Dr. Powsner steps down from health commission

Retired radiologist praised for contributions.

By: Jennifer Potash
   Princeton Borough resident Henry Powsner is stepping down from the Princeton Regional Health Commission to tackle a burgeoning retirement to-do list.
   "There are a lot of things piling up on my dining room table," said Dr. Powsner.
   Dr. Powsner, a retired radiologist at The Medical Center at Princeton, joined the Health Commission in 1997 and was reappointed to a second term in 2001.
   His colleagues on the Health Commission expressed regret at Dr. Powsner’s resignation.
   "What stands out as I review your participation in our activities is your unswerving commitment to causes you believe in, and your great ability to analyze complex questions and problems, get to their core, and respond with appropriate practical solutions or means for improvement," wrote Health Commission Chairman Dr. Norman J. Sissman, a pediatric cardiologist, in a letter to Dr. Powsner. "We thank you for all you have done. We will miss your presence a lot."
   Dr. Powsner said he will miss most of all working with the dedicated volunteers on the commission and the hard-working Health Department staff.
   "All these energetic people really help improve the health of the people of Princeton," Dr. Powsner said.
   Promoting public health also meant letting the public know about possible hazards, according to Dr. Powsner. He set up the Health Department’s Web site and kept a close eye on it to ensure it was updated with department newsletters and informational brochures.
   The Health Commission long advocated an emergency alert system for Princeton Borough — Princeton Township has one — and when the process stalled before Princeton Borough Council, he suggested a simple solution.
   Recalling a system in place during World War II, Dr. Powsner suggested a door-to-door neighborhood notification system using Boy Scouts or similar volunteer organizations.
   And the program could extend beyond emergencies and pass on information about changes in municipal services such as recycling or when road work will take place in the area, Dr. Powsner said.
   In addition to watching over health implications of the commission’s actions, Dr. Powsner focused on how decisions could affect the rights of citizens.
   During a commission discussion of a possible borough ordinance to permit enforcement of underage drinking laws on private property, Dr. Powsner raised civil liberty concerns.
   His voice was prominent in the commission’s initiative to ban smoking in public places in 2000. The ordinance was overturned by a Mercer County Superior Court judge who found the Health Commission exceeded state law in enacting the ban.