By Donald Gilpin

Michelle Lambros, Adam Bierman, and Myrtha Jasmin have joined the field for the Democratic nomination for Princeton Council, along with Eve Niedergang and Dwaine Williamson as announced in last week’s Town Topics. They are vying for seats currently held by Heather Howard and Lance Liverman, who will be stepping down when their current terms end at the end of December.

Additional candidates may emerge in the next two months before the April 2 deadline for submitting nominating petitions to the Princeton Municipal Clerk. The Democratic candidates will have an opportunity to deliver a short statement and answer questions from the audience at a March 18 Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO) meeting, which will culminate in a vote for endorsement of candidates. The primary elections will take place on June 5, with two nominees chosen to run in the November 6 general election.

Michelle Lambros

Lambros, a businesswoman and Princeton native who recently moved back to town from Kuwait, has lived and traveled in the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America. Declaring Princeton “one of the best places in the world to live,” Lambros stated, “I look forward to the opportunity to serve the town and delve into the detailed, important decisions that our Council makes to assure our town continues to be a safe, beautiful, and world-class community.”

Emphasizing the value of her business experience, Lambros noted, “having been a small business owner for many years, I understand the challenges small businesses are facing from online sales and big box stores. I want to support shopping locally. I want to support the vibrant restaurants and retail establishments we have here. It’s important that town Council support those businesses, whether it’s through parking or infrastructure or other means.”

With an undergraduate degree in political science from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pa., and a master’s degree in international affairs from George Washington University, Lambros, who lives with her husband and three teenage sons, two at Princeton High School, one at Boston University, has worked extensively in corporate fundraising and event management. She started her first business when she was 26, and she also has experience in traditional media and digital marketing. She has created retail stores, e-commerce portals, and online consumer products.

Pointing out a number of challenges facing Princeton, Lambros emphasized “the impact of the federal tax reform on New Jersey property taxes, an expanding school enrollment and proposed school expansion, plans for additional affordable housing, the need for increased infrastructure to support our growing local small businesses, and the ongoing changes to our residential landscape.”

Adam Bierman

A Princeton native, Bierman went to Rutgers, where he earned an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in international affairs and public policy, then worked around the world for ten years before moving back to Princeton with his wife, who is from Ecuador. Their daughter is currently a junior at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart.

A teacher at DHS Mercer Teach, where he is a union representative, Bierman also hosts a local TV talk show Breezin’ with Bierman. He has served on the PCDO executive board, worked as a Mercer County Democratic Committee member, and currently serves as the committee treasurer.

Claiming that he was inspired to get involved in local government by the late local activist Len Newton, Bierman recalled, “When I was growing up Princeton was a rural area. One had to drive through farms and forest to get here. Now the town is transitioning into the cultural capital of New Jersey, a metro area destination. It is great stuff, with all the challenges presented with growth, such as stress on infrastructure, affordable housing, parking, and taxes.”

He continued, “If selected to serve with the talented Lempert administration, I can be directly involved with the three Ps: policy, progress, and politics. Besides focusing on serving the public, I will make sure we continue to ‘harvest the intelligentsia.’ Meaning, using the abundant brain power and experience around us to help with these complex and evolving issues.”

Myrtha Jasmin 

Jasmin, the mother of a 14-year-old daughter who attends John Witherspoon Middle School and a 23-year-old son, states that her main focus is the elderly, the youth, and the budget.

“I moved to Princeton because it offers a lot of opportunities, but I do believe there should be more diversity in the town, that people of color need more of a voice,” she said. “It’s time for a new set of eyes and a listening ear.”

An entrepreneur, an author, and a hair stylist for 20 years, currently working as a waitress, Jasmin was born in Brooklyn and raised in Lawrence Township. She graduated from Lawrence High School and went on to study hairstyling and makeup at the Gordon Phillips Beauty School in Lawrence.

In 2010 she started an online cosmetics business, Nadegecosmetics, and in 2015 she self-published her first novel The Black Lily—The Frame, which is available on Amazon.

“I’m very persuasive,” said Jasmin, who moved to Princeton from Trenton last June. “I like to leave an impact on people. I can get things done, and I believe in treating people fairly.”