By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
Borough Councilman Kevin Wilkes is going to run for mayor of the new Princeton.
”There is a lot of work we need to do in the new community,” he said. “The mayor is a position that can work with the council members and collaborate with them to try and unify their thoughts, opinions and policy initiatives and bring focus to them and lead the community together into the future to advance our interests.”
As mayor, he would want to organize and advance Princeton’s agenda.
”I think we need leadership in the community to move us through the reorganization of consolidation,” he said. “Once we emerge from the other side, we have a whole new future that we need to manage and look at our regional relationships with communities around us. We’ve been so focused on each other, Princeton Township and Princeton Borough like two fraternal twins, and once we organize that, we need to advance our interests in a larger realm.”
Mr. Wilkes top priorities include: working to improve the downtown quality of life; collaborate with private and in-town institutions; unify and improve police services; preserve environmentally sensitive areas; enhance senior and youth programs; improve transportation; and create new affordable housing.
Mr. Wilkes is an architect with his own firm, Princeton Design Guild, in Belle Mead.
On the council since 2008, when he was appointed to fill an unexpired term, he is a lifelong Democrat who was raised in New York City. He came to town during college while studying at Princeton University and fell in love with the colonial town’s charm.
”It was the reversal of what all my classmates at Princeton wanted to do. They came from all around the country and were ‘wow, New York,’” he said. “For me having frown up in Manhattan, it was yesterday’s news. I came out here and this town was this beautiful village in the countryside with farmland and a historic town and beautiful university filled with smart people. As an architect, there are a lot of opportunities for work.”
He bought his first “old crappy” house on Harrison Street during his senior year at Princeton University and began renovating it.
”I became imbedded in the community, even as an undergraduate,” he said.
Mr. Wilkes has served as council president, police commissioner, a member of the Finance Committee, as well as liaison to the Traffic and Transportation Committee, Human Services Commission, Recreation Board, Shade Tree Commission and Sewer Operating Committee. He is also involved in Princeton Future, a community based think tank that envisions creative possibilities for the community.
Committeewoman Liz Lempert is also seeking the mayor’s seat. Both are seeking the endorsement of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization later this month.

