In this year’s West Windsor election on Tuesday, May 10, the four-year terms held by Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, and council members Jackie Alberts, and Alison Miller are set to expire. Although they haven’t officially announced their intentions, all three are expected to run.##M:[more]##
But no one should expect the former allies to recreate the “Green Team” slate that swept all three into office in the 2001 election. According to sources, a number of disagreements between Hsueh, Alberts, and Miller has deteriorated their relationship to the point where there is no chance that any of them will run together again.
In fact, Miller is widely rumored in township political circles to be considering running against Hsueh.
Some have speculated that the spoiled relationship between the three has led to a breakdown in communications between the council and administration. But Hsueh and all five members of council say that in the last year, relations between the two branches of government has gotten better.
A lengthy article, with a banner front-page headline, in the Tuesday, February 15, edition of the Princeton Packet reported that “continuing” and “constant” tensions exist between Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh and council.
But Hsueh, Alberts, and Miller say that, while not perfect, there has been a marked improvement over the last year in the relationship between administration and council. All tied that improvement to the hiring of new Business Administrator Chris Marion.
Ironically, the harshest criticism leveled at Hsueh in the article appeared to come from Alberts and Miller — Hsueh’s former running mates in the 2001 municipal election on a slate nicknamed the Green Team because of the color of their signs and literature.
Some have speculated that the Princeton Packet article was prompted by Alberts and Miller. “I’m pretty sure the story was cooked up by Alison and Jackie,” says Hsueh. “And the Packet was just trying to generate some interest in the election.”
But Alberts and Miller contend they did not provide impetus for the article, and had reservations about participating. Miller says that the Packet reported only her negative comments. “What the Packet did was unnecessarily provocative. There are much more substantive issues facing West Windsor, and they should have been the subject of an article.”
“We do not have a lot of tension (between mayor and council),” Miller adds. “We just don’t have perfect communications. I have been on council when there’s been real tension, and now with Chris Marion here things are a whole lot better.”
Alberts also maintains she had nothing to do with prompting the story. “Things have improved since we’ve gotten our new administrator,” Alberts says. “Mayors have come and gone, and the dynamic is constantly changing. There’s always room for improvement. I prefer a more personal touch, but Shing’s style is not my style.”
