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Berkeley Heights Township Council News and Notes: September 20

Town cleanup set for Saturday Sept. 24; green initiatives being met.

Posted Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 3:04 am ET|Updated Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 11:41 am ET

The following items were discussed by the Berkeley Heights Township Council at its public meeting on Tuesday, September 20, 2011:

After seeing New Providence successfully plan and execute its recent town bazaar, Councilman Robert Woodruff would like to see a similar event happen in downtown Berkeley Heights. “I just think it’s a great opportunity; I was extremely impressed with how it was done,” said Woodruff. “There were over fifty different kiosks, and I would think everybody is paying something to put their stuff out there. I think it’s something that we have to visit carefully. I think it’s a win-win for the merchants and a win-win for the town.”

Berkeley Heights Township’s own news broadcast will air its first newscast on Thursday, December 1. According to Councilman Craig Pastore, the newscast will be overseen by the township’s Communications Committee, who have already reached agreements with Patch and the Alternative Press to control the news. Topics covered will include local news, sports, and local business highlights.

According to Council President Kevin J. Hall, the township’s Environmental Commission has made “major strides” toward receiving a Silver Certification from the state of New Jersey, which recognizes “significant strides toward green initiatives”. This certification would make the commission access to grants that it otherwise would not be eligible to receive.

Hall also mentioned that the township is running out of places in which to put the 20 trees it receives every year via a grant. Hall urges any residents who have suggestions of places that need trees to contact either he or fellow councilman Ed Delia.

Mayor Joseph G. Bruno mentioned that a town-wide clean-up will be occurring this Saturday, September 24. The event, which is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce’s Clean Community Initiative, offers organizations ten dollars for each member that shows up to help with the clean-up efforts. Afterward, a cookout with hot dogs, drinks, and children’s games will take place into the afternoon.