Role of Princeton Transition Team Not Clear

There are still questions about the role of the Transition Task Force in the consolidation of the two Princetons.

The Transition Task Force (TTF) is charged with implementing municipal consolidation between Princeton Borough and Princeton Township by Jan. 1, 2013, following November's vote in favor of consolidation. 

But the process began nearly two years months ago when the Joint Shared Services and Consolidation Commission began outlining a plan—and ultimately produced a thick report—on how to merge the two governments.

Commission members addressed some of the uncertainty at a meeting on Tuesday.

“I think there has been some confusion as to whether the Task Force can reinvent the wheel and not follow the recommendations of the (Consolidation Commission’s) report,” Township Mayor Chad Goerner said. Goerner is a member of both the Consolidation Commission and the TTF.  

Goerner said he thinks the TTF's job is to implement the Commission's report, albeit with additional savings and/or operational efficiencies that make sense.

He thinks a recent letter to the editor published in Town Topics from Borough Councilor Roger Martindell did not help clarify matters.

In the letter, Martindell says the TTF has an opportunity to do more than smooth the way to consolidation.

“It has the chance to re-invent how Princeton delivers municipal services,” Martindell wrote. “...If consolidation were only a question of mechanically joining together two governments (e.g., who will become the new Police Chief), the Task Force would not be needed.”

Township Committee member Bernie Miller said he found the Martindell's letter "odd" and said the Commission never once mentioned 'reinventing government' in its report.

“I think the Transition Team is trying to figure out what its task is and I don’t think the letter was helpful,” he said.

But Anthon Lahnston, who chairs the Consolidation Commission, disagreed.

“I think one of the intentions of the letter was to look at the opportunities,” he said. “I think that the TTF is tasked with looking at the opportunities available beyond just the road map, that’s what I took away from it. Not being a mayor or a councilman, I found it (the letter) somewhat enlightening,” Lahnston said.