By Anne Levin

At the most recent meeting of Princeton Council on February 12, the town’s new animal control officer was introduced. James Ferry, who started the job early this month, is just one of the people newly hired to join the municipal staff in recent months.

Change is also afoot in the town’s offices of engineering, planning, and public works. Longtime Planning Director Lee Solow announced early this month that he will retire in April. Municipal Engineer Deanna Stockton has a new assistant. And the town’s arborist Lorraine Konopka has left her post. A replacement is scheduled to be announced this week.

Ferry, who previously served with Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad and as a dispatcher with the Princeton Police Department, spent the past few months training for the animal control position. He replaces Nate Barson, who was suspended without pay after being arrested one year ago in Solebury, Pa., on charges of child sexual assault.

Since Barson’s departure, the municipality has been assisted by Montgomery Township’s animal control officer, who will continue to provide backup, Ferry told the Council.

“We do have a lot of work to do,” he said. “I don’t live far away, so whenever there’s a need for me, I’ll be there pretty quickly, at all times of night.”

Solow, who has overseen Princeton planning projects for the past 23 years, said he plans to do some traveling with his wife after he leaves the department April 27. “The timing just seemed right,” he said. “It’s been a good run. They’re all good memories.”

Tejai Patel is the new assistant to Municipal Engineer Deanna Stockton. Before taking over from longtime Municipal Engineer Robert Kiser in June 2016, Stockton was in the assistant’s position herself.

Patel comes to Princeton from Camden County. “She was a senior highway engineer there for about five years and was very successful in what she did. We’re very excited to have her now in Princeton,” said Stockton. “She’ll be doing design management oversight of our capital improvements program, which is typically about $6 million a year — cradle to grave project management.”