Princeton Selects New Municipal Administrator

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton Council has selected Bernard “Bernie” Hvozdovic Jr., as the new Municipal Administrator.

Hvozdovic will replace Marc Dashield who retired on April 1. The council will make the official appointment at the next meeting on April 12.

Hvozdovic was formerly the township manager at South Brunswick, serving since 2011. He will begin his new appointment on May 3.

Prior to becoming the Manager in South Brunswick, Hvozdovic practiced as an attorney.

“I am extremely honored to have been selected for this position. Princeton has been my second home for over 40 years, as I have lived just over the border in South Brunswick,” Hvozdovic said in a statement.

“This will be an exciting and challenging time for Princeton as we begin to emerge from the pandemic. The residents and the business community have struggled over the last year. I am passionate about municipal government and very much look forward to working with Mayor Freda and Council. Together, we can address the adaptive challenges ahead as we look to shape the future of Princeton post-pandemic.”

Hvozdovic succeeds Dashield, who served for six years. Prior to Dashield, Bob Bruschi was the first administrator of the consolidated Municipality of Princeton.

Meanwhile, Bruschi has been filling in as interim administrator and will continue to do so for two weeks into Hvozdovic’s term, to ensure continuity of municipal services and direction for staff.

Committee Chair and councilmember Eve Niedergang welcomed Hvozdovic to Princeton, saying, “We had a large number of very qualified candidates and Bernie clearly stood out.”

As Municipal Administrator, Hvozdovic will carry out the policies of the Mayor and Council including overseeing day-to-day operations of the local government’s employees.

In a media statement, Mayor Mark Freda said the council was “excited” to begin work with Hvozdovic.

“Bernie’s passion for public service and commitment to Princeton were evident early on in the search as was his vast experience in dealing with the key issues that Princeton will face in the months and years ahead,” Freda said.

The search for a new municipal administrator began in January.

The township received 69 applications for the position, 21 of whom were selected to complete a detailed written questionnaire.

Princeton’s Administrator Search Committee of Niedergang, Freda and Council President Leticia Fraga then selected eight candidates to be interviewed virtually.

From that pool, two were brought for a face-to-face interviews before to the final decision to hire Hvozdovic.

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