Economic Development Director Sees 'Opportunity' in Cinnaminson

Former committeeman Mike Minton believes Cinnaminson is a “premier family community,” and he wants to keep it that way.

Minton, general manager of the Riverton Country Club, was recently appointed as the township’s economic development director/chair of the economic development advisory committee. Former administrator Frank Locantore had previously filled the role, but following his departure someone was needed to step in and act as an advocate for businesses—new and existing—in town, according to Deputy Mayor Anthony Minniti.

Minton, who served as a committeeman for 5.5 five years in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s, has a background in county government as well, where he spent roughly a decade as a management specialist in the Burlington County Freeholder’s Office 25 years ago. He’s also a former member of the planning board, and worked for about 20 years as an executive at an architectural firm before taking over at the country club.

We sat down with the township’s new economic development point man and asked him to identify the areas where Cinnaminson needs the most growth, what his role in helping to improve the local economy will be, and why he’s (maybe) the best man for the job.

Patch: Where do you think Cinnaminson needs to see the most growth in the next several years?
Minton: A great deal of energy and focus needs to be on repurposing our industrial complexes. There’s opportunity there. It has the least impact on municipal services. So it’s a great return on investment. It’s clearly an area where we want to focus our energies on, to try and recruit commercial and manufacturing concerns to those parks. Equal to that—kind of 1 and 1a—is the face of Cinnaminson, which is the Route 130 corridor … That’ll happen too, but if you had to pick one, I’d pick the industrial park. Because that will spur development up on 130. It won’t happen in reverse.

Patch: As chairman of the economic development advisory committee, what is your role? If someone comes in—there’s a developer who maybe wants to look at an industrial site—what’s your role?
Minton: We’re competing with every town around us, and every town across the river. Somebody has to be (the business’s) ombudsman. Somebody has to help them through the process: introduce them to the planning board process, the approval process, to try to streamline that review—to be that person to walk them through. It may be as simple as discussing directly with the fire department a variance that’s required, or as simple as convincing (a company’s) lenders and financiers, we want that business in town.

Patch: There’s a perception that Cinnaminson is business unfriendly. That it’s difficult to do business or bring in new business. Do you understand that perception? Do you think that lack of an advocate contributes to that problem?
Minton: I’ve heard that comment from time to time. That’s always in the back of my mind. We want to be business friendly. We want to be open to business. We want to find opportunities. In this economy, it’s more important now than ever. So those that have (that perception), I say stay tuned. If you have it, we’re going to change that perception. If you don’t have it, you’re going to be pleased with our efforts.

Patch: In five, 10 years, what do you hope Cinnaminson looks like?
Minton: I hope Cinnaminson stays as a premier family community. I moved here because I wanted my kids to go to Cinnaminson schools. I moved here because the tax structure was fair and reasonable and I got a good service and a value for my money. The way it’s going to stay that way is making sure our infrastructure, our tax-paying entities, are here and want to stay, providing jobs for people.

Patch: In 10 years, do you think the township will have made significant strides in filling some of those vacant areas in the industrial zone and on Route 130?
Minton: I think so. I look at where it was 10 years ago, and “motel row” was a disgrace. The gateway to Burlington County was an embarrassment. And now you have a vastly improved—thanks in part to this committee—entrance. Now you’ve got to fill the pockets in … The Triboro site’s a highly visible site; Azalea Farm is a highly visible site; the Acme. Finding a reuse for that Acme, it won’t be easy. You do a couple of those and it’ll come together.

Patch: Why are you the right guy for this job?
Minton: My wife asked that too (laughs). I really think that I’ve been fortunate to live here. On a personal  level, I absolutely believe in giving back to the community, whether that’s coaching a Little League team or this, that’s what I believe … I have a strong governmental sense. I was on committee 5.5 years. I understand how local government runs. I’ve been in business for the last 25 years. So I think I just have the opportunity to pull that all together, and I have the energy to give a little something back. Maybe three years from now, those skeptical ones will say, “Hey, we were right. He was the wrong guy.” But it’s not because I didn’t try. I’m going to try to make it better.