Energy Plan, $1.8M Bill List and Redevelopment: Inside Tuesday’s Berkeley Heights Council Agenda

There’s a lot residents need to be mindful of during Tuesday’s Berkeley Heights Town Council Meeting.

The meeting starts with a conference session on the town’s Community Energy Plan and an ordinance banning data centers, the latter being a discussion item – not an ordinance….yet.

The Council is also set to take a final vote on the fire prevention ordinance we covered last meeting.  This isn’t just about fees – it creates/changes the rules connected to inspections, key boxes, standby fees and false alarms among other things that will impact resale/rental inspections.  To get the full detail you can refer back to our prior article.

The agenda also includes a massive consent agenda with 31 resolutions that can be passed all in one quick vote and include:

The bill list is ~$1.8M.

The wastewater items are many and pricey

National Water Main Cleaning for manhole and pipeline repair NTE $534,453.20

Another National Water Main Cleaning for a sanitary sewer inflow and infiltration study NTE $164,723.04

Yet another National Water Main Cleaning for emergency pipeline repair NTE $19,956.39

Extension of GenServe’s emergency generator preventative maintenance and repair contract through 12/2026 NTE $60K

Increase to Process Equipment Sales and Service contract for mixer unit replacement that adds $5,650 and brings the amended total NTE to $232,740

Increase to De Block Environmental Services for Licensed Collection System Operator that adds $25K bringing the amended total NTE to $35K

Rapid Pump & Meter Service for Peracetic Acid system repair NTE $178,590

Assuming every new item and increase in the wastewater set hits its NTE we’re looking to spend $988,372.63. If you count the full amended Process Equipment and De Block contract totals instead of only the increases, the figure is higher.

The agenda also establishes the annual sewer billing rate for tax-exempt properties at $898.10 per EDU.

Also worth noting, Neglia Group is up for a professional services contract for Oak Way Bridge Repair engineering services, NTE $155,980, another infrastructure item sitting inside the consent agenda.

Then there are all the vehicle purchases and radios.

$118,980 for a 2027 F-750 dump truck.

$112,680.40 for two 2026 Chevy Tahoes (police).

$76,577.18 for portable radios and accessories.

Those purchases are interesting because the same meeting includes a Community Energy Plan that talks about reducing emissions, improving municipal fleet efficiency and eventually purchasing alternative fuel vehicles.

Moving on to the energy plan.

There appear to be some copy-and-paste issues, with one page saying “Gotham can electrify municipal fleet vehicles,” and another section referring to “Borough Council.” The cover also still says “MONTH 20XX” and the introduction contains multiple “on date” placeholders.

There’s also a host of internal percentage issues, one example includes Figure 4 which has on-road vehicles at 45% of Berkeley Heights’ 2020 community-scale energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, while in the residential energy efficiency outreach section, the plan says residential buildings account for 23% of emissions, behind transportation at 43%. There also appear to be residential and commercial percentage inconsistencies between Figure 4 and later sections.

Then there’s the redevelopment plan (Terrace II) which designates a redeveloper and authorizes execution of a redevelopment agreement for Block 702, Lots 4 and 6 and a portion of Block 702, Lot 17.01.

The project is a four-story mixed-use building with 33 rental units, including 7 affordable units, at least 1,500 square feet of ground-floor retail and at least 37 on-site parking spaces with the remaining required parking provided off-site.

The red flag is that the actual redevelopment agreement that is going to be approved doesn’t appear to be included in the packet. The resolution says the agreement is on file with the Clerk; I reached out to the Township and asked them to email me a copy. I emailed the Town on Thursday night (06/04) but haven’t received a copy of the agreement as of the publication of this article (06/08) nor was it available on the Town’s website.

The other red flag is that it authorizes the Mayor to execute the agreement with changes, omissions or amendments the Mayor thinks are appropriate, with language that adds consultation with attorneys, planners and other professionals, but not another public Council vote unless the changes are brought back.

Other items on the consent agenda include:

Renewal of 2026-2027 alcoholic beverage licenses

Active-use status for Connell Hospitality’s liquor license

Budget amendments for Clean Communities and Preserve Union County grant revenue

Applying for the NJ Urban and Community Forestry Stewardship Grant

Tax overpayment refunds

Modifying the cooperative agreement with Union County

Going out to bid for stream cleaning

Authorizing a fireworks display on July 16, 2026 at Mount Carmel Field

Appointing Brett Siksnius to the active roster of the Berkeley Heights Volunteer Fire Department

Canceling certain unexpended improvement authorization balances in the General Capital Fund

Applying for several transportation-related grants

Applying for a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant

Approving Patria Station Cafe’s Patria World Cup Experience 2026

The Council is also introducing an ordinance that designates 145K from Capital Fund Balance for capital improvements and includes $60K for miscellaneous repairs and improvements to DPW grounds, town buildings and walking paths, $25K for repairs to heavy equipment and $60K to buy a pickup truck with plows for sewer purposes.

No debt is being authorized for that ordinance.

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