By Anne Levin
Following a public hearing at its meeting on Monday night, Princeton Council approved a budget of $483,597 for the 2026-27 Special Improvement District, also known as Experience Princeton.
Robin Lapidus, Experience Princeton’s executive director, told Council that highlights of the budget include more staff for the SID “so that I’m not a one-woman show,” and that she hopes to make the organization more visible, “more storefront.”
“Overall our major goals are to provide more unity for the various SID districts we represent — more wayfinding, more umbrella marketing, and more acknowledgement of the incredible entrepreneurs that we have,” she said.
Lapidus introduced Experience Princeton’s new officers, who are Michael Monarca, president; Raoul Momo, vice president; Kristin Appelget, secretary; and Lori Rabon, treasurer. Martin Miller is a new board member.
Among the resolutions approved by Council was the hiring of USA Architects for a retrofit study for various buildings on the former campus of Westminster Choir College, which the town acquired in April 2025. A memo to Council by Municipal Engineer Deanna Stockton, in the agenda packet for the meeting, said “the space requirements for relocating municipal functions from the structures at Monument Hall and the Suzanne Patterson Building” were under consideration.
Earlier in the meeting, Councilwoman Mia Sacks sought to reassure members of the public from whom she had received phone calls expressing concerns that the repurposing of the 22-acre site was proceeding without sufficient opportunity for public comment.
“I want to remind people of where we are in the process, which is phase 2, exploring design alternatives,” she said. “What is being proposed tonight is to evaluate the adaptive reuse of the buildings. There are a lot of moving parts in this project.”
There will be future opportunities for the public to weigh in once more is known about the financial aspects of the project, Sacks said, adding that the priorities for the site remain “municipal staff, school district facilities, and of course our beloved arts and cultural institutions.”
Among the other resolutions Council
voted to authorize was a memorandum of understanding between Princeton and Mercer County for engineering improvements at the intersection of Elm and Rosedale roads. Ordinances related to capital improvements and sewer improvements were also approved.
Council honored former Councilman Lance Liverman with a special proclamation for his years of service to the community. Introducing the proclamation, Councilman Leighton Newlin said of Liverman, “I call him Sir. He is someone who takes the motto being my brother or my sister’s keeper very seriously. Everything he’s done, touched, or been about has been about unselfishness.”
The governing body also read a proclamation honoring Captain William Shields for his 55 years of service with the Princeton Fire
Department.
Council President Michelle Pirone Lambros reported that Experience Princeton will host a presentation of the recent proposal regarding parking fees at Princeton Public Library on July 15 at 8 a.m.
The next meeting of Council is on Monday, July 13 at 7 p.m.