Question to Town Council Candidates: Question #2 No Bid Contracts for Lobbyists and Public Relations Firms
NJ21st sent our second question to the Berkeley Heights Town Candidates on 10/02/2024 with Responses Due on 10/12/2024: Despite your refusal to answer our last question on OPRA reform (surprising as one candidate was very vocal about how we “mischaracterized” her position) we’re not giving up on you yet – we believe in you! Responses are due 10/12/2024 Noon. One...
Zoning Board Approves Westminster Project
Residents expressed concerns about the Westminster project during last week’s Zoning Board Meeting, and the Township’s push-back on the project ranged from being anemic to nonexistent. The Zoning Board was threatened with a lawsuit, and the Township had previously allocated $10,000 for a defense; however, the Board approved the project. Deegan did not vote, West abstained, and Pereda voted “No”....
Westminster Project Coming Back A Year Later
The Westminster property is back on the Zoning Board agenda for 09/26/2024. The township vetoed the original project, and the builder is returning with a proposed settlement agreement. Interestingly, it is a meeting connected to yet another significant issue on a Back to School Night, and, unlike the Board of Education – the township does not allow for remote participation....
Union County Park at Berkeley Caterers Site
Berkeley Heights Residents Need to Ask Questions About the Proposed Park -Steven Kark Berkeley Heights residents need to pay attention to what’s happening to our town. Did you see this? Could Berkeley Heights end up losing its iconic Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel—a 100-year tradition—with its July 16 Garden State Fireworks show? The Planning Board is reviewing the...
Is County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi Up to the Same Old Tricks?
Joanne Rajoppi should be a familiar name to Berkeley Heights Residents. She was responsible for the disastrous ballot back in 2022 that cost Natasha and Sai the election that year. She’s also been on the wrong end of lawsuits and controversies connected to ballot issues before and after 2022. If you were to go to the Union County Election page...
Other Concerns About Berkeley Heights Township’s Attempt at a Land Grab
Concerns on Cost, Safety and Environmental Impact Add To Need for Transparency Berkeley Heights faces a complex decision regarding the potential lease of the Lower Columbia property and the proposed installation of an artificial turf (AT) field. While much of our concern resides in the Council’s continued strategy of throwing the lease agreement into negotiations to shield it from public...
Residents in Warren and Berkeley Heights Have Similar Questions on Non-Binding Ballot Measures Connected to Recreation
The following is a contribution from Steve Bumgarner originally posted on Warren Confidential. Berkeley Heights residents should pay close attention to the concerns especially surrounding the issue of funding sources. To date, despite the many speeches and articles from the Recreation Chair and Township Government – requests for information are provided late and are reliant on whether the Town Council...
More Information – Same Questions on CMS Field Referendum Ballot Question
On 06/27/2024, NJ21st sent an OPRA request to BHPSNJ and the Township requesting the following information: Copies of all emails from June 1 2024 to June 27th 2024 Subject: Lease between the BOE and Township for Lower Columbia. The most recent version of the lease agreement on Columbia was provided to the BHPSNJ BOE. This OPRA request was submitted after...
Office of State Comptroller Report Raises Questions on Berkeley Heights Shared Services Agreement
Arik Samson is a Resident of Berkeley Heights, NJ Berkeley Heights township hired a top ranking Union County official Joseph Graziano under a shared services agreement with the county and paid him a part time salary to oversee the Department of Public Works while he also got paid salary and full-time benefits from the Union County job where he was the...
Laura’s Notes on the Berkeley Heights 06/25/2024 Town Council Meeting
There was no one who presented during the public hearing on agenda items. The announcement was that the Senate President awarded the Township $250,000, which will go towards the lower Columbia repairs. A shared service agreement with Springfield Township for the CFO and Qualified Purchasing Agent was discussed. Donnelly raised that the hours listed are 15, but the individual being...
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