Two incumbent Hightstown Borough Council members will remain on the governing body, beating back a challenge to hold onto their seats.
Hightstown Borough Council members Susan Bluth and Fred Montferrat, both Democrats, received 926 votes and 934 votes, respectively, to turn back a challenge by Republican Party nominee Bryan Fort. He earned 576 votes in the Nov. 2 General Election.
The vote tallies were certified by Mercer County officials and released Nov. 19. The certified vote tallies included early voting, Election Day voting, mail-in ballots and provisional ballots.
The two incumbent council members said they sought re-election because they wanted to continue to be involved in two significant projects: the pending rug mill redevelopment project that will create housing and retail opportunities, and the conversion of the former YMCA building on Mercer Street into the new Hightstown Borough Hall.
Bluth said that during her tenure on the Borough Council, she has supported many major undertakings, including sharing municipal services. She pointed to the decision to share emergency dispatching with East Windsor Township, and Municipal Court services with Robbinsville Township.
The town also has installed new curbs and sidewalks, revised its housing ordinance to combat overcrowding, and hired a full-time enforcement officer during her tenure on the council, Bluth said. Property maintenance regulations aimed at foreclosed and abandoned properties also have been enacted.
Montferrat said he wants to serve another term on the Borough Council to continue to help solve the issues facing the town – whether it is the day-to-day issues, or those dealing with the future of the town.
Montferrat said he would continue to work with the town’s code and enforcement officials to establish ordinances that would eliminate residential overcrowding and absentee landlords. The town must also address providing affordable housing opportunities to meet its requirement to do so, he said.
Bluth and Montferrat will be sworn into office for three-year terms when the Hightstown Borough Council reorganizes in January 2022.
