John’s Notes on the 10/07/2025 Town Council Meeting- Focus on No-Bid Contracts
The corrective action plan we covered on Saturday is the biggest red flag that shows up on this week’s Berkeley Heights Town Council Meeting 10/07/2025 agenda packet. To that end, two items seek to rename the CFO position (to CFO instead of CMFO), break down the CFO and Qualified Purchasing Agent (QPA) responsibilities, and tighten rules on paying bills and processing purchases. Given some of the concerns with the office over the years this feels like a small step in the right direction, however, as we covered this past Saturday, there are much bigger issues that need to be addressed.
There are two resolutions connected to the sewage plant, one for $7k covering chemical pumping, one extending a contract with Sovereign with a minor trim of the $1M project, and another increasing the contract with mixer replacements for $227k. The plant continues to show up with change orders and emergency authorizations, which can raise concerns about budgeting approach.
It wouldn’t be a Berkeley Heights Town Council meeting if Harbor Consultants wasn’t on the agenda and, of course, they’re getting their contract raised to $75k. This cash isn’t going into brick and mortar – it’s being used for reports and negotiations, and without close oversight costs can continue to balloon.
The tree watering contract with SJC was expanded to $43k on yet another no-bid contract.
The town is also entering a $140k contract (also no-bid) with Spatial Data Logic, locking the town into proprietary software with little flexibility.
In an ironic twist, the lowest bidder on one project -one of the few cases where bidding was actually required -was disqualified over a technicality in how the bid was submitted. The contract then went to a higher bidder, a move that may leave residents wondering whether the Town is just trying to spend more money.
On a positive note, the Township is partnering with New Providence, Summit, and Long Hill on a grant application to the DEP to address flooding connected to the Passaic River. If approved, the grant would support work across towns to coordinate flood mitigation efforts.
| Vendor | Notes | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Spatial Data Logic, LLC | Municipal management software (17 seats, 3-year term) | $139,940.01 (total, 3 years) |
| Process Equipment Sales & Service, Inc. | Wastewater Treatment Plant mixer replacements (amended) | $227,090 (amended total) |
| Sovereign Consulting, Inc. | Micro C / Magnesium Hydroxide chemical feed systems (amended) | $979,500 (reduced from $986,500) |
| Harbor Consultants | Affordable housing planner services (contract increase) | $75,000 (total after +$25,000) |
| SJC Lawncare, Inc. | Tree watering (6 cycles, ~200 trees per cycle) | $43,500 |
| NW Financial Group, LLC | Redevelopment financial consulting (Block 3701) | $17,500 (NTE) |
| Sovereign Consulting, Inc. | Emergency chemical pumping at WWTP (peracetic acid tank) | $7,000 (NTE) |
Source Material
Voluntary contributions are critical to independent, fact based reporting. If you appreciate our work please consider a financial contribution.
Also Read:
Buried in the Agenda – Late Audit, Unfixed Finance Failures and a Part-Time CFO
Related Articles
Laura’s Notes on the 10/07/2025 Town Council Meeting
Fact Checking the Townships Unattributed 10/06/2025 Press Release on Passaic River Flooding
Wetlands in Peril, Sidewalks for Show, Flooding Unchecked Part 2: Sidewalks in the Shadows
nj21st.com (with the exception of featured images and logo) is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
