PRINCETON: 3 selected for new leadership jobs

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
   Three veteran municipal employees will likely run the finance, engineering and newly named infrastructure and operations departments of the merged Princeton starting in January, borough and township officials agreed Monday.
   Township Engineer Robert V. Kiser will have the same job overseeing a staff of about 25 people.
   Sandra Webb, the borough’s deputy administrator, chief financial officer and tax collector, will be chief financial officer.
   And Robert A. Hough, the manager of the sewer operating committee, will be the director of the infrastructure and operations.
   These and all other job recommendations still need to be approved by the governing body that takes office in January.
   Borough Councilwoman Jo Butler, who sat on a subcommittee that made the recommendations at a joint meeting of both governing bodies Monday, said on Tuesday that she likes the team of upper-level staff officials have assembled. She said the two towns have good people working for them, as officials did not consider looking outside the current municipal workforce to fill the positions.
   Mr. Kiser has worked for the township for the past 29 years. Prior to that, he was the city engineer for Easton, Pa.
   In this role, he will oversee a department responsible for planning, zoning, historic preservation and building department. Aside from the road and other projects, Kiser will be responsible for overseeing the renovations to Borough Hall and the Township municipal building to provide space for the municipal workforce.
   Mr. Kiser, discussing the appointment in a phone interview Tuesday, said he looked forward to the challenge. He also expressed gratitude to officials for giving him the opportunity.
   Current Borough engineer Jack West will stay on as the land use engineer, Mr. Kiser said. A subcommittee of borough and township officials worked to finalize recommendations for high-level administrators for the municipality.
   ”I think we’re going to have a great organization,” said Ms. Webb in a phone interview.
   She has spent the past 12 ½ years working for the borough, having worked previously for East Windsor and Lawrence townships and the state Department of Community Affairs.
   Mr. Hough will lead a newly named infrastructure and operations department that blends the two town’s public works departments. The department is also responsible for the sanitary sewer operation and the parking utility.
   These three choices wrapped up the senior-level positions that officials needed to fill. They already have chosen an administrator, deputy administrator and police chief for the merged town.