West Windsor environmental commission readies Sustainable Jersey recertification, urges broader recruitment to reflect township demographics

At the July 14 West Windsor Township Council meeting, Ephraim Bukes, chair of the Environmental Commission, presented a draft diversity-and-sustainability report as part of the township’s upcoming Sustainable Jersey recertification. The report documents current township activities that qualify for Sustainable Jersey points, explains changes in the certification scoring since West Windsor last recertified, and urges more formal recruitment and documentation to capture the township’s work for resubmission. The report matters because Sustainable Jersey awards points for documented actions and ordinances; without formal records, longstanding township efforts may not count toward recertification. Bukes told the council that the commission “expects to get 350 required for silver certification,” and said the commission will submit a final report at the end of the month. Bukes said Sustainable Jersey’s priorities have shifted over time and new topics such as renewable energy and electric-vehicle infrastructure now score more highly. He told the council that West Windsor already gains recurring points for actions such as enforcing an anti-idling policy through the police department, but that many local efforts—arts programming, senior services and other community activities—are not always filed in the formal way the program requires. The presentation also highlights a push to make boards and commissions more demographically representative. Bukes said the commission used U.S. Census categories for age, gender and ethnicity when assembling the report and noted the township’s growing Asian-American population. He proposed proactively publicizing openings and recruiting candidates so membership better reflects community composition while still selecting members on education, experience and qualifications. Mayor (name on record) and council members thanked the commission and noted that recruiting and building contiguous sidewalks, lowering speed limits and other infrastructure efforts are long-term processes that intersect with efforts to widen civic participation. Bukes identified consultant support on the recertification effort and named township administration liaison Francis Guzik as a project contact. The report does not propose specific ordinances or immediate policy changes; it is a documentation effort to support West Windsor’s re‑submission to Sustainable Jersey. The Environmental Commission will finalize the submission in coordination with township administration and a consultant; the commission and staff said they expect to complete the formal packet by the end of the month for the next recertification cycle.