Princeton council approves Mountain Lakes Red Trail footbridge easement, OKs routine contracts and tables two consent items

The Mayor and Council of Princeton on Jan. 27 voted to adopt Ordinance 2025-01 authorizing the municipality to acquire a public access, construction and maintenance easement for the Mountain Lakes Red Trail footbridge and approved several routine professional-service and procurement resolutions, while tabling two consent-agenda items for additional review.

The ordinance authorizing the easement was adopted by roll call after a public hearing with no public comments. The council then approved a package of resolutions ranging from a one-year lease renewal with the Princeton Tennis Program to the third-year renewal of a five-year solid-waste collection contract with Interstate Waste Services of New Jersey Inc. Two consent-agenda items (Resolutions 25-54 and 25-56) were tabled for further consideration.

Why it matters: the easement clears the way for the footbridge project on the Mountain Lakes Red Trail by giving the municipality the legal right to access, construct and maintain the structure; the waste contract and other approved agreements affect municipal services and budgetary commitments that shape day-to-day services for residents.

The council opened the public hearing on Ordinance 2025-01 and, with no public comment, called for a roll-call vote. Council members who were recorded on the roll call — Brian McDonald, Perron Lambros, (Councilmember) Fraga and (Councilmember) Newland — voted in the affirmative; the clerk announced the ordinance carried. The ordinance was described on the agenda as…