Parking, Police Promotions Highlight Berkeley Heights Council Meeting

The Berkeley Heights Township Council is trying to come up with ways to curb the demand for more commuter parking within the township.

As discussed at the council’s previous meeting on January 25, the township plans to add 50 spaces between the NJ Transit train station and the township’s municipal complex.

However, such a measure would not entirely solve the parking problem. It was estimated at the January 25th meeting that the wait list for a parking spot in the municipal lot currently holds 300 people. With those numbers, it could take three years—or longer—to reach the top of the list.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the suggestion was made by Berkeley Heights resident Mike Delle Donna for the township to provide a jitney service to help residents reach the train station.

The idea saw a mixed reaction from the council. While Counciilman Thomas Pirone seemed to be in favor of the idea, and even suggested contracting a private vendor who could offer a jitney service for a profit, Councilman Robert Woodruff suggested more of a “wait-and-see” approach which would require public input on a potential jitney service before moving forward.

Other quick notes from the township council meeting include:

• The police department saw two officers be sworn into new positions on Tuesday. Police detective sergeant Joseph Williams and patrol sergeant William Ives, the two officers in question, were welcomed into their new roles by the Berkeley Heights Township Council.
• Since Williams was already serving as a sergeant, his salary will not increase. Ives’ salary will increase, as he has not previously served as a sergeant on the force. Neither promotion is expected to increase taxes within the township.
• The council adopted a final ordinance from its January 25 meeting, officially eliminating a piece of the township’s sick leave policy that allowed township employees to transfer sick days to fellow employees. This action was taken in order to prevent township employees from taking advantage of the system, instead allowing the township to be run “like a business”, according to Mayor Joseph G. Bruno.
• Recent concerns about gang activity in Berkeley Heights have been “exaggerated”, according to Bruno. A police report estimated that 32 gang members were in the township following the Mount Carmel festival, which is a number that does not accurately reflect the amount of gang members that actually live within the township’s borders. “Residents have nothing to fear”, said police chief Michael Mathis, adding that only three gang members live in Berkeley Heights. “We keep an eye on these things through smart policing and intelligence gathering,”
• The next meeting for the Berkeley Heights Township Council will be held on Tuesday, February 22 at 7 PM. As always, the meeting will take place at the township municipal complex, located at 29 Park Avenue.