Beyond the Talking Points: Berkeley Heights Town Council Candidates Five-Year Visions for Berkeley Heights

Part Four of a Series Analyzing Public Statements Made by Berkeley Heights Town Council and BOE Candidates

In this ‘candidate answer’ series, the focus is on the answers to week 3 questions asked of Town Council candidates by TapInto.  The question for week three noted the significant amount of change happening in Berkeley Heights and asked candidates what their vision is for the next five years.

In answer to the week three question, Glenn Endick mentioned challenges created through overdevelopment, listing flooding, strain on aging infrastructure, crowded schools and strain on emergency services as issues.  He says there is a sense of overcrowding in town and says the answer is to acknowledge challenges and commit to “real solutions”.  He says he will “ensure that our police, fire, and teaching staff are expanded to meet growing demands on community”.  He says we need to stop overdevelopment, and while this is not so easily accomplished, it’s nice to see someone come in with that perspective, rather than shrug because “we can’t stop it”.  While that may be true, the people who do the impossible are those who challenge the impossible. Endick lists fiscal responsibility and exploring alternate ways to generate revenue, other than raising taxes.  He also says we need to “recognize our residents are a tremendous resource”.

Michael Kaminsky envisions a town that continues to be “welcoming” and “family-oriented”. He notes the small-town feel Berkeley Heights had when he moved here and says his “goal is to preserve that character while navigating the challenges of mandated development and growth”.  He mentions Mount Carmel/Union County park development, Connell, and Nokia as having an impact on that growth.  He says he “strongly disagree[s] with one-size-fits-all directives that fail to consider [the] unique character and capacity of small towns like ours”. He tells us our goal should be to meet the letter of the law, not to open the door to unnecessary or excessive growth, and says development should be scaled and designed to maintain charm.

Alvaro Medeiros notes the 2022 Master Plan that received accolades from New Jersey planning officials that he had a role in creating.  He mentions the revitalization of Sherman Avenue and improvements to Peppertown Park.  Medeiros says this “improvement to the appeal of the downtown” comes at a critical time, and mentions that Connell is far from our downtown.  He says we need to “balance future centers”.  He mentions his time on the Grants Committee and Environmental Commission, reminding us of a grant he helped secure that led to the planting of 500 trees and contributed to work on Sherman Avenue.  He says he is optimistic that recent changes to Berkeley Heights “will be addressed with confidence and deliberation as long as this administration remains in place” and if he and Susan Poage are given a chance to be part of it.

Susan Poage says Berkeley Heights has moved from being a small town to a “thriving suburban bedroom community”.  She tells us affordable housing is out of our control, but that it has been kept mostly downtown and at Connell.  She notes that with the sale of the Nokia property it will be important to work with developers to have a voice, and points to visioning sessions held by the township for resident input.  At the same time, she notes we “can’t get away with no housing”. She also mentions the Master Plan and tells us Mayor Devanney has a positive working relationship with the County and State.  On the subject of infrastructure, she says aging  is a concern with development adding to the problem.  According to Poage, New Jersey developers are legally required to update infrastructure and that there are municipal and state regulations that have a system of developer agreements so that it’s not just residents responsible for costs. She tells us she would work with the school district’s new superintendent “so decisions about schools are not made in silos”.  Her vision is to follow the Master Plan.

Two quick thoughts here on statements from Medeiros and Poage.  While it’s not my intent to take away from the work they have done, suggesting that the town’s issues won’t be addressed properly unless they are elected strikes me the wrong way.  Also, I was deeply saddened by the Peppertown Park “improvements” of tree removal.  Lastly, not having time to delve into municipal and state regulations, just let me say I’m highly skeptical that “developer agreements” are sufficient when it comes to updating infrastructure.  If they were, we would have a big leg-up on fixing flooding problems and updating the wastewater treatment plant without having to resort to a sale.

Also Read:

Beyond the Talking Points: Analyzing BOE Candidate Responses on Shared Services and Governance

Beyond the Talking Points: Oversight Questions Remain In Berkeley Heights Town Council Responses

Beyond the Talking Points: What Berkeley Heights BOE Candidates Reveal About Spending, Strategy, and Oversight