Robbinsville Township Council appointed Harold “Hal” English to the governing body to fill the unexpired term of Mike Cipriano at a special meeting on Jan. 4.
English will serve on Council until an election can be held in November to fill the unexpired remaining year of Cipriano’s term, which was due to end on Jan. 15, 2026.
English, a Town Center resident, was the township’s director of economic and community development from 2017-2020.
He is also a former member of the Robbinsville Township Planning Board and the Economic Development Advisory Committee.
More recently, English served as president and CEO of the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce.
English was chosen from a list of candidates who applied to fill Cipriano’s vacancy.
“We are extremely grateful to the men and women who expressed their desire for the open Township Council position,” said Council President Debbie Blakely. “These are all residents who truly care about our community and want to give back. After reviewing all the applicants, we made the decision to appoint Hal English.”
“Hal has been active in our community for many years and knows Robbinsville very well,” she added. “He held a key position at the Township and has a plethora of experience in finance, planning, zoning and redevelopment. We know he will bring great ideas to the table and will work well with all of us. We are very much looking forward to him joining our team.”
In addition to a career steeped in local banking, English also served as business administrator, director of technology and economic development as well as acting mayor of Hamilton, where he played an integral role in the development of the Hamilton Marketplace and its 1 million square feet of retail space on Route 130 North.
English holds a degree in economics from Boston College and is the author of Behind Ivy Walls, a memoir that recounts his challenging, unhappy childhood in Trenton.
“Hal English has been a beacon in our community for many years,” said Council Vice President Mike Todd. “Through his finance, banking, municipal and economic development backgrounds, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the Council and the Township. We are excited to be working with Hal and look forward to continue doing great things throughout our community. We’d like to thank all the residents who expressed their interest in joining the Council.”
Cipriano announced his resignation on Nov. 17 and was effective Dec. 31.
Cipriano, a retired Cranbury Township police officer first elected in 2017, is relocating to South Jersey to be closer to family and to pursue other opportunities.
“This was not an easy decision,” he said. “I want to thank my fellow council members and Mayor Dave Fried, as well as all our Township employees, for their amazing work during my time on Council. It was truly an honor serving the public and working alongside so many dedicated public servants.”
Born in Trenton, Cipriano is a graduate of the Camden County Corrections Academy and the Trenton Police Academy.
He was a 20-year resident of Robbinsville Township when he was elected in 2017. He was re-elected by voters to a second four-year term in 2021, and was Council president in 2021 and vice president in 2020.
He also served as Council liaison to the CARE program, as well as the Plan Endorsement Citizen’s Advisory Committee.
Cipriano’s final meeting was December 28, and he was presented a “Key to the City” by Fried.
