$3.5M “Emergency” Storm Bond Now Likely to Fall on Berkeley Heights Taxpayers
In an unsigned Township article published August 26, an unnamed township representative confirmed one material fact- New Jersey is unlikely to meet the FEMA threshold for disaster funding, which means the $3.5 million bond ordinance passed on August 19 falls back on Berkeley Heights families if any of it is used. NJ21st tried to make this clear during the August...
This Week at NJ21st: Pavement, Proficiency, and Power Outages
Burning Through Reeboks Laura walked for miles and hours documenting driveways the town is spending “emergency” bond money repairing – what she found was both dissapointing and infuriating. She followed up with coverage of the Town Council meeting where the “emergency” bond was approved and a resident asked Councilwoman Susan Poage about her glossy campaign materials and promises to work...
Laura’s Notes on the 08/19/2025 Berkeley Heights Town Council Meeting
Following a doozy of a day with the Township and flood repairs (that’s a follow-up article, stay tuned!), the advertised Zoom livestream for the in-person Council Meeting was set to begin at 6:30. Unfortunately, any resident who followed instructions on the Township website to watch the livestream was met with a blank screen—and learned through the grapevine that Zoom would...
Resident Pushes Back on “Our Hands Are Tied” Narrative — Holds Poage Accountable to Campaign Materials
In this video, Jacqueline Cinque does what we wish more residents would: hold the Council accountable to their own words. Imagine if every resident showed up to Council and BOE meetings this prepared. Imagine if every resident pushed back with the same level of scrutiny. Meanwhile, the Council rushed through a $3.5 million bond at warp speed for oddly specific...
NJ21st Investigates Berkeley Heights Storm Damage Assessment
Emergency Bond Spending in Berkeley Heights- Storm Recovery or Misplaced Priorities? by Laura Kapuscinski I visited the majority of specific addresses listed in the Township Storm Damage Assessment. . My research was based on the very specific house numbers and scope of work listed on the Township’s Assessment Report. While several houses did not seem to have sustained noticeable damage,...
From Affordable Housing to Emergency Bonds – A Full Night for Berkeley Heights
Berkeley Heights Council meets tomorrow- Tuesday, August 19 – starting with a session on the Connell rezoning. Two ordinances are up for a final vote. The council is set to vote on an ordinance that evens out the affordable housing rules for new developments. Currently, for-sale projects of five or more homes must include 20% affordable units, while rentals only...
This Week at NJ21st: Flood Fail, Turf Tale, School Ready, Debt Steady
Oooh yeah — serving up alliteration, rhythm, contrast and a dash of parallelism in one epic newsletter title. You’re reading high-class material, baby. Flooded Out, Fed Up Our continuing coverage of the 07/25 flood event starts with a powerful call to action from one of the many families impacted. Michael Leblond took matters into his own hands, documenting ongoing neglect...
Debris Chokes Passaic River: Post-Storm Visit Raises Questions for Berkeley Heights Mayor and Council
Debris Chokes Passaic River: Post-Storm Visit Raises Questions for Berkeley Heights Mayor and Council -Michael Leblond Last week’s town council meeting brought renewed attention to debris in the Passaic River, with one resident saying an eight-foot section of fencing was swept away in the July 14 flood. The following day, I visited Passaic River Park at the end of Lawrence...
Shauna’s 08/07/2025 TC Meeting Notes: Berkeley Heights Officials Pressed on Creek Maintenance and Flood Response
The emergency meeting of the Berkeley Heights Town Council was set to be a quick adoption of a resolution for a bond to provide for street and culvert repairs after July 14th’s record rainfall. Instead, multiple residents showed up to voice their frustration and anger with the lack of action on the continued flooding of the Briarwood Drive area of...
Three Floods, Zero Answers
Joseph and Jacqueline Cinque Are Residents of Berkeley Heights, NJ Recently, my husband and I attended the August 7th township meeting regarding the bond that the town seeks to remedy storm damage. I was particularly disappointed to not see anything mentioned on measures that can be taken to mitigate future flooding, particularly in the neighborhoods of Briarwood Dr E, Lawrence,...
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