To the Editor:

I virtually attended the January 22 public meeting of Princeton Council and like many others asked the question of the evening: Why not wait a month or so to formally assess the proposed ordinance and gain input from the town? [“Council Approves Consolidation of Board, Commissions,” January 24, page 1.]

In reply, our elected officials diverted the discussion by rationalizing and insisting on an immediate vote — protesting that their only mistake was a glitch in the “roll out”; that Princeton had a reputation for talking too much and not acting (I would think that particular cliché referred to the town governance rather than the people in general); and, critically, that “the situation” — apparently a vast complex of coordination and communication problems inhibiting Princeton’s ability to help its people — was so dire that something had to be done immediately.  more

To the Editor:

Am I the only resident in Princeton who thinks the new curbside trash collection arrangement is a disaster? While I’ll admit that the process is efficient — the truck zips up and down our street in record time (but safely) — the limited items that can fit in the can are absurd. I’m not talking about a piece of furniture or a refrigerator — how about any household item simply a bit too big to fit in the opening of the single allocated trash can? And don’t get me started on what to do after a spring cleaning or a family gathering and you have a few extra bags of trash. I’ve actually called neighbors to ask if they had any room in their trash can. What do other residents do?

I have a growing pile of “trash” in my garage that I should be able to dispose of at my curb. But I can’t. I’ve already had a request for a bulk pickup rejected. I hate to come back to this, but for what we pay in taxes in this town I should be able to throw stuff out.

Bob Rabner
Christopher Drive

To the Editor:

Last May, there was a flurry of letters in Town Topics in which residents complained about how difficult it was to get reliable cellphone service in parts of Princeton. The mayor and Council held a special meeting with various providers to see if new towers could be built.

About seven weeks ago, I read in the Municipality of Princeton newsletter (December 14, 2023) that four new cell towers are in the planning stage to be erected in four different neighborhoods in Princeton. I am concerned that the risks involved in improving cell service may be greater than is perceived.  more

To the Editor:

Regarding “Council Approves Consolidation of Board, Commissions” [January 24, page 1], the word “oligarchy” comes to mind: “Rule of the few; a form of power structure in which power rests with a small number of people. These people might be distinguished by nobility, wealth, family ties, education or corporate, religious, or military control.”

Hmmm. But hey, perhaps some of the current members of Council would like to step down to create more efficiency and enhance the group’s overall effectiveness.

Ellen Gilbert
Stuart Road East

To the Editor:

On Monday, January 22, after over two hours of public comment, virtually all of which objected to the proposal to consolidate the Human Services Commission, the Affordable Housing Board, and the Civil Rights Commission, Princeton Council voted for consolidation. There were plenty of apologies from Council members about the manner in which this proposal came about, that is, with zero consultation with current commission and board members and none with the public. 

I was taught that apologies without change in behavior are meaningless. Not only did Council ignore pleas to pause the process so that consultation could take place, but they gave a demonstration of slipshod decision making in their adoption of two amendments to the proposal before comment began, a questionable process. more

To the Editor:

It is with great enthusiasm and a deep sense of commitment that I announce my candidacy for reelection as a member of Princeton Council.

Over the past two years, it has been a true privilege and honor to serve the residents of Princeton. Together, we have worked towards building a world-class town that values diversity, cares for its residents, and addresses critical issues in infrastructure, housing, affordability, human/social services, transportation, public safety, art, and culture. more

To the Editor:

What sounds better than efficiency? If words were candy, efficiency would be a big gumdrop. Apparently in the name of efficiency, our leaders are consolidating three distinct, distinctive long-standing groups (the Civil Rights Commission, the Affordable Housing Board, and the Human Services Commission). It does sound efficient. But efficient how? Will it bind “the kind of people” who care about banalities like justice, dignity, affordable housing, civil rights, and human services for the vulnerable into one happy, undoubtedly efficient, committee?

Efficiency may be critical to profitability. But government is about democracy, and the beauty of local government is about having one’s voice heard, even if it is an inefficient process. more

To the Editor:

Since 2018, I have served as Council liaison to both the Civil Rights Commission (CRC) and the Human Services Commission (HSC). I would like to explain the proposal to combine these committees with Affordable Housing to create a new consolidated committee. 

Before being elected to Council, and while serving on the HSC, I was instrumental in creating the CRC as, what we hoped, would be a vehicle for social justice and racial equity. We faced persistent challenges in housing, employment, and quality of life that disproportionately affected our communities of color and threatened the diversity of our town. I believed that a CRC could help to address these issues. After more than three years working collaboratively with others, the ordinance establishing the CRC was adopted on October 24, 2016. I was proud and honored to serve as the Commission’s first chair beginning in January of 2017. more

To the Editor:

As someone with experience working with the Municipality of Princeton’s Civil Rights Commission, both in the capacity of formerly chairing the municipal Youth Advisory Committee and serving as a board member for Not in Our Town Princeton, I understand the importance of the Civil Rights Commission’s contributions to local justice-oriented efforts. On January 8, the municipality introduced Ordinance #2024-01, which seeks to consolidate the Civil Rights Commission, the Human Services Commission, and the Affordable Housing Board into a Community Services Advisory Committee.  more

To the Editor:

The board of Not in Our Town Princeton (NIOT) strongly opposes Council’s proposed ordinance to merge the Civil Rights Commission (CRC) with the Affordable Housing Board and the Human Services Commission. We urge Council to withdraw this proposal, or at minimum, postpone the vote in order to allow for discussion with the three bodies and input from the public. 

