By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
Princeton Borough said goodbye to Council President Andrew Koontz on Sunday and swore in Jo Butler as the newest member of council.
To come full circle with his service in the borough, Mr. Koontz wore the same bow tie he was sworn in with to make his last address as councilman seven years later. Mr. Koontz will be sworn in tonight, Tuesday, as a Mercer County freeholder.
”How grateful we are to have had you serve all these years,” said Mayor Mildred Trotman. “We continue to receive his services since he is moving onto the Mercer County Freeholder Board.”
”While I’ll serve all 13 municipalities in Mercer County, but let me be clear, I live here in Princeton Borough,” he said, citing his special project of working on the boroughs’ parks, particularly Harrison Street Park. “If I had any parting wish as I leave this body, it is that our parks continue to be a top priority and that we never again return to the neglect of the past.”
Harrison Street Park Bridge will be dedicated to Christopher Budzinski, the late borough engineer, announced Mr. Koontz. A simple dedication ceremony will take place in the spring, he said.
With Ms. Butler taking the oath of office from Mayor Trotman, the Democrats keep their lock on political affairs in the borough.
”I promise to do my best to uphold the duties of this office,” said the newly sworn Ms. Butler.
One issue near and dear to Ms. Bulter is the Citizens Finance Advisory Task Force, which she thinks will also get involved in the issue of consolidation. “That will be front and center this year,” she said.
Ms. Butler has also been assigned to be the council liaison to the recreation department.
”Parks are an important part of our community, and I’m thrilled to be involved with that, “ she said, mentioning she plays tennis at Community Park courts. “I’ve had to jump into to the pool project with both feet.”
The biggest challenge will be trying to affect positive change. “Change is difficult for some people,” she said. “But we need to deliver services at a lower cost.”
Ms. Butler also referred to Councilman David Goldfarb’s question about the way information is distributed to the community, and asked if everything advertised in newspapers is put on the borough’s website.
She is also going to advocate for better communication with citizens. “Newspapers aren’t the only way we communicate, a lot of people get their information from the Internet and we need to communicate with them in the way they are getting their information,” she said. “We have to make sure we’re adapting.”
Councilman Roger Martindell was sworn in for another three-year term.
The council also approved a temporary budget of $5,461,541 for 2011. A budget outlook presentation will be given at the council’s first meeting of the year tonight, Tuesday, at 7:30 p.m. at Borough Hall.
In other council business, the meeting calendar of the first, second and fourth Tuesday of every month was agreed upon. Closed session meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and open meetings beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Borough Hall. Special Wednesday meetings will be held on June 7 because of the primary election and Nov. 8 because of Election Day.

