PRINCETON: Running for Borough Council

By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
   Primary day is next Tuesday and in preparation Princeton Borough Council candidates, newcomer Republican Peter Marks and incumbent Democrat Barbara Trelstad, sat for a question and answer session in Princeton Packet offices.
   Democrat Heather Howard was unable to participate due to a scheduling conflict, so she answered the same questions in the same order as the other candidates.
   Dudley Sipprelle, a Republican who has announced his intention to run, declined the invitation with the following statement: “At this point in time, I am only an announced candidate and not an official nominee of my party. Once the results of the primary election are certified by the county clerk, I will be more than glad to meet with anybody, including your editor and Packet representatives, to outline the issues I intend to run on. I would also be happy to participate in public debates with opposition nominees.”
   How do you feel on the issue of the university’s arts and transit plan?
   Trelstad: She recently asked the university to rethink their plans for the arts and transit neighborhood as well as the redevelopment of Hibben-Magie apartments and the whole Alexander corridor. She would like to see some sort of transit village built there and doesn’t buy into the idea that the site will be very public and thinks it will be more academic.
   Marks: He agreed with Ms. Trelstad’s points and is opposed to the university’s plans because he does not see a reason to move the Dinky. As far the process went, he said “he was sympathetic to the job they have to do.” The university should have listened to the town’s positions better.
   Howard: I should disclose that I work for the university (teaching health policy at the Woodrow Wilson School and directing a program helping states implement national health care reform). I believe the signature arts building and accompany activities have the potential to be a wonderful addition to the cultural life of our town.
   How do you feel about moving the Dinky?
   Marks: He is opposed to moving the Dinky and perhaps the town should just buy the Dinky to reduce any threats from the line being taken away by NJ Transit or the university.
   Trelstad: As she learns more about the university’s redevelopment plans for the whole Alexander Road area, she is becoming more and more opposed to moving the Dinky.
   Howard: The Dinky connection to the Northeast Corridor is an extremely valuable asset to the economic well being of our town. I hope a mutually beneficial solution still can be found – one that will work for the university’s programmatic needs while satisfying the community’s passionate belief, and a point of view with which many professional planners agree, that the station should remain as close to the center of our central business district as possible.
   Consolidation and shared services were the next issue and what they thought of the Joint Shared Services Consolidation Commission’s recommendation of full municipal consolidation. This question was given via email after the JSSCC’s vote was taken.
   Marks: I remain opposed to consolidation of the borough and the township into a single community for reasons that are largely subjective and difficult, if not impossible, to quantify.
   The Consolidation Commission performed a very useful service. Its analysis was thorough and its forecast of modest savings seems to me to be reasonable. It has been my experience that smaller is usually better. Larger entities can raise money more easily, but they also tend to spend it less carefully. Larger size generally makes it more difficult to break problems down into manageable units. Larger, more powerful governing bodies are generally less susceptible to voter control.
   Trelstad: “I do agree with the Consolidation Commission’s decision to recommend consolidation and yes, I will support it.” She also heaped praise on the work of the commission.
   Howard: “I support consolidation and appreciate all the hard work that’s been undertaken by the Joint Consolidation Shared Services Study Commission. We have two fully functioning police stations within one mile of each other to cite just one example of duplicated services. Furthermore, I think that we are one Princeton community and our residents feel loyalty to our community and our shared values, not the borough or the township. I think our legal boundaries should reflect that, which will result in financial savings. But as important as the financial savings is the fact that consolidated government will create more efficient and effective government with better services.”
   Valley Road School. What do you hope to see done with the site?
   Marks: He would like to see the building saved and the property remain with the school board for future population growth and expansion of the school system. “We need to preserve the land we have,” he said. “There is going to be a time when it’s going to be useful.”
   Trelstad: She agreed with Mr. Marks regarding the Valley Road School, and is leaning toward community uses. “It is a well-built building,” she said. “Yes, it needs infrastructure improvements, but it’s a building that has character and charm.”
   Howard: “It is important to remember that (Valley Road) is a school board decision, and not the purview of the Borough Council,” she said. “That being said, I’m very interested in the project and will do anything I can to help the board members make an informed and thoughtful decision to ensure the best use for the community.”
   What do you hope to see done with the hospital site?
   Howard: “I am pleased that the current zoning (for the hospital) is marked as mixed use/residential,” she said. “If the hospital can find a good buyer, the project will be extremely beneficial for Princeton.”
   Trelstad: She said the hospital site was zoned the way it was to keep middle class families in the borough, but did agree the hospital may come back before council for a zoning adjustment because of the changes in the market. “There’s a strain of what it was and what it might be and what we want for our town,” she said. Ms. Trelstad also said a long-term overarching plan needs to be done for the whole area.
   Marks: For the hospital site, he said it was a mistake to facilitate the zoning that encouraged the move and allows some 300 units to be built on the site, which “will change the character of the Witherspoon corridor forever.” He also fears the hospital will seek to relax the zoning further to increase the number of residential units because of the weak commercial real estate market.