Now the transition begins.
The majority of Princeton voters have spoken and they want to be one community.
The numbers have been crunched and there is a plan in place, but now the work begins.
And, according to the timetable, it is supposed to be completed by January 2013.
One of the key figures in this transition will be Borough Mayor-elect Yina Moore, the candidate who would not take a position on consolidation. Yet she will have to oversee the borough’s part in the transition.
At the same time, she will have to convince 1,118 people who did not vote for her in Tuesday’s election that she is capable of the job.
Winning the election by only 100 votes is clearly not a mandate, especially in Democrat-dominated Princeton.
But we wish her all the best.
During the campaign, she said her administration would work with transparency and openness. Now is the time to prove it.
She already has raised a caution flag about her role in the consolidation process.
”Everything does not change on Jan. 1, 2013,” she said in an interview in today’s paper. “Certainly, we know some things will, but there are provisions in the consolidation process where some things can be retained for timing, convenience, the inability to address everything at one time and for the establishment of or re-establishment of certain boards that deal with those issues.”
Does that foreshadow possible foot dragging?
One of the first steps is to develop the transition team. The mayors will be meeting in the next few days to outline the structure of that team and then put out a request for applications, according to Township Mayor Chad Goerner. He said the team will be a mix of citizens, elected officials and municipal staff.
We look forward to that process getting underway.
We also hope that Jill Jachera will be involved in the process.
She ran a clean, clear and focused campaign to be mayor, but could not sway enough Democrats to vote the person, not the party.
She was ready to lead the process as mayor. Let’s hope she stays part of Princeton’s political scene.
