Governor slated to swear in Princeton mayor for second term at Tuesday reorganization meeting

The governing body of Princeton will hold its annual reorganization meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7 in the main meeting room at the municipal complex at 400 Witherspoon Street. The meeting will also be live-streamed via Zoom.

Princeton Mayor Mark Freda will be sworn in for a second term by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who is serving the final year of his second term.

Councilman Leighton Newlin will be sworn in for a second term by former Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer, a close friend of Newlin’s.

New Councilman Brian McDonald will be sworn in by state Sen. Andrew Zwicker.

Voters in Princeton have not had a choice in selecting council members for four years. Republicans have given up nominating candidates in the Democrat-dominated town, and there has not been a competitive Democratic primary since 2020, when Dina Shaw ran for council. That year, the Democratic incumbent slate attacked Shaw for spending money to campaign during the pandemic, even though she only used her own funds and did not raise money for her campaign.

The last time voters had a choice for mayor at the polls was in 2016, when Republican Peter Marks challenged Democratic Mayor Liz Lempert. There was no competitive primary that year. Freda ran unopposed in 2020 and 2024.

For several years, the local Democratic club encouraged competitive primaries, recruited new candidates, and held open houses for potential candidates. In recent years, however, some party leaders have argued that competitive primaries are bad for party unity.

At the reorganization meeting Tuesday, officials will select a council president, appoint residents to boards and commissions, appoint professionals, and approve a temporary budget. As of 4 p.m. Monday, appointments to commissions and committees were not on the agenda as governing body members continued to wrangle over appointments.

Dawn Mount, who works in the clerk’s office, is slated to be appointed to a one-year term as deputy clerk for the period of Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025.

The governing body is slated to reappoint Mason, Griffin & Pierson, P.C. to serve as the municipal law form for up to $400,000. Trishka Cecil will be the primary attorney for the firm.

McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC, will serve as the municipality’s bond counsel for redevelopment and public finance for up to $100,000.

The municipality is allocating $109,000 to Sustainable Princeton for support services related to sustainability in 2025.

Gebhardt & Kiefer will be named the “conflict counsel,” providing legal services to the Princeton Historic Preservation Commission for up to $60,000. The firm, based in Annandale, Hunterdon County, will be represented by Tara St. Angelo.