John’s Notes on the 01/27/2026 New Providence Town Council Agenda

Housing Settlement, Multi-Year Sports Contracts, and $4.25M in Bills

New Providence Town Council Agenda (Jan. 27, 2026): Contracts, Fair Share Settlement, and a $4.25M Bills List  

Berkeley Heights residents should pay attention to both the structure and content of the New Providence agenda as some clear differences stand out.

The NP Agenda is far more organized with links to ordinances directly next to the agenda listing – making a review of what is going to be covered much easier.  The NP documents are cleaner and professionally presented.  It was refreshing to review an agenda packet that a person who actually wants the public to understand what’s going on put together.

New Providence’s packet reads like a town that is documenting and teeing up decisions in a methodical way. Heavy on defined services, defined scopes, and defined terms.

By comparison, Berkeley Heights agendas show a Council about to move money and contracts in bulk at light speed, leaving the public to reverse-engineer what just happened after the vote.

It’s not that New Providence has less spending- it’s that more of the agenda is designed to be a paper trail being built in advance instead of after the fact.

If you’re watching both towns the difference seems apparent – New Providence’s agenda prioritizes process, transparency, and compliance while Berkeley Heights focuses on speed at all costs.

Correspondence  

One piece of correspondence on the agenda points to drama involving council members.

NJ21st has its own issues with public Facebook groups tied to recently elected local officials in New Providence- who actively blocked coverage from being posted in the New Providence Community Forum while candidates Administering the group were running for office. After the election, at least one NJ21st contributor has been banned from the group without an explanation. After the candidates won office seats, the forum also appears to be run, in part, by a page whose administrators do not appear to be disclosed.  

(If they tell you different ask them to give us permission to put our correspondence with them on the record.)

Key resolutions and contracts on the agenda  

GovPilot (software)
One-year contract with GovPilot LLC for software used in the Borough Clerk and Administrative offices and includes OPRA request management software. The contract is capped at $43,000.00 – budgeted in the 2026 municipal budget.

CivicPlus (website hosting)
Website hosting services from November 21, 2025 through November 20, 2026 in the amount of $14,838.44….. (that is a wild price tag for hosting). – includes a 5% annual increase in fees.

Housing and Fair Share litigation settlement
The Council will look at authorizing the execution of a Mediation Agreement resolving the Borough’s Housing Element and Fair Share Plan. The resolution indicates that a court order setting the Borough’s Fourth Round Fair Share obligations was entered April 14, 2025, the Borough filed its plan June 19, 2025 and multiple challenges were filed Aug. 28–31, 2025.

It also states the Borough is participating in the State’s Affordable Housing Dispute Resolution Program and that the agreement with FSHC and VW Murray Hill, LLC would (if approved by the Court) result in a compliance certification for the Borough for the Fourth Round.

Multi-sports programs (2026 through 2029)
Contracts for children’s multi-sports programs to US Sports Institute, High Five Sports, RA Sporting LLC and FC Futbol Foundation – March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2029.

The resolution states an RFP was solicited Dec. 22, 2025, four proposals were received and awards are recommended subject to Borough Attorney review.

Union Avenue Improvements engineering proposal
Proposal from Colliers Engineering & Design, Inc. for design and grant administration services related to the NJDOT FY2025 and FY2026 Union Avenue Improvements Project – capped at $104,750.00.

The cost is broken down into three parts –
Design and Bidding ($89,500.00),
Flashing Pedestrian Beacon Design ($10,750.00)
Grant App Services ($4,500.00)

Other

Grass and garden waste disposal for 2026 capped at $125,650.00 – Nature’s Choice NJ LLC .

A requisition for a Keyscan access system at the DeCorso Center capped at $11,387.08- Maffey’s Security Group .

Replacement hatch systems at the Wastewater Treatment Plant capped at $24,840.00 -(Access Systems USA).

Agreement with SAGE Eldercare, Inc. for 2026 capped at  $20,226.00.

Police Department project management request  

The agenda also includes an authorization to request project management services ( help with design, bid admin and construction management) from the Union County Improvement Authority that connects to a forthcoming infrastructure project tied to the Police Department.

Source Documentation

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