Democrat takes spot vacated by Dumont
by James McEvoy, Managing Editor
HAMILTON — Nina Melker has been tapped to be the final Democratic candidate for Township Council.
Ms. Melker was selected at a convention last week, according to Gil Lugossy, Democratic committee chairman. She was the only nominee at the June 26 convention.
Ms. Melker takes the spot vacated by Robynn Dumont, who appeared on last month’s primary ballot as Democratic candidate for Township Council.
Ms. Dumont previously withdrew from the race after being accused of allegedly transferring nearly $700,000 from an elderly client suffering from dementia.
Ms. Dumont was named in civil and criminal complaints alleging the theft. She previously released a statement denying the accusations.
Ms. Melker joins Democrats Daniel Keelan and Joseph Santo who will challenge Republican council incumbents Edward Gore, David Kenny and Dennis Pone this November.
In addition, Democrat Tennille McCoy will challenge Republican incumbent Ileana Schirmer for a two-year unexpired term that resulted from Ms. Schirmer’s appointment to council after then-Councilwoman Kelly A. Yaede became mayor of the township.
Mayor Yaede will run against Democratic challenger Barbara Plumeri.
Mr. Lugossy said he’s known Ms. Melker, who currently works for Hopewell Valley Bank, for years, going back to his service on the board of directors for the Yardville National Bank.
He described Ms. Melker as a people person with extensive experience with businesses and nonprofit organizations.
”I think she’s an exciting candidate,” he said. “She has boundless energy.”
He said he believes her previous experience will enable her to serve effectively on the Township Council should she be elected.
”I think she will be very responsive to the needs and concerns of not only people in the business world, but taxpayers and residents of Hamilton Township,” he said.
Like Mr. Lugossy, Ms. Melker said she looks forward to combined experiences with small businesses and nonprofit organizations.
”I feel that has allowed me really to get to know what the business community’s needs are, what they want and because of my financial background that gives me good knowledge of finance, budgets and things like that,” she said.
Ms. Melker is the president of the Hamilton Township Education Foundation, treasurer of the Hamilton YMCA, chair of Mercer County Community College Foundation and vice chair of the Robert Wood Johnson Hamilton Foundation.