Reelected Members Sworn In, New Princeton Council President Elected

PRINCETON, NJ – Councilwomen Mia Sacks and Michelle Pirone Lambros took their oath of office during Thursday’s reorganization meeting.

Sacks and Pirone Lambros ran for reelection unopposed in the November 2022 election.

Sen. Andrew Zwicker administered the oath of office to Sacks and Pirone Lambros.

Sacks was then elected as the new council president. Assemblywoman Sadaf Jaffer administered the oath of office to Sacks. She will be replacing Leticia Fraga.

Meanwhile, Fraga and David Cohen announced they would seek reelection.

During the reorganization meeting, Mayor Mark Freda highlighted the various achievements of the Municipality. He thanked the very “knowledgeable, professional” municipal staff, saying what they accomplish on a daily basis was amazing.

The mayor noted the high level of engagement from the community last year. “Personally, I enjoy the face-to-face discussions, the email exchanges, text messages, getting stopped at the grocery store... but what is really striking to me is the ability to have open and honest discussions on so many topics,” Freda said.

“Part of the role of an elected official is not to try to guess what you want to hear, versus giving you factual and accurate information to help you with your decision process.”

In her comments to the community, Sacks said serving on the Princeton Council has been a challenging and rewarding experience.

“Planning for our town’s future will continue to be my primary focus. As Council’s representative on the Princeton Planning Board and its Master Plan Steering Committee, I am working to ensure that the town’s Master Plan accurately reflects residents' core values and provides a much-needed guide to navigating the impact of growth in Princeton and surrounding towns,” Sacks said.

Repairing Princeton’s sanitary sewer system, expanding stormwater infrastructure and creating stormwater utility are the top priorities for the Council this year, Sacks said.

The councilwoman said the Council was committed in eliminating exclusionary zoning and housing patterns that prevent lower-income and communities of color from residing in safe neighborhoods.

Outgoing Council President Fraga announced she will be running for reelection. “I’m hopeful that I will have the opportunity to continue helping our community maintain the positive direction it is headed in,” Fraga said. “We have accomplished a lot over the past several years. We have made a lot of improvements, but we certainly have more to do.”

Councilman David Cohen thanked community members who worked with him over the years to bring positive change to Princeton and why changes seem to happen at a slow pace.

Eve Niedergang spoke about how small policies like the gas leaf blower restrictions, can bring bigger changes to the community at a time when climate change is disrupting ecosystems. “Education lies at the root of what we want to do as a council and as a community. Change is very difficult for people and it requires a lot of patience and a lot of explanation,” Niedergang said.

Pirone Lambros said one of the concerns she has is addressing affordability in Princeton, that’s causing the "evaporation of socio-economic diversity." “I’ve really been focused on driving economic development because I believe these two goals are synergistic. It makes financial sense as the health of our commercial tax base is critical to offset our residential tax burden,” she said.

“We need ways to incentivize smart growth without increasing the burden on our taxpayers.”

Councilman Leighton Newlin said inclusivity, diversity and accessibility, equity and social justice continue to be a focus for him. “They set the framework and foundation for building community for all.” He thanked the various committee and board members for working with Council to lay the framework for Princeton's bright future.

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