By Anne Levin
Princeton Council launched 2026 with two meetings — the annual reorganization session on January 7, followed by a brief regular meeting on January 12.
At the first gathering, Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros was unanimously voted in as new president after having been nominated by outgoing president Mia Sacks. Seconding that nomination was Councilwoman Leticia Fraga, who announced she will not run for reelection when her current term expires. Fraga will have been a member of Council for nine years when her term ends at the end of 2026.
Having run unopposed in the November 2025 election, incumbents Sacks and Lambros took the oath of office during the meeting, sworn in by State Sen. Andrew Zwicker. Councilmembers and Mayor Mark Freda had an opportunity to speak about their goals for the coming year.
Lambros, who is in her seventh year on the governing body, said that growing up in Princeton, she didn’t realize it was a community with so much history.
“Princeton wasn’t just nearby when history happened,” she said. “It was where history was made.” She also stressed the importance of local government, and added she is particularly excited about the renovation and redevelopment of Community Park South.
Fraga said she remains committed to “a meaningful and productive year for our community, and there is a lot we can accomplish even in just one year.” Councilman Brian McDonald said two recurring themes he hears from residents are getting more services and reducing taxes.
Councilman Leighton Newlin said the recently passed ordinance regulating short-term rentals was one of the most important actions taken in 2025. “In doing this, we didn’t just regulate housing,” he said. “We claimed our future. We affirmed that quality of life matters, stability matters, and neighborhoods are meant to be lived in, not cycled through.”
Sacks said her focus on smart growth will continue, revitalizing underutilized sites, supporting local businesses, expanding housing opportunities, and reducing pressure on open space. She also stressed the importance of planning ahead for climate resilience.
Councilman David Cohen said that while Princeton has changed physically since he moved to the town 39 years ago, its “caring and compassionate, inclusive, down-to-earth character” remains. “Preserving our little island of sanity feels especially important and especially challenging in light of what is going on in the world around us. Please join me in this important work.”
Freda remarked that he is in his sixth year as mayor, “and I still love it.” He noted that the entire board of Mercer County Commissioners was on hand for the meeting, along with Zwicker and Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello. He said the re-envisioning of the former Westminster Choir College campus is a priority for the new year.
The January 12 meeting included a report by Sarah Lewis Smith of the consultants Smith and Manning on the ongoing project to rename the free bus that travels the existing local route, and the new, express route that goes between the Dinky station and the Princeton Shopping Center. The goal, Smith said, was to make the idea of riding the bus fun, and friendlier to families.
A public survey resulted in the name “Princeton Loop” as the name for the new route. Presented with two options for a logo — one of a frog with the tagline “Hop on, it’s free,” the other of a black squirrel — Councilmembers settled on their preference for the frog.
Among the resolutions passed was one extending a services agreement with Sustainable Princeton for an amount not to exceed $150,000. McDonald praised the nonprofit for taking the lead on the municipality’s Climate Action Plan. “I’m delighted that this relationship continues,” he said.
Newlin thanked them for doing their work “with equity in mind across the board. We will be introducing the Equity Tool Kit, and you are very much the North Star,” he said. “We would hope we will be looking toward the things that you do when implementing it.”
The next meeting of Council is Monday, January 26 at 7 p.m.