The Town of Princeton is 10 days into the second year of its new configuration and can look back on its first year with a solid sense of accomplishment.
For the most part, the public continues to be served well and governmental departments are functioning well.
As pointed out by Mayor Liz Lempert, taxes did not go up. Instead, something practically unheard of these days, they went down.
A previously strained relationship between the town and Princeton University became somewhat more cordial with the selection of a new university president who paid a courtesy call to the Princeton Council.
But there are still issues to be faced this year.
Primary among them is the Police Department and its leadership.
Its former chief was practically forced out by the police union over allegations of administrative misconduct, the timing of which was suspicious. Nonetheless, he was gone most of the year and the department has been led by the senior officer on the force.
This is a situation that can’t be unaddressed much longer. A study of the department conducted by former law enforcement officials has recommended that a new police chief be hired, rather than having the department run by a civilian administrator. But they didn’t address the internal situation within the department, something else that needs to be rectified.
The town will also need to hire a new administrator if the current one retires as planned.
So, congratulations for 2013 and good luck in 2014.
