crowd.

The mayor expressed shock at Mr. Mahers partisan attitude and said the issue should be solved professionally not through political attacks.

Thats not what we should be doing at West Windsor theres no Democratic or Republican way of dealing with issues, he said. I would hope he would go to council and ask questions, not go behind it. I hope Mr. Maher looks into the facts before he says anything.

Mayor Hsueh said he has been consulting with lawyers and Township Attorney Michael Herbert who have told him the same thing the college does not have to grant a public hearing because the school is an educational institution operating on county land.

The $40 million solar farm, which would plant a 9.5 megawatt ground-mounted solar array on 67 acres of West Windsor farm land, has already been approved by the county and state and has already been under review by the Department of Environmental Protection.

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WEST WINDSOR: Maher accuses mayor of playing party politics