Introducing the contenders: Borough campaigns simmer

Princeton Borough, though small in size, is proving to be the scene of an intense political battle in a race for two seats on the Borough Council.

This year, Democratic incumbents Wendy Benchley and Margaret "Peggy" Karcher are defending their Council seats against Republican Rodney Fisk and Independent Dorothy Koehn.

As part of her campaigning, Benchley said she spends much of her time focusing on alleviating Princeton's "intolerable" traffic situation.

She also frequently speaks out in support of the variety of smalland large-scale merchants in downtown Princeton.

Benchley — who was elected to the Princeton Borough Council last year for a one-year term and is now running for a three-year term — said she wants Princeton students to take advantage of all that the town has to offer, specifically area shops, restaurants and theaters. "The town of Princeton is one of the draws for the University," she said.

Karcher — who has been campaigning with Benchley but who was not available for comment yesterday — began her tenure on the Borough Council last year.

Fisk, a retired airline executive now selling real estate, said as a businessman he would try to bring a unique point of view to the Council.

He said he believes the traffic situation in Princeton does not need as much attention as his opponents may suggest. More traffic is good, Fisk said, because it indicates that the town is thriving. Fisk said he would allow the town to reach a natural equilibrium from a standpoint of infrastructure and population.

A 14-year resident of Princeton, Koehn is running what she describes as "a single-issue campaign," centering on the relocation of the library on Witherspoon Street to Valley Road. She said she believes the library needs to be in a prominent location that is more accessible to children.

An educator herself, Koehn said she also will be stressing the importance of education in her campaign. She said moving the library will help address some of the traffic problems her opponents have been discussing.

The candidates also weighed in on the proposed alcohol ordinance, which could allow the police to search private property — including eating clubs — for underage drinkers.

Benchley said she has her doubts about the ordinance. "I feel that the ordinance oversteps the bounds. I am very cautious about it," she said. "There are enough laws in the books right now for the police to cope with underage drinking. I'm approaching it very cautiously."

Get the best of ‘the Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Koehn, however, said she had not yet formed "a solid opinion."

For his part, Fisk expressed his staunch stance against the ordinance. "I wholeheartedly, unequivocally, reject the alcohol ordinance," he said. "We're all concerned about binge drinking, alcohol poisoning and immature behavior. The University has taken a proactive stand. Is the next logical step to allow the police to raid private property? I say no."

Fisk served on the Borough Council from 1987 to 1989. As a Republican, he said he hopes to broaden the range of discussions in a heavily Democratic town government. "When a problem comes up, it only gets discussed from one vantage point," he said.

On the other hand, Koehn calls herself the "practical candidate, the new politician in town," representing the middle class. "I'm coming in as the plain-clothes citizen," she said. "I'm being up front about that. I'm a home-owning citizen who enjoys the town, but is concerned about problems that might arise in the future."

Koehn said she also supports public transportation to aid student travel around town. She also plans to improve area bike paths and walking areas.

Before being elected to the Borough Council, Benchley spent eight years working for various marine environmental programs as well as leading the fight against the Mercer County incinerator. She also held the position of Mercer County freeholder for two and a half years.