Bystanders try to see beyond verdict and to city's future

By STEVE LEVINE,KIM MAIALETTIand KATHY HENNESSY
Courier-Post Staff
CAMDEN

rom the State House to the streets, nearly everyone had a strong opinion Thursday about the conviction of Mayor Milton Milan and what it means to the city's future.

Camden County Prosecutor Lee Solomon looked ahead, saying the verdict is "not the end of something horrific, this is the beginning of something great."

"My hope is that, from this day forward, the people of this city will have the chance that they are entitled to, the chance to have ownership of their government, belief in their future and a chance for their children to live in a place where they can be proud of their leaders,'' Solomon said, ``and proud, proud that those that they elect will go forward with their interests at heart.''

Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Jane Kenny promised she would press on with plans to revitalize the city. The state is supervising the city's finances, but wants greater control.

"It's time to move on and to commit ourselves to repairing the image of Camden," Kenny said. "The residents of Camden, whose trust was betrayed yet again, deserve our fullest efforts to bring vitality, leadership and respect back to the city."

It was a difficult day for those close to Milan, including Herb Leary, Camden's director of Economic Development and Planning. He spent the day with the mayor and was one of the last to speak with him before the verdict.

"We talked about the progress we made in the city," said Leary, who was appointed by Milan. "He more or less told us this is something we have to get past. He's instilled in each one of us the will to continue. We're going to continue to do the will of the mayor."

There was sympathy for Milan, even from those who have criticized him.

Councilman Ali Sloan-El, one of Milan's chief critics, said he feels sorry for Milan's family. Sloan-El believes the mayor now may cooperate with federal authorities and identify other politicians involved in wrongdoing.

"Hopefully, Milton will close the book on this story by releasing some of the information about the bosses that helped him," Sloan-El said. "There's more people that have raped and looted this city for years."

Others say Milan got what he deserved.

Ulysses Delgado, an East Camden activist who ran with Milan for city council in 1998, said the conviction was "a Christmas present for the people of Camden."

``The people voted for him, but they didn't know what they were getting," Delgado said. "I didn't know what kind of man we had elected until after the election.''

Assemblyman George Geist, R-Camden, sponsor of a bill that calls for unpaid suspension for any indicted municipal official, said Milan's conviction should convince lawmakers to approve the bill.

Inspired by Milan's March 29 indictment, the bill would change the law that removes officials only following a criminal conviction.

"I was sick and tired of seeing a corrupt mayor of a city in need of a leader continuing on the taxpayers' payroll," Geist said.

Among residents, opinions varied as to whether Milan was treated fairly.

"They should throw him out the window of City Hall," said Raul Hernandez, 34, a city resident for 16 years. "As bad as Camden is, we don't need someone like that."

Hernandez said the city, and the Latino community in particular, had high hopes for Milan, Camden's first Hispanic mayor.

"We would have been proud if he did good up there, but we don't need someone like that."

Standing outside the Broadway Transportation Center, Anthony Colbert, 51, believes Milan's conviction was justified.

"I think they dug up some dirt," he said, "but the dirt was there."

Staff writers Alan Guenther, Clint Riley, Renee Winkler and Michael Burkhart contributed to this report.