Edwin Schmierer Named Conflict of Interest Attorney

Princeton Council on Monday agreed to name Edwin Schmierer as its conflict of interest attorney.

Schmierer, Princeton's municipal attorney, was recommended to Council by a vote of 2-1 from the personnel committee, Mayor Liz Lempert said prior to the meeting.

Lempert would not say which of the three members dissented from the vote, only that the three members of the subcommittee are herself and Council Members Lance Liverman and Jo Butler. 

Council passed a conflict of interest policy last month. 

Much of the debate surrounding Princeton's conflict of interest policy focused on Lempert herself. Her husband, Kenneth Norman, is an associate professor of psychology at Princeton University, sparking questions about whether Lempert should recuse herself on all matters relating to the University. 

I don’t think I should recuse myself from everything," Lempert said. "I’ve been told by Ed (Schmierer) and lots of other people that I don’t need to."

She said a conflict of interest may arise in different ways: based on an official's relationship to the organization or relating to a specific decision. 

For example, a University project that affects the street on which a Council member lives might be considered a conflict of interest, but negotiating a Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) from the University that affects all taxpayers in town may not be. 

"With PILOTS, personally I don't see a conflict, but I'm open to whatever the legal advice is," Lempert said. "I feel like I financially benefit from the University contribution just like all the other taxpayers do and that's what I care about most."

She said plenty of other Princeton officials have historically had ties to Princeton University and successfully navigated conflict of interest questions.