By: centraljersey.com
HIGHTSTOWN – Newly minted Mayor Steve Kirson and neophyte council members Lynne Woods and Selena Bibens acknowledged the great challenge before them as they were individually sworn into office Saturday afternoon.
All three come in without previous political experience. Mr. Kirson, 61, is a retired financial executive, Ms. Woods, 48, is a teacher at Hightstown High School, and Ms. Bibens, 41, is a payroll manager.
Almost as soon as he finished reciting the oath of office and took his hand off the Bible, Mayor Kirson urged the rest of the council – and the rest of Mercer County – to start working to cut back the borough’s tax rates.
"I met many people who told me they were concerned about the tax rate," he told the near-capacity crowd inside Borough Hall’s council chambers on New Year’s Day. "If there’s any one message that I want to people to know, it’s that we did listen."
Mr. Kirson, as he had previously said during his campaign and the days leading to Saturday’s ascension to the mayoral seat, told residents he is "a strong proponent of consolidation."
As he had previously told the Herald, Kirson repeated the message Saturday, saying that he looked at a study done by Somerset County concluding they could save about $20 million per year if they consolidated each of that county’s 19 police departments into a single unit.
"If this was a business, we wouldn’t function," Mayor Kirson said. "We would be out of business."
Ms. Woods and Ms. Bibens, who have always been strongly opposed to any sort of consolidation since they were campaigning for office, used their first public comments as council members to tell the borough they are looking forward to serving.
Ms. Bibens tried to temper expectations.
"Have patience," she said. "We’re learning. We’ll do the best that we can. We’re not here to change the world."
After swearing in the three new elected officials, former mayor Bob Patten, who had previously endorsed Ms. Woods and Ms. Bibens, briefly reflected on his eight years in the seat he relinquished to Mr. Kirson.
He did not touch on budget challenges facing the borough. His wife, Kathy, who unsuccessfully ran to fill a vacant council seat in the fall, mentioned Mr. Patten’s work supporting Hispanic immigrant groups in the borough.
Under Mr. Patten’s watch, the borough coined the term "Sanctuary City," to the chagrin of some elected officials and many residents.
Mr. Patten focused his remarks on the relationship he has with his wife. "It has strengthened my love for my lady, Mrs. Patten," he said of his time in office.
Exiting council member Walter Sikorski congratulated Mr. Patten and fellow outgoing councilman Jeff Bond, who was not at the meeting – nor any other regularly scheduled meetings of the governing body since November.
Despite acknowledging "philosophical differences" between he and Mr. Patten, a Republican, Mr. Sikorski said the former mayor and Mr. Bond were both a benefit to the borough. Mr. Bond served with Mr. Sikorski on the police negotiating subcommittee that broke off negotiations with East Windsor, a situation that may have helped to usher them out of office.
In a lengthy farewell speech, Mr. Sikorski also urged the council to "place more emphasis on cooperation than confrontation." For the last few months, council meetings have been colored by conflict as Mr. Patten and other borough officials publicly clashed with Councilwoman Isabel McGinty.
Residents who spoke at the meeting noted the new-look council, which includes Ms. McGinty, Larry Quattrone, Dimitri Musing and Skye Gilmartin, is the first Hightstown governing body to have a four-woman majority.
"Welcome to four women. I have served on many boards, and I waited for this to occur, four women on the council," outspoken resident Gene Sarafin said during public comments. "On the school board I always served with at least four women, but we in our society refuse to elect women for some reason."Ms. McGinty – who was named the new Council President, replacing Mr. Quattrone – downplayed the new demographic.
"I hope this is a passing notation," she said. "I hope we are remembered more for our competence."

