PRINCETON:Bernie Miller announces council candidacy

By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
   Township committeeman and former mayor Bernie Miller is entering the race for a council seat of the new consolidated borough government.
   He chose council because he feels that is where the heavy lifting is done.
   ”I think there are two outstanding candidates that have announced for mayor,” he said. “There are sufficient, excellent candidates that have announced and made themselves available.
   ”In the borough form of government I hope to accomplish more on the council. As I see the role of mayor in the borough form of government, the mayor is essentially the spokesperson for the community and provides leadership as the executive. The council is the legislative body and the legislative body has the responsibility for initiating and passing the legislation that will effect the community. While the individual members of council don’t have the prominence of the mayor, they are just as important, if not more important than the mayor in the borough form of government.”
   For him, the consolidation is just the beginning of the work that needs to be done.”I have arrived at this decision because I believe that the successful campaign to unite Princeton was not a culmination but a beginning. Much remains to be done during the next few years to carry forth the work of the Consolidation Commission in order to ensure that our community can realize the benefits of consolidation,” he wrote in a letter announcing his intentions. “In addition, during the last few years we have built a vastly improved working relationship with Princeton University. It is important to make certain that the new Princeton Council continues to build on that relationship for the betterment of the community.”
   Mr. Miller, a Princeton resident for 55 years, has a long history of public service in Princeton Township, including township committeeman, deputy mayor and mayor, Consolidation Study Commission and Transition Task Force.
   He is hoping for the endorsement of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization later this month. The deadline for a candidate to announce their intentions to seek endorsement is March 11.