When James Lynch resigned from the Bordentown City Board of Commissioners in March, after 35 years on the board, fellow commissioners Jennifer Sciortino and Joe Myers opted to appoint someone with board experience to take his place.
That person was Heather Cheesman, who had served previously on the three-member board from 2009 to 2013.
After being sworn in by Joanne Schwartz, the county clerk, Cheesman was set to serve only until November, when an election could next be held. Three candidates ran last month to complete the term — Cheesman, James Heupel and Edward P. Foley IV — with Cheesman easily winning the race.
Cheesman received 1,169 votes compared to Heupel’s 403 and Foley’s 251. Five people voted for their own choice of candidate. She will now serve on the board until May 2025, when all three commissioner seats are up for re-election to full three-year terms.
Voters in the city also had the opportunity to vote on two proposals, both of which passed by margins of nearly 70% for to 30% against. Proposal 1 asked voters if the city should change its annual election date from May to November. This vote passed by a margin of 1,276 to 563.
In Proposal 2, voters were asked whether the city should institute an Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Program, which will necessitate an increase in the city property tax levy from between 1 and 4 cents per $100 of assessed property value. The proposal passed by a margin of 1,256 to 583.
The board of commissioners will now have to decide whether the city will hold its 2025 municipal election in May or November. All three seats will be up for re-election in 2025 one way or the other.
