Mayor Janice S. Mironov was elected to her 24th consecutive term as mayor and Township Councilman Marc Lippman was chosen to be deputy mayor when the East Windsor Township Council’s annual reorganization meeting was held on Jan. 7.
In nominating Mironov to the ceremonial post of mayor, Township Councilman John Zoller pointed to her leadership in shepherding the township through the affordable housing lawsuit filed against East Windsor Township – and many other towns – by the nonprofit Fair Share Housing Center.
Zoller, who served as deputy mayor in 2018, also pointed out the many grants awarded to East Windsor Township under Mayor Mironov’s watch, as well as her leadership in encouraging township residents to volunteer to serve on the town’s advisory boards and committees.
“Wow,” Mayor Mironov said after Zoller reeled off a list of her additional accomplishments.
“I couldn’t turn it down. It’s a great honor to be mayor,” Mayor Mironov said with a smile.
East Windsor Township Councilman Alan Rosenberg nominated Lippman to serve as deputy mayor, calling him “one of the most decent, honorable men I have ever met.”
Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, who attended the reorganization meeting along with several members of the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders, also praised Mayor Mironov for her leadership.
Hughes said East Windsor Township has the largest number of preserved farms of any town in Mercer County. He pointed to the popular East Windsor Township Senior Center, noting that many towns do not have a senior citizens center.
In her remarks, Mayor Mironov recapped 2018’s accomplishments – from maintaining a flat municipal property tax rate for the sixth consecutive year, to the continuing economic boom in the township.
Capitalizing on the Einstein’s Alley marketing theme, Mayor Mironov pointed to the pharmaceutical and high technology companies that have invested in East Windsor Township – from Shiseido, which is a cosmetics company, to Hovione, which is a pharmaceutical company.
The Route 130 corridor has become a retail hub, the mayor said.
Although she is proud of those accomplishments and more, Mayor Mironov said, she is especially pleased with the level of volunteerism in East Windsor Township – and particularly with the number of young people who are participating.
“The bottom line is, we are really proud, as a Township Council, at the level of volunteerism we have been able to inspire in the community. We want it to continue. We love the fact that young people are taking an interest in the community,” Mayor Mironov said.
And in the vein of volunteerism, Mayor Mironov and East Windsor Township Council recognized several volunteers and presented them with certificates of appreciation – beginning with volunteer John Donnelly of the Clean Communities Advisory Committee.
Ina Heiman and Susan Flaster of the Commission on Aging received certificates of appreciation, as did Beth Dohm and David Russell of the Economic Development Committee.
Allan Rim of the Environmental Commission was recognized for his volunteer work, along with Walter Schmidlin, who served on the Planning Board, and Rochelle Shifman of the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
And Linda Moore and Michal Shifman were honored for their service on the East Windsor Municipal Utilities Authority.
