Republicans do not run slate on June primary ballot
By: Kara Fitzpatrick
Incumbent Democrats will run an uncontested race in the June primary for mayor and Borough Council seats.
On Monday, the filing deadline, Borough Clerk Lea Quinty said no Republicans had submitted petitions for the mayoral race or for the available three seats on Borough Council.
Mildred Trotman a former councilwoman who was chosen by her colleagues as mayor in November after the death of former Mayor Joseph O’Neill was the only person to submit a petition seeking the remaining year of the four-year mayoral term, which expires on Jan. 1, 2008.
Incumbents Wendy Benchley and Peggy Karcher filed petitions seeking re-election for the two available full terms on Borough Council.
Incumbent Barbara Trelstad who was appointed in December to serve the remainder of Mayor Trotman’s council term and again days later to serve the first year of a three-year term for which the mayor was re-elected in November filed a petition to complete the rest of the term vacated by Mayor Trotman. That term expires on Jan. 1, 2009.
Mayor Trotman said she wishes to continue as mayor because she enjoys politics. "I think I represent my constituents’ concerns well, and I want to continue to do that," she said.
Mayor Trotman, who was re-elected in November to serve her eighth consecutive term on council and days later was appointed mayor, said she would like to continue to pursue issues such as redevelopment, the beginning of Hullfish North the planned luxury townhouse development and "the hospital, the hospital, the hospital."
Ms. Benchley, who was been on council since 1999, said she hopes to focus on minimizing borough spending.
In addition, Ms. Benchley said she wants to continue the focus on preserving the borough’s trees.
"I’m very pleased that we got a new tree-cutting ordinance passed," Ms. Benchley said. "We need to keep enough trees in Princeton to give us the character, tree cover and natural habitat."
Ms. Benchley also said she is concerned with overly-large homes being erected in the borough. "I am hopeful that the monster home ordinance will pass this month," she said.
Ms. Karcher, who has been on council since 2000, said she would like to continue to tackle local issues such as underage drinking and the merging of township and borough police departments.
"It may turn out that it’s not the right thing to do," Ms. Karcher said of the merger concept, adding, "I think that we owe it to our taxpayers to look into it."
Ms. Trelstad said she wishes to fill the council term in order to work toward making the borough a sustainable community financially, environmentally and beyond. "It’s more of an all-encompassing idea," Ms. Trelstad said.
The primary election will be held June 6.