Mercer County Commissioner Andrew Koontz won’t seek reelection in 2022
Princeton resident Andrew Koontz has been involved in politics almost his entire adult life and has served as an elected official at the local and county level for a total of 18 years. The 54-year-old has decided that after next year, it is time for a break.
Koontz told Planet Princeton he will not be seeking another term as a county commissioner after his fourth term is over at the end of 2022.
“I don’t have plans to run for any other office at this time,” Koontz said. “I’m not sure what comes next. I’m looking to transition to other things I’m interested in. I’ve been serving in public office since 2004.”
Koontz served on the Princeton Borough Council for seven years prior to becoming a county commissioner. He has served as the Democratic municipal chairman in Princeton and as president of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization. He also worked on former state assemblyman Reed Gusciora’s successful 1995 campaign.
Koontz advocated for the new bridges in Alexander Road as a commissioner. He also helped Mercer County become the first county in New Jersey to adopt a “complete streets” policy that ensures all future roadway projects offer safe options for all users. He is known for being one of two commissioners who cast a vote against purchasing a $310,000 armored vehicle for the county sheriff’s office.
He was the chairman of the commission for two years, including during the start of the pandemic. “It was a lot of work but I really feel we were able to pull things together and have continuity as a government body,” Koontz said. “We were back in action with virtual meetings after a month and a half and now back to meeting in person. We keep the business of the people going through a really difficult time that was pretty overwhelming.”
Koontz said he hopes to see the county break ground on the new airport terminal at Trenton-Mercer Airport in Ewing during his final year as a commissioner.
“I’ve very much enjoyed and been honored to serve people of Mercer County the past 11 years and look forward to serving out the remainder of my term,” Koontz said.
A television broadcast teacher at Hightstown High School, Koontz is also an avid cyclist and musician who often plays his fiddle at local events. He is still exploring what he wants to do with his free time once his term as a commissioner is over.
“I’d like to find some ways to create more space in life to pursue music. This will offer me the opportunity to do more with that,” he said. “I will need to evaluate what I’d like to do. At the end of my term, I will be 55 years old. It’s a good time to start looking at what I want to do as retirement years start to approach.”
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
What does a county commisioner do? What is the current salary? Who will be running for the position and what are their views? When is the election?
Thank you Andy for your service! It’s been good to have a Princeton representative as a commissioner and you will be missed.