This Week at NJ21st: Forensic Fowls, School Rankings, Phantom Sidewalks and Hard Times Ahead?
Know Your County Government We’ve published the second installment of our Know Your NJ Government series, breaking down the different forms of county government in New Jersey and how roles and powers differ in each. Shadowy Sidewalks Laura’s second installment in the series – despite millions in state grants and years of lofty promises, Berkeley Heights has failed to deliver...
New Jersey Adds 4,900 Jobs and….. Unemployment Rises to 5.0%
According to the NJDOL the state added 4,900 jobs in August but the recovery trend remains slow and still lags behind the rest of the country. New Jersey’s unemployment rate went up to 5.0%, while the national rate is at 4.3%, a slight change from July’s 4.2%. Our last article on the state’s employment trajectory pointed to labor force participation...
Understanding Your NJ Government: How County Government Works in New Jersey
This is the second article in an ongoing series intended to help NJ residents, especially students, understand their local and state government. Our last article covered the different forms of municipal government in NJ and referendum – this second part of the series will look at County Governments in NJ. Optional County Charter Law In 1972, counties were given more...
Fact Checking the Townships Unattributed 10/06/2025 Press Release on Passaic River Flooding
Another unsigned, unattributed press release from Berkeley Heights Township reports that Mayor Angie Devanney met with other local officials and state agencies to talk about what can be done about the Passaic River. “Doing nothing is not the solution for Berkeley Heights,” Devanney said in the Township’s statement. “The state can no longer ignore this massive problem that is causing...
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...
This Week at NJ21st: Civics, Budgets, Ethics, Audits… All the Things
It’s Time For a Civics Class, Baby We are kicking off the newsletter with the first in our “Know Your NJ Government” series that seeks to educate NJ residents — especially students — on the ins and outs of their local government. Our goal is to increase involvement in civic affairs by empowering communities and young people to become more...
Buried in the Agenda – Late Audit, Unfixed Finance Failures and a Part-Time CFO
While the 2024 Township audit still hasn’t been posted on the website yet, a look at the agenda packet for this week’s Berkeley Heights Town Council meeting shows that the finance department is still having the same issues. In a corrective action plan the Council is set to vote on this week, seven items mentioned are the same identified in...
Questions Sent to Berkeley Heights Mayor and Council on Flood Bond and DEP Permits
On Sunday, we published an article fact-checking the Township’s narrative on DEP permits, FEMA submissions, and the Town’s $3.5 million storm bond. Following publication, I sent a set of questions to the Mayor and Council. The article was based on documents we received in response to an OPRA request. Questions Stream/River Clearing and DEP Permits Has Berkeley Heights applied for...
Understanding Your NJ Government: Local Government Forms and Referendum Powers
This is the first in an ongoing series intended to help NJ residents, especially students, understand their local and state government. In time we will create a separate page dedicated to these articles. Key Terms in This Article: Charter – For the purposes of this article, a Charter is a document that outlines the rights, responsibilities, and limits of a...
Union County Bans E-Bikes in Parks
After the death of a 13 year old in Scotch Plains due to a collision involving an e-bike, the County is moving to ban e-bikes and motorized scooters in parks and trails. The ban is immediate, and the County plans to amend its code to make the change permanent. Enforcement will fall to county staff and local police. Link to...
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