NIOT is a multi-racial, multi-faith group of individuals who stand together for racial justice and inclusive communities. Our focus is to identify and expose the political, economic, and cultural systems that have enabled white supremacy to flourish, and to create new structures and policies which will ensure equity and inclusion for all.   more

To the Editor:

On behalf of Princeton Community Housing (PCH), we are writing to express our gratitude to our partners and friends at McCarter Theatre and the Princeton Symphony Orchestra who donated tickets to their wonderful holiday performances last month so our residents could participate in these favorite traditions.

Fortunately for us and the larger Princeton region, we not only benefit from the cultural contributions of top-notch arts organizations, we, as mission-driven nonprofits, share a mutual commitment to inclusion and ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive in a diverse and welcoming community. Connecting our residents to the many resources available in Princeton is what we call the “PCH Difference,” and this collaboration is just one of the many ways we strive to weave our community together. more

To the Editor:

Serving on Princeton Council as an elected official is not easy. Many times, you are asked to make decisions that personally affect your constituents. In this latest Council decision to eliminate the Human Services Commission, Affordable Housing Board, and the Civil Rights Commission, it appears this Council does not want to listen to their constituents.

I served for 15 years as a Councilperson in the town of Princeton. I have served many years on the Human Services Commission, Affordable Housing Board, and Civil Rights Commission. These boards serve and protect the residents that are the most vulnerable in our town. The decision to eliminate them and condense them into a single Community Services Advisory Committee is a true mistake. Just the elimination of the names will decrease residents’ awareness of where to go when confronted with any of these issues. more

To the Editor:

The large chimney at the back of the Valley Road School site has become a major roosting location for a large population of chimney swifts. Several thousand of the birds gather as a massive flock in the sky just before dusk in late August through to early October. They circle while calling vociferously for around half an hour and then slowly pour into the chimney where they spend the night. It is a remarkable sight, not least because chimney swift numbers are declining, and they are globally classified as near-threatened by IUCN.  Mercifully, they are fully protected in the U.S. by the Migratory Bird Act.  Legally this means that nothing can be done that might jeopardize their survival and persistence.  Any attempt to modify the structure of the chimney would legally be classified as jeopardy. more

To the Editor:

One of the sweetest, kindest, most generous, affable Princetonians moved back with the angels. The ramifications and influence that Judith Scheide had on me and so many other souls are geometric.

Judy was an educator, activist, and philanthropist. She impacted thousands of persons with disabilities and their families. Four years ago, Judy challenged our nonprofit with a $100,000 matching donation. She made this gift to Community Options and today we continually leverage these funds in support of the organization’s mission.  more

To the Editor:

Thinking about the November elections? Now is the time to get involved!

As former members of Princeton Council and as past presidents of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization, we feel strongly that competitive elections result in more transparency, accountability, and diversity among the elected officials and more engagement on the part of residents. This year could prove to be a critical year for our democracy, so we are reintroducing a time-honored tradition of the local Democratic party in support of those ideals. There will be two Council seats and the mayor’s position on the ballot in the June primary and the November general election. We created a webpage, princetondemocrats.com, that outlines the important steps and dates for seeking office. We would be happy to have confidential conversations with anyone who is interested in running for office to provide guidance and support or to answer any questions you may have.

Congressman Andy Kim was in town recently to speak to Princeton Democrats, and he spoke movingly about his realization that if he was upset about the direction of his community, he needed to run for office to be the change he wanted to see. Whether it is for this year or another, it is the right time to get involved.

Whatever your level of interest, we are eager to hear from you. By email, jo.butler@verizon.net or jenny@crumiller.com.

Jo Butler
Hibben Road

Jenny Crumilller
Library Place

To the Editor:

As a member of the Princeton Affordable Housing Board, I am dismayed and troubled by the proposed elimination of three key municipal Boards and Commissions (BCCs) that for decades have been vehicles for civic engagement and citizen participation and contributed to improving the lives of our most underserved residents: the Human Services Commission, the Affordable Housing Board, and the Civil Rights Commission.

That this proposal (Ordinance 2024-01 introduced by Council on Monday, January 8, 2024) was brought out, literally, under the wire without notice or input from the members of the groups in question, or the public in general, make its motives suspect and undermine the lofty language of the ordinance. I urge the mayor and Council to tread carefully before proceeding. This initiative could lead to increasing social tensions, more adversarial relations between municipal government and the public, and further isolation of our most vulnerable residents. more

To the Editor:

We have been residents of Princeton since 1986 and both our children went to Community Park, the Middle School, and Princeton High School (PHS).

