NEWCOMERS CLUB: Neither Tamera Matteo, Scott Sillars, nor Patrick Simon has served on Princeton’s governing bodies in the past. But the three candidates (from left, above), among those vying for seats on the combined council once consolidation takes effect, say their unique backgrounds and experience in community affairs qualifies them for the posts.
When Princeton Borough and Township residents vote in the June 5 primary, they will be deciding who will run for the newly combined council in the November general election. That election will mark the first time voters will choose candidates for one governing body instead of two.
Among those hoping to secure spots on the slate are three residents who have not served on either Princeton Township Committee or Borough Council in the past. But Scott Sillars, Tamera Matteo, and Patrick Simon, seen regularly in the audience at municipal meetings in recent months, are familiar to many local residents because of their involvement in a variety of community affairs. Each has a specialty that they feel qualifies them to serve the newly consolidated Princeton.
Mr. Simon has been endorsed, along with current Council member Heather Howard and Township Committeemen Bernie Miller and Lance Liverman, by the Princeton Community Democratic Organization and the Democratic Municipal Committees of Princeton Borough and Township. Mr. Sillars and Ms. Matteo were recommended to appear in the left column, without the Democratic Party slogan, by both groups.
Mr. Sillars, who heads the Township’s Citizens Finance Advisory Committee and is vice chairman of the Transition Task Force, has a background in corporate financial management. Now retired, he started a low income weatherization business for Isles in Trenton, and managed shelters for the Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina.
“My experience has allowed me to become intimately involved with finances in the Township and tangentially in the Borough,” he said. “I just see the need for someone with financial management background who has the ability to look at the financial performances of organizations. That is something not in great supply on the Council, and now with consolidation coming up there is a crying need for more of it.”
Mr. Sillars also has an interest in maintaining the “unique character of our community, its diversity, and downtown,” he said. “I really want to see that promoted and advanced. There are things that can be done that are not actively being done to take us ahead. Our Council is very reactive. They have not gotten in front of the master plan. We’re going to run into these situations right and left, particularly with traffic, going forward, and we’ve got to step up and look at it more aggressively. The same thing goes for Princeton University. We tend to use them as a place to cast blame. Sometimes they deserve it, sometimes they don’t. But they do a heck of a lot for the community.”
Tamera Matteo threw her hat into the ring after being urged to run by Township Mayor Chad Goerner and Deputy Mayor Liz Lempert, who is a candidate for mayor, to run. A 15-year resident of Princeton, she owned the retail store Matteo & Company in both Palmer Square and Princeton Shopping Center. She has been active in such community organizations as the Arts Council of Princeton, Princeton Public Library, and Save Our Schools NJ, and was PTO president at John Witherspoon Middle School.
“With the municipalities joining, we need a new voice,” she said. “We need to build up some trust, and communicate better with each other and with the community. We need to realize there are other options out there for getting our message out, like social media, and we need to focus on the issues people are really concerned about. That’s what I’ve done well. I have an ability to tap into the community, figure out what the issues are, and the best way to solve them.”
A combination of local business experience and volunteering, particularly in the schools, are what qualifies Ms. Matteo for the post, she believes. “I think there is a great opportunity right now, as the new municipality is formed, rather than a year from now, to get my message across,” she said. “I have a reputation for being a team player and a consensus builder, and they serve me well.”
Serving on the Joint Consolidation and Shared Services Study Commission for the past two years, Patrick Simon has tapped into his experience as a consultant working with companies in transition. “I work primarily with transportation companies on software systems and business processes,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit for what’s going on with consolidation. The Consolidation Committee has made a series of recommendations and promises to the community, and I want to help keep those promises. Consolidation should bring a more responsive government.”
Mr. Simon has been a Princeton resident for 11 years. He is a member of the Transition Task Force’s Finance Committee and is Commission Liaison to its Information Technology Subcommittee. He has specific concerns about emergency management, particularly in the wake of recent storms that downed trees and caused flooding and power outages in Princeton.
“Princeton turns into an island under certain climate emergencies,” he said. “It’s a concern to begin with, but it is an increased concern now that the hospital has moved out of town. I don’t know what to promise there yet, but I do promise to work on issues related to that. The fact that we will be consolidated helps, but the government should make sure we have street access to the hospital from all points in town, and not just under emergency conditions. That can also apply when there are traffic snarls.”
Mr. Simon lives on Harriet Drive. Like many of his neighbors, he has installed a generator to deal with recent power outages. “The fact that we have installed generators is a response to a failure on the part of the electric utilities,” he said. “We should get the utilities, the Shade Tree Commission, and local government into one room to help resolve this issue.”
His respect for alternative points of view also qualifies him for a spot on the new Council, Mr. Simon believes. “I will be very conscious of communicating to people effectively,” he said. “I bring to the table a natural sense of collaboration and team approach.”
