Quack Quack. In one of the most significant meetings since the school reconfiguration battle the Berkeley Heights Town Council voted on whether to let voters decide the fate of the town’s sewage plant, adopted the municipal budget, and approved millions in new spending. Or did they? There’s no recording of the meeting.

Once again, residents are left to rely on government-supported media and official summaries—if they’re ever published. Even then, minutes won’t include public comments or council deliberations, which took place at an inconvenient 6PM start time—earlier and harder for working families to attend.

The township blames “technical difficulties,” yet these disruptions always seem to occur during major votes. Meanwhile, the Board of Education has never once failed to post a video recording within 24 hours. The township has consistently delivered, however, on duck content.

The Fight for Transparency. A major legal battle is unfolding between The New Jersey Monitor and Jersey City that could set a precedent for police accountability in New Jersey. At the center of the case: a police officer who, while drunk at a party, allegedly fired his weapon—but kept his job and a clean record through a diversion program. The Monitor is in court demanding access to the internal affairs report, which the city refuses to release. The question: does the public have a right to know?

Business Office Shakeup. This week, residents discovered the Business Administrator position is officially posted as open—news that has stirred both relief and reflection. During the past four years the Business office has faced a string of OPRA lawsuits, budget inconsistencies, flawed data, audit issues, and alleged overreach in public meetings. Could this finally mark the end of what many feel has been a dark era with our district?

Elections Are Coming. With local elections approaching, NJ21st has reached out to nearly every candidate running in the 21st Legislative District—inviting them to speak directly to voters about their policy positions. We’ve also formalized our editorial policies on political endorsements, candidate statements, and our continued commitment to independent reporting.

As a non-commercial, ad-free, and currently donation-free platform, we rely on you to help us grow. If you value independent coverage of local government, please consider sharing our articles and even submitting your own.

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