TOWNSHIP COUNCIL
Township residents voted in November of 2004 to change their form of government from a Township Committee to a Mayor-Council form. The new government was initiated on July 1, 2005. In the Mayor-Council form of government, the Mayor and Council function as independent branches of government.
The mayor is the Chief Executive of the Township and heads its Administration. The mayor is elected in a non-partisan election and serves for a four-year term. The Mayor may attend Council meetings but is not obliged to do so. The Council is the legislative branch. The five members of the Township Council are elected on a non-partisan basis for four-year, staggered terms.
At its annual organizational meeting, the Council elects a President and Vice President to serve for one-year terms. The Council President chairs the meetings of the governing body. For more information, email council@robbinsville.net.
For a comprehensive list of Council member duties, CLICK HERE.
| Members of Township Council | Term | Expires |
| Deborah Blakely, President | 4 Years | 1/15/2030 |
| Hal English, Vice President | 10 Month | 1/15/2030 |
| Chris Ciaccio | 4 Years | 1/15/2028 |
| Ravi Patni | 10 Months | 11/3/2026 |
| Amit Chopra | 4 Years | 1/15/2028 |
Robbinsville Township is always looking for volunteers for its boards, commissions and committees. CLICK HERE for an application.
President
Deborah Blakely
Deborah Blakely is 20-year resident of Robbinsville and was re-elected to a second four-year term on November 4, 2025. Ms. Blakely currently works for Sunny Days Sunshine Center in West Windsor as a speech language pathologist with expertise in early childhood communication disorders, autism and speech/sound disorders. She has lived in Robbinsville since 2001 with her two daughters. Widow to the late Tom Blakely, who previously served on the Zoning Board. Blakely Park on Meadowbrook Road is named after Tom. Ms. Blakely, a graduate of Trenton State College (BS) and Saint John’s University (MA), is a staunch advocate for grieving children, the senior community, the special needs population and is a dedicated animal lover. Ms. Blakely joined Council in 2021 and in 2023 became just the second woman elected Township Council President since 2011. She was named vice president on January 18, 2024 and currently serves as liaison to the Senior Citizen's Advisory Council, the Library Committee, and the C.A.R.E. Committee.
Vice President
Harold "Hal" English
Harold "Hal" English is a Town Center resident who served as the Township’s Director of Economic and Community Development from 2017-2020. He also is a former member of the Robbinsville Township Planning Board (now the Land Use Board), as well as the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC). Mr. English was re-elected to a four-year on November 4, 2025. He was originally appointed by Council on January 4, 2024 to fill the unexpired term of Mike Cipriano, who resigned from the governing body effective December 31, 2023. Mr. English ran unopposed in the 2024 General Election for the vacated 1-year unexpired term, which expires on January 15, 2026. Mr. English serves as Council representative on the Economic Development, Foxmoor Redevelopment and Town Center South Redevelopment committees. Mr. English is currently the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO. In addition to a career steeped in local banking, Mr. 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 highly successful Hamilton Marketplace and its 1 million square feet of retail space on Route 130 North. Mr. English holds a degree in economics from Boston College and is the author of “Behind Ivy Walls,” a memoir that recounts his challenging childhood in Trenton.
Christine Ciaccio
Christine Ciaccio began her 17th year as a member of Council after being sworn in on January 18, 2024 to another four-year term. She is the owner of Tony's Farm & Garden Center in the Windsor section of Robbinsville Township. Mrs. Ciaccio became a member of Township Council in July of 2007 and has served two terms as Council President (2008 & 2011) and Vice President (2015 & 2018). She has served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC), the Historic Preservation Committee and the Open Space Committee. Ms. Ciaccio currently serves as Council representative on the Land Use Board, as well as the Historic Preservation Subcommittee and the Route 130 South Subcommittee. Chris and her husband, Tom, have lived in the Windsor section of Robbinsville since 1980.
Amit Chopra
Amit Chopra was elected to Township Council on November 7, 2023 with 2,460 votes, and was sworn-in to a four-year term on January 18, 2024. Mr. Chopra has been living in Robbinsville with his family since 2015. He leads Artificial Intelligence (AI) research, development and engineering for a Fortune 500 financial services firm. Prior to his election, he served the on the Robbinsville Recreation, Culture & Arts Committee, as well as the Planning Board (now known as the Land Use Board). He will serve as Council representation on the Plan Endorsement Committee, the Foxmoor Redevelopment Subcommittee, the Route 130 North Redevelopment Subcommittee, as well as Council liaison to the Robbinsville School District and the Township's Information Technology and Cybersecurity platforms. Mr. Chopra believes in benchmarking the Township by advancing policy led, data-driven, analytical decision-making to enhance economic development, public services, safety, and improve recreational facilities. Amit is the founder of aadhyatmik, 501C3 non profit that celebrates Indian American heritage.
Ravi Patni
Ravi Patni is a pharmaceutical audit and compliance executive and six-year resident of Robbinsville. He was selected on January 29 to fill the Township Council seat vacated by former president and current Mayor Mike Todd. Ravi Patni Patni, 40, is a small business owner in Robbinsville and was unanimously chosen from an impressive field of 11 candidates. Patni was the only candidate nominated for the position by the governing body and will be sworn in at the Feb. 12 council meeting. His approximately 10 month term will run through the certification of the upcoming November, 2026 election. The ultimate winner of Mayor Todd's former seat in this year's election will serve the remainder of the unexpired term, which expires on January 15, 2028. Patni has served on the Land Use Board since 2020 and is an executive member of the Mercer County Workforce Development Board. He is also the co-founder of Ganga Indian Restaurant in the Main Street Commons. Patni is also an active volunteer with BAPS supporting community, cultural, and service initiatives. He lives in Robbinsville with his parents, wife Beena, and two daughters.