WEST MILFORD West Milford’s planning board is facing a dilemma as a result of its second attempt to properly appoint a new attorney. The board is trying to hire Stephen Glatt as a replacement for Glenn Kienz and Bryant Gonzalez in the matter of the Valley Ridge development. They were representing the township but recently recused themselves because of a conflict of interest. The planning board appears to have botched the resolution to appoint the new attorney each time. On Monday, in an unusual 4:30 p.m. meeting, the planning board gathered for what they believed was a simple rubber stamping procedure. However, a series of errors in the wording has caused concern about the township’s ability to fight the development of as many as 109 town homes on nine acres of an 18-acre lot. Located off Dockerty Hollow Road and Union Valley Road, Valley Ridge has a plot that reads more like a John Grisham novel. It has a lengthy history and depending in part on who is interpreting the course of events, there is everything from communication breakdowns to lawyers withdrawing representation, as well as accusations of secrecy, deception and ethical problems abounding. In the beginning, Trammel Crow Residential (TCR), a nationwide housing project developer, received, in their opinion, valid preliminary site plan approval in 1997 from West Milford Planning Board. This approval was appealed by Skylands CLEAN, a local environmental campaigning group. The approval expired, according to Skylands CLEAN, in May 2002. However, TCR disputes this claim and believes their plans are good as long as the zoning on the property does not change. If the builder’s plan is expired they would have to submit new plans. Any new plans would be subject to the Highlands Act which prevents any significant new building in the entire township. The case went to court, where the intrigue started. On May 11, Kienz signed a request to withdraw due to a conflict of interest. The source of the conflict remains unclear, as does when the conflict arose and why West Milford was the side that was dropped. Both Kienz and Gonzalez have been unwilling to divulge any details despite several requests. Councilman Bob Nolan wrote an angry letter on June 1 asking town Administrator Rich Kunze to explain Weiner Lesniak’s decision and why the planning board did not communicate the problems. Nolan cited the problems the council had in obtaining full details on Eagle Ridge, another proposed development, while it was entering court proceedings. “This smacks of Eagle Ridge - fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me,” he said. On May 12 Glatt filed a substitution of attorney form without the approval of the planning board. Glatt then advised the Superior Court that he had indeed not been hired by the client (West Milford) and may himself now be subject to disciplinary action. The planning board then passed a resolution on May 25 appointing Glatt as its replacement attorney. The resolution passed but was without required details such as the amount Glatt would be paid, that a certification from the township treasurer that funds exist to pay Glatt, and that notice of his hiring would appear in a newspaper legal advertisement. At Monday’s meeting the board attempted to rectify these errors, but the resolution had problems. For instance, a typo about Glatt’s fee which read “will exceed $17,500,” when it should have said “will not exceed....” None of the planning board or attorneys returned calls from The Messenger before press time.