Princeton Council Candidates: Niedergang And Williamson

PRINCETON, NJ — Democrats Eve Niedergang and Dwaine Williamson are among the three candidates running for election in the contested Princeton Council race being held on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

There are three candidates vying for two, three-year seats on the council with candidates including: Democrats Dwaine Williamson and Eve Niedergang and Republican Lishian "Lisa" Wu.

Eve Niedergang

Description:

I moved to Princeton in 1985 to pursue graduate work at Princeton University and earned a Master Degree in Middle Eastern history. My husband, Andy Weiss, and I fell in love with the town and decided to stay. Our two children attended Princeton Public Schools from K-12.

Professionally, I’ve worked at ETS and then as an educational testing consultant. Since 2016, I have been the volunteer coordinator at the Watershed Institute (formerly the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association).

In the 25-plus years I’ve lived in Princeton, I’ve served as co-president of the Riverside Elementary School PTO, where I made equity a priority and fundraised to ensure that every student could participate in all activities. At the Friends of the Princeton Public Library, I established the Used Bookstore and transformed the Friends Book Sale into a major funding source for the library, increasing revenue by more than $100,000 annually.

At the Watershed Institute, I’ve greatly improved volunteer training and tripled the number of volunteers in less than two years. My work at the Watershed reflects my long-standing commitment to environmental sustainability. I’ve been involved with the Princeton Community Democratic Organization for more than a decade and been elected to the Executive Board three times. I’ve served as the District 18 Democratic
committeewoman since 2014. I currently mentor a PHS junior who will be the first in her family to go to college.

Why are you running?

I’m running because I believe that I can make a difference and because I see serving in government as a continuation of the work I’ve done in the schools, with the Princeton Public Library, and with the local Democrats – all part of my effort to make the lives of people here in Princeton richer and better.

My fellow Democrat Dwaine Williamson and I are running together with the campaign slogan “A Princeton for All” because we truly want to work for a Princeton that will be welcoming, inclusive, and affordable for a wide variety of people. We want to ensure that all voices are heard as decisions are made on the critical issues facing our community.

What experience do you have that would help you serve?

I’ve spent much of my professional and volunteer life helping people work together to solve problems and I want to continue that approach on council. If elected, I will bring my experience as a committed and involved leader and volunteer to the council. Those who have worked with me will attest to my collaborative, inclusive work style that values all input and seeks to find and implement the best solutions for all. Through my long involvement with local politics I believe that I know the key issues that are facing our town and will be able to work with the rest of Council and local community leaders to address these issues.

What issues would you like to see addressed if elected?

1. Ensuring fiscal responsibility for our municipal budget by being prudent stewards over our public spending to hold down property taxes,
2. Working towards keeping Princeton affordable since people from all backgrounds and long-time residents and newcomers alike should be able to share in the many advantages of living in our community,
3. Fostering a more welcoming and inclusive community,
4. Providing thoughtful solutions to sustainable growth and preserving a vibrant Princeton that is attractive to businesses and residents and,
5. Addressing the issue of climate change and sustainability and the preservation of our open spaces and environment.

Dwaine Williamson

I am an attorney who graduated Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service and Rutgers Law School with a Juris Doctor. I have lived in Princeton for 20 years with my wife and three children. All three children are products of Princeton Public Schools.

Why are you running?

I have always supported progressive values in Princeton. Until announcing my candidacy, I served as First Vice President of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization. Now that both the only attorney and only African-American on Council, Heather Howard and Lance Liverman, respectively, are stepping down, I felt it was my duty to run to fill this void.

What experience do you have that would help you serving?

I serve on Princeton Planning Board where I chair the Zoning Amendment Review Committee. I also represent District 22 in Princeton as a Committeeman for the Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee.

What issues would you like to see addressed if elected?

1. Ensuring fiscal responsibility for our municipal budget by being prudent stewards over our public spending to hold down property taxes,
2. Working towards keeping Princeton affordable since people from all backgrounds and long-time residents and newcomers alike should be able to share in the many advantages of living in our community,
3. Fostering a more welcoming and inclusive community and,
4. Providing thoughtful solutions to sustainable growth and preserving a vibrant Princeton that is attractive to businesses and residents.

— (If you are a candidate and would like to participate in the profile, please email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com)

(Image provided: Eve Niedergang and Dwaine Williamson)

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