Bordentown City Commissioner Heather Cheesman, who had filled a commissioner vacancy position last March, has resigned.
Mayor Jennifer Sciortino and Deputy Mayor Joe Myers announced Cheesman’s resignation, which was effectively immediately, on March 19. Cheesman had been appointed by Governor Phil Murphy to serve on the Burlington County Board of Elections as chairperson.
“While we are saddened to see her depart, we wish her all the best in this new endeavor and have no doubt that her years of experience overseeing elections at the County Clerk’s Office will be a valuable asset to voters throughout Burlington County,” Sciortino and Myers said.
The Board of Elections works cooperatively with the Burlington County Clerk and the Superintendent of Elections to provide for a fair and voter-friendly atmosphere for each and every election in Burlington County, according to its website.
“The experience she brought to the table enabled her to hit the ground running when we appointed her to fill the commissioner vacancy last March. As a result, in just a year’s time, she helped get the police department renovations back on track, secured much needed funding for our volunteer firefighters, and helped guide police department contract negotiations to a swift resolution. On behalf of residents and the administration, we offer our heartfelt thanks for the countless hours of service she has devoted to bettering our community, not just in the last year, but over the last several decades in many different capacities.”
Another item Cheesman helped move forward was moving nonpartisan municipal elections from May to November. And with that, Sciortino and Myers “have 30 days to reach a mutual agreement on appointing a successor to temporarily fill the position until our next scheduled election this November.”
“We look forward to working together to ensure that the residents of Bordentown City are fully represented by their governing body and that the critical services they expect and deserve will be delivered,” they said.
In March 2024, Cheesman was appointed to fill the vacancy due to the resignation of former Commissioner James E. Lynch, Jr.
In November, voters approved Cheesman to continue the term, which now will be up for election to a full four-year term in November.
Cheesman is a lifelong Bordentown resident who previously served on the Board of Commissioners as deputy mayor and director of revenue and finance from 2009 to 2013. She is also a former member of the Bordentown Board of Education, and had served as a member of the Bordentown Sewerage Authority, as well as Bordentown City’s Economic Development Advisory Committee, and Planning Board.
Until recently, she spent nearly the entirety of her professional career in public service. She started out teaching in the public education system and serving youths in the state’s juvenile justice system, and for the last 15 years she had served the Burlington County Clerk’s Office as chief of staff and later deputy county clerk. In December 2024, she had stepped down from public service to take a position with Capital Health System as director of payroll.
