Tuesday’s Berkeley Heights 09/16 Town Council Meeting agenda is jammed with big ticket items that connect to redevelopment, the sewage plant, storm recovery, and a long-term lease with Verizon.

CMS Lease – After last week’s developments on the CMS Lease agreement, the Council and Rec Commissioner  may be betting the BOE is preparing to back out given the very strong possibility the resolution establishing the original lease is not legal. The Recreation Commissioner had committed to attending the 09/18/2025 BOE meeting in an email to BOE Representative Bill Dillon to explain last week’s announcement that a turf field was now off the table. However, before the BOE has the opportunity to question the Commissioner on her email, the Council will be pushing ahead — starting with a largely symbolic gesture: three feet of paved walkway completely surrounded by multiple cones, followed by this resolution. The $32,460 no-bid contract with Harbor covers surveying, environmental work, and conceptual design at the Columbia Middle School Lower Fields. Harbor already has its hands in redevelopment and planning throughout the town. This deal would dig them in even deeper, with a high potential for scope creep.

Terrace II Redevelopment Plan – The other headline item is the referral of the Terrace II redevelopment plan to the Planning Board. The proposal covers 33 apartments at Springfield and Sherman: 26 market-rate units that can’t have three bedrooms, and seven affordable units. The parking plan leans on a lot that sits in a FEMA flood zone, and the DEP has to sign off before it can be used. In addition to the potential flooding impact, there’s yet another developer tax break — a PILOT, or payment in lieu of taxes — diverting more money away from our schools.

Passaic River Flood Project Extension – There’s also a $400,000 flood-control grant from NJDOT that has been sitting untouched since 2023. Permits are still pending and the Township is asking for a six-month extension – if they don’t get it, the money may go away.

Sewer Costs Piling Up – The wastewater plant is back in the spotlight, and not in a small way. One contract with MOMAR for treatment chemicals is jumping from $65,000 to $105,000 this year, another with PS&S is going from $100,000 to $142,000 and a separate deal with Merriman for magnesium hydroxide caps out at $205,000, making it one of the plant’s biggest single expenses. The Council plans to use a national cooperative program, BuyBoard, to push through a pipeline rehabilitation job with National Water Main Cleaning. That one skips local bidding, though residents will have until 10/07/25 to comment before it’s finalized. The common thread here is cost: chemical supplies and consultant contracts keep climbing, with little relief in sight.

Recreation Grant – A $250,000 grant for “Recreational Improvements 2025” will be added into the budget. The paperwork doesn’t say where the money is going, and with Columbia Fields in the mix, those details should be clear and in writing.

Flooding Task Force – In response to resident concerns, the Mayor is establishing a task force that will begin work at the end of September and run through December, unless renewed. Charged with producing a report after what amounts to a six-month term, the group will review storm impacts, assess the township’s stormwater system, and recommend both short-term fixes and long-term upgrades. Residents will be watching closely to see whether this task force has real authority or if it serves as a cosmetic gesture meant to cool tensions until the next flood crisis.

Flood Repairs – Post-flood repairs continue. Armstrong Inc.’s contract for sewer and road fixes is climbing from $154,000 to $167,000 after more hidden damage was discovered. Emergency contracts don’t go out to bid, which makes each increase sting a little more.

Verizon Lease – Finally, the Township plans to lease land at 259 Diamond Hill Road to Verizon Wireless for a communications site. The deal starts at $55,000 per year in 2026, with 3 percent annual increases and automatic renewals that could stretch the lease to 25 years. Verizon also has broad rights to walk away early, while the Township is locked in. Only one bid was submitted.

Put all of this together and the 09/16/25 agenda runs the risk of coming across as a manufactured high-stakes policy bundle meant to shock and awe residents into overwhelm.

Residents who show up Tuesday night will have a lot to digest — and plenty of reason to ask questions before the votes are cast.

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