We witnessed the expansion of PHS that was complicated and way over budget. We need construction and development expertise to oversee the process now from bidding and contract negotiations all through the construction to make sure that the budgets are solid. more

To the Editor:

After my wife passed several years ago, I moved from New Hampshire to Princeton to be near my daughter’s family. On New Year’s Eve in Portsmouth, NH, my wife, and I regularly attended First Night and concerts by the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra. Portsmouth is a wonderful town, and we greatly enjoyed the experience.

When I moved to Princeton, I was greatly impressed with the number of cultural events available here. Therefore, I anticipated a wonderful New Year’s Eve. I was surprised to find that almost no public events took place. That is too bad, because the New Year offers us the opportunity to take stock of our lives and join with others in plans for a better future.

Such New Year events need not take place on a grand scale. No First Nights which require extensive organization. No symphony concerts with full orchestras. Perhaps just chamber music in a local church. I think the Princeton I have come to admire can do better.

Gary Patton
Trinity Court

To the Editor:

Thank you for the December 27 article “Town Sees Year of Change, Controversy, Progress” [December 27, page 1]. In it, the authors state “of all the contentious issues … the development of the former Tennent/Roberts/Whiteley (TRW) campus of Princeton Theological Seminary figures especially high.”

The destruction of the historic buildings on the Tennent/Roberts/Whitely campus and its redevelopment have been ongoing concerns for the surrounding neighborhood for the many years that we have been living in the shadow of an Area in Need of Redevelopment. We are now coming up on two years with construction fencing spread across the properties awaiting a collaborative process that was promised to us by the town in October 2021.  more

To the Editor:

The Westminster Community Orchestra (WCO) would like to extend its thanks to the members of the Princeton community who attended our recent holiday concert and contributed to our annual collection for area service organizations.

This year’s donations were divided between Mercer Street Friends, TASK, Arm in Arm, HomeFront, the Princeton Mobile Food Pantry, and the Rider University Food and Resource Pantry.  more

To the Editor:

One recent morning, I was walking through the resoundingly empty Westminster Choir College (WCC) campus, while listening to NPR as it detailed the desperate housing challenges faced by millions of migrants in our country.

Here is my proposal: Temporarily house some migrants in these empty dorms. Feed them in this empty Student Center. Campaign to let them work legally on the property to care for each other there, and in our town, so they can move toward affording to live on their own.

Yes, practical objections loom, and emotions run high. Believe me, I know and feel many of them. But here is a chance for our better angels to triumph.  more

To the Editor:

This December marks the 30th anniversary of Small World Coffee giving us all a place to meet, talk, work, laugh, console each other, flirt, connect, plan for a better world, and have delicious drinks and snacks. We can’t, nor would we ever want, to imagine Princeton without this precious social space, its terrific staff, and the incredible Jessica Durrie.

It’s a pleasure and a privilege to make common cause with Jessica year after year, as we think and talk together about how to keep independent businesses alive and well in Princeton. This month, meet or make a friend at Small World and wish them a very happy birthday!

Dorothea Von Moltke and Cliff Simms
Owners, Labyrinth Books
Nassau Street

Joanne Farrugia and Dean Smith
Owners, jaZams Toys and Books
Palmer Square East

To the Editor:

C-Change Conversations, a national, nonprofit climate change education group headquartered in Princeton, also attended the COP28 summit [“Princeton University Reports from COP28; Delegates Participate in Climate Summit,” page 1, December 13]. We were encouraged by the progress made, including the historic call to “transition away” from fossil fuels, the pledge of tripling renewables and doubling energy efficiency by 2030, and the commitment to significantly cutting methane emissions. We also welcomed the official recognition of the role of climate change on health and safety.

Some call the agreement an historic accomplishment, a “crossing of the Rubicon,” as the international community is finally willing to recognize officially that burning fossil fuels must be curtailed. Others lambast it as being too little, too late — insufficient because of the scope and scale of the threat we face globally. more

To the Editor:
The Princeton Environmental Commission (PEC) would like to highlight some of our accomplishments from this year:

Related to development, PEC provided essential environmental recommendations through site plan reviews and the municipal master plan process as well as revising the Green Development Checklist (GDCL). PEC reviewed six site plans and continued providing recommendations for the new master pan up to its adoption. PEC believes that the new municipal master plan is considerate of protecting our natural environment and guiding growth in a responsible, sustainable, and equitable way as well as serving as the strongest commitment to sustainability and climate resilience that Princeton has the opportunity to own, live by, and grow by.

Additionally, PEC held Green House Tour (GHT) and video events in partnership with Sustainable Princeton and the Princeton Public Library. Videos remain accessible via princetonnj.gov/1462/2023-Green-House-Tour-Videos.

Related to open space, PEC supported the initial review of the Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI) and is eager to continue supporting the ERI process. PEC believes the ERI is vital to the community and its integration in the new municipal master plan essential. Furthermore, PEC representation successfully advocated for stormwater management, which included native trees and vegetation, and maintaining a more walkable, bikeable town in the revision plans for Community Park South. more