PRINCETON: Advocates of land purchase turn the heat up ahead of Monday’s council vote

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
Advocates interested in the town acquiring 20.4 vacant acres on the Princeton Ridge have turned up the heat on the three council members opposed to the purchase ahead of Monday’s vote on whether the town buys the land or not.
Friends of Princeton Open Space, which is contributing some of the money to the $4.4 million purchase, sent out an “urgent call to action” to have people contact council members Jo S. Butler, Bernard P. Miller and Patrick Simon, to urge them to support a bond ordinance financing the acquisition. The organization is also urging supporters to attend Monday’s council meeting.
In the message, Friends of Princeton Open Space touched on how the land is a “critical area to protect.”
“This property is a critical link between preserved lands on the Ridge to the west and east,” read the message. “It is mature forest, traversed by a stream, with a large beautiful boulder field.”
The bond ordinance needs four votes to be adopted, with only three of the six council members committed to voting for it.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” said Ms. Butler, seen as the potential swing vote. “I haven’t made up my mind.”
Mr. Miller and Mr. Simon could not be reached for comment Friday.
The council originally was scheduled to vote on the ordinance two weeks ago but postponed a decision to give municipal staff time to firm up where all the financing is coming from. Most of the money is from the state and the county.