GARWOOD — During Thursday night’s regular meeting of the Garwood mayor and council, Councilwoman Kimberly Salmon stated in the Community Development report that she and Mayor Jen Blumenstock had met with the borough planner and his team on October 30 to discuss the state calculation of 80 affordable-housing units allocated to the borough.

“A number of 80 is extremely impactful to such a small town like ours, and honestly double what we expected,” said Councilwoman Salmon.

During public comment, resident Laura Thompson asked the governing body why officials have yet to join the other 22 municipalities suing the state of New Jersey over its affordable-housing mandates. She argued that local schools already have more students than the borough can handle from Vermella and claimed the situation is raising their school taxes.

“We’re not fighting against this at all; why? Is there a reason? Why are we not raising our voices?” Ms. Thompson asked.

Mayor Blumenstock clarified that the number of students from Vermella is actually lower than what was projected, so there has not been a need to increase classrooms in the Garwood school district.

Regarding the lawsuit, she stated that she had read it and personally found the language contradictory, which would make the lawsuit weak. According to Mayor Blumenstock, the arguments being used will not work in the participating towns’ favor, which she said makes her uncomfortable putting out money to join the lawsuit.

“I understand the feeling behind it, but this lawsuit itself is not something I can support,” she said.

However, Mayor Blumenstock shared that she has been looking at other actions being taken by other New Jersey towns. Borough Attorney Adam Abramson shared with her that a group of municipal attorneys is working to put together possible amendments that they would like to see put forth to the legislature.

She summarized it as the regional numbers regarding affordable housing would be looked at differently by using information from the census data, which would lessen Garwood’s number. However, she stated that she wants to learn more about this particular amendment and discuss it at the upcoming planning board meeting.

Council President Vincent Kearney agreed with Mayor Blumenstock’s statements, pointing out that the courts in New Jersey have ruled affordable housing a Constitutional right in the state for decades and that he believed legislation was the way to address this issue.

“I do not believe bringing this issue to the courts is going to do anything positive for any of the towns involved; it’s to me just lighting money on fire,” he said.