Butrico Won't Run for Re-Election

Claiming he is unhappy with politics in South Plainfield, Mayor Charles Butrico announced that he will not seek re-election in the fall.  Speculation is that former Board of Eduction President Michael English will be seeking the Democratic Party's nod.  English, who served as mayor in the late 80's, resigned from the school board before finishing his term.  He also served a stint as recreation director before retiring from the Borough.  Councilwoman Christine Buteas is also rumored to be considering a mayoral bid according to on-line politics site PolitickerNJ.

In other action, the council voted along party lines to sell property on Plainfield Avenue that had been slated for development of a new library.  Voters rejected the plan in 2008, and last week the Library Board of Trustees voted to move the library to Montrose Avenue. In rejecting the plan in 2008, voters said they were unhappy with the size of the site, the lack of parking, and the inability to expand the library if it were built on Plainfield Avenue. Others questioned the need for a new library and the timing for building it (given the economy).

An 07080 poll shows that most people oppose moving the library to Montrose and that many think a new library is unnecessary.