Heather Cheesman is returning to the Bordentown City Board of Commissioners to fill a vacant seat, giving the municipality its first woman majority in history.
She replaces James E. Lynch, Jr., who resigned on March 1 for reasons that were not specific.
A former deputy county clerk and deputy mayor, Cheeseman served on the governing body from 2009 to 2013 and is a former school board member. She’ll vacate her planning board seat to become a commissioner. She is the payroll director for Capital Health Systems.
Cheesman will serve until the results of a November special election are certified and a replacement is picked to fill the remaining eight months of Lynch’s term. It’s unclear if Cheesman will be a candidate in that election.
In a city with non-partisan local elections, the vacancy was filled by the two remaining governing body members, Mayor Jennifer Sciortino and Deputy Mayor Joe Myers.
“Over the last few weeks we’ve had many discussions with members of the community,” Sciortino and Myers said in a joint statement. “During this time, our objective has been to listen to the community and consider individuals who have leadership qualifications, experience working in government, and a commitment to public service.”
They said the interview process made it “abundantly clear that Heather Cheesman is well respected for the many contributions she has made to our community over the years.”
“There is no doubt she has the right combination of professional experience, a record of public service, and knowledge of our city to hit the ground running for the next eight months,” Sciortino and Myers stated. “We welcome her to the governing body and look forward to working with her for the benefit of everyone who calls Bordentown home.”
Cheeseman will be sworn in on Monday and become public safety and affairs director.
“I’m looking forward to serving the city once again and working with Jen and Joe to ensure a smooth transition,” she said.