By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
ROBBINSVILLE — Council President Ron Witt said last week that the governing body anticipates choosing the interim replacement for former Councilman Rich Levesque at its Aug. 23 meeting.
Mr. Levesque, who submitted a letter of resignation last week because he is moving to the Hopewell area, had three years left on his term. The Township Council has 30 days to pick someone to fill his seat temporarily until voters elect a candidate Nov. 6 to serve the remainder of Mr. Levesque’s unexpired term.
Under the township’s nonpartisan form of government, residents who would like to run for office first must collect the signatures of 79 registered Robbinsville voters on nominating petitions. The nominating petitions must be returned to the municipal clerk by 4 p.m. Sept. 4.
The interim replacement chosen by the council also has the option of running for the remainder of Mr. Levesque’s unexpired term in the Nov. 6 election.
Nominating petitions and associated paperwork can be obtained by calling Municipal Clerk Michele Seigfried at 918-0002.
Mr. Levesque, who is also the chairman of the Mercer County Republican Party, bid farewell to his council colleagues at the July 26 council meeting.
”I want to thank everybody for the support that they’ve given me over the past few years, and I look forward to working with you folks in the future, obviously in a different capacity,” Mr. Levesque said, adding Robbinsville “is in good hands.”
”I want to thank Rich for his dedicated service,” Mayor David Fried said in a statement Friday. “Everyone at the township wishes him and his family all the best as they begin a new chapter of their lives.”
Mr. Levesque joined the council in September 2008 when he was picked to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of then-Councilman Tim McGough. Mayor Dave Fried cast the tie-breaking vote for his appointment because the council was split 2-2 between Mr. Levesque and Jim Guididas, now a Planning Board member.
Two months later, voters elected Mr. Levesque in the general election to serve the remainder of Mr. McGough’s unexpired term. Mr. Levesque was re-elected to a new four-year term in 2011.
Mr. Levesque’s resignation also leaves a vacancy on the Planning Board where he was the council’s designated representative. The Township Council will have to select another one of its members to serve on the Planning Board.

