Berkeley Heights Council Remains Radio Silent on Lower Columbia After Promising Transparency

Residents should be wary when promises of transparency and acting in the public’s best interest are made by those elected to represent them.

Council President John Foster promised the public and Recreation Commission members that an update on the Lower Columbia Field Project would appear on the agenda for the July 21, 2026 Township Council meeting.

I personally contacted Mr. Foster, the entire Council, the Mayor, the Township Clerk and the Township Administrator on July 15 and again on July 20 to confirm that Mr. Foster’s promise to his constituents would be upheld.

Not a single Council member, the Mayor or Township employee responded to my inquiry.

Township officials have, however, found the time to take selfies and publish lengthy Facebook posts about being “frustrated.”

I also contacted the entire Board of Education and Berkeley Heights Public Schools administration regarding the closed-session agenda item involving contract negotiations for shared services related to Lower Columbia.

Superintendent Kim Feltre responded promptly. I sent the email on Saturday and received her response at 8:01 a.m. on Monday, July 20.

Feltre said she and the Board of Education were unaware of the Township’s interest in negotiating a shared-services agreement and that the district had also reached out to the Township seeking information about the same agenda item.

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