PRINCETON: Councilwoman says mayor in conflict over payment

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
   A Princeton councilwoman raised concerns Monday about Mayor Liz Lempert’s role in negotiating a nearly $2.5 million voluntary contribution to the municipality from Princeton University given that Ms. Lempert is married to a university professor.
   Councilwoman Jo S. Butler, saying Ms. Lempert had a conflict of interest, expressed those concerns as the council was considering approving the deal. Council ultimately voted 4-0 in favor, with Ms. Butler abstaining and Councilwoman Heather H. Howard recusing herself because she works for the school.
   The university is providing the town $2.475 million, the combined amount of what it gave the borough and the township in 2012.The money, due to be paid in two installments, is the school’s way to support the municipality in which it is a major landholder of mostly tax-exempt properties.
   More recently, Princeton has said it would look to negotiate a long-term agreement with the municipality after its next president comes on board. Current President Shirley M. Tilghman will retire at the end of June.
   The agreement also says the university reaffirms its pledge to give at least $300,000 to the “expected” expansion of the Witherspoon Street firehouse, and will give $20,000 to the Princeton Fire Department this year.
   Ms. Lempert, whose husband, Ken Norman, is a tenured member of the psychology department, addressed the issue of a having conflict with the university when running for mayor last year. She indicated at the time that she would decide when to recuse herself from university related issues on a case-by-case basis.
   In 2011, as a member of the Township Committee, she did not vote on approving the re-zoning for the university’s arts and transit project because of her husband’s employment. But as a mayoral candidate, she listed among her accomplishment helping to negotiate a first-ever $500,000 contribution from the university to the township in 2011. She voted in 2011 and again in 2012 to approve contribution agreements with the university, records show.
   Although Ms. Lempert did not have to vote Monday to approve this year’s deal, she did not completely recuse herself from the issue either. She is the signatory of the contract on behalf of the town, and she had been in contact with top university officials on the matter.
   ”We indicated to Mayor Lempert — myself and (university vice president and secretary) Bob Durkee — that we were willing to move forward with that contribution for 2013, and she indicated that she would have the documents put together to put in front of you for your vote,” Kristin Appelget, director of community and regional affairs at the university, told the Council Monday.
   When asked by Ms. Butler about whether she would recuse herself, Ms. Lempert replied that she had received legal advice from town attorney Edwin W. Schmierer. When she did not elaborate on what he had said, Mr. Schmierer said he had spoken to Ms. Lempert and that she would not be voting on the agreement — “so she’s effectively abstaining from participating other than introducing the topic.”
   Ms. Butler felt the answer did not resolve the matter, although Council President Bernard P. Miller, an ally of Ms. Lempert, scolded Ms. Butler for trying to make headlines for herself by raising the issue.
   ”I don’t need to make a scene to get my name in the paper, truly,” she said in reply. Feeling there was an ethics violations, she abstained from the vote.
   Earlier, she sought to reassure Ms. Lempert that there was no animus on her part.
   ”Your character is beyond reproach, it’s impeccable,” Ms. Butler told the mayor. “It’s not a personal issue, but I do feel quite strongly that there’s a conflict of interest involved in the negotiation with the university. I think it’s something we need to address now. This isn’t the last time this will come up.”
   ”This is a carry-over from last year, and it was agreed to last year,” Ms. Lempert said. “It was a verbal agreement made last year.”
   Ms. Butler said that Borough Council last year had not agreed to the financial terms for the 2013 contribution. She recalled there was only a one-year agreement with the university. As the talking went on, Councilman Lance Liverman pressed for a vote.
   ”I think enough discussion has been done,” he said.