Dear Summit Community, please join me and the Summit Police Department in partnership with the Union County Board of Commissioners, the Union County Prosecutor's Office and 24 other law enforcement agencies in Union County in a county-wide donation drive for the people of Ukraine. A donation box has been established in the Summit Police Department lobby at City Hall, 512 Springfield Ave. Members of the public are invited to bring donations of first aid supplies, toiletries, flashlights, blankets, batteries, clothing, shoes, diapers, formula and more. The program will run for the foreseeable future while continued aid is needed. Specific needs requested include aspirin, paper goods, cough medicine, iodine, sleeping bags, sewing supplies, masks, gloves and thermal blankets. This donation drive is made possible through partnerships with law enforcement agencies and local Polish and Ukrainian organizations. I encourage you to participate and thank you in advance for doing so. More information is available at ucnj.org. Mayor Nora Radest Summit
‘REOPENING’ OF NEW PROVIDENCE CELEBRATED We welcome spring and look forward to all our wonderful community has to offer. The borough is fully open after two long, challenging years! We are so looking forward to an inperson Memorial Day Parade this year, and to resuming all of our many other community gathering events and activities. Many projects are in full swing throughout New Providence, including utility companies upgrading our infrastructure. It is a long, uncomfortable and inconvenient process, but please hang in there and be patient while this important work progresses. Expect periodic road closures and continued disruptions. We appreciate your understanding. It will be worth it. Expect to see traffic and pedestrian safety improvements throughout the borough. Please be aware of multiple speed limit changes! The Police Traffic Division’s borough-wide Traffic and Safety Plan has been completed to enhance safety, accessibility and mobility around New Providence. The New Providence Police Department is also doing a One Street
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The year is shaping up to feel like what the new normal will be, with mask mandates being lifted in schools. Town Council meetings will resume in person, and our mask mandate in the building will also be lifted.
a Week Traffic Enforcement Campaign to help reduce hazardous driving. The purpose is to coordinate education and enforcement efforts on one street each week, with the goal of reducing speeding and other dangerous traffic violations through an established and ongoing police presence. Please remind family, friends, neighbors and co-workers of multiple speed limit changes throughout the borough and to drive with care.
Residents may have heard about actions taken by the council related to the Municipal Complex. Let me provide some context. The Berkeley Heights Mayor and Township Council have issued what is called a Notice of Default to Epic Management Inc. and Epic's performance bond company, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America. Epic is now required to complete these punch list items, which range from minor chips in some of the doors to leaks in the library. If it fails to do so, subject to certain extensions, Epic's performance bond company (or an insurance company for builders), Travelers Casualty will be obligated to ensure the work is completed or pay the township to have the work completed.
The New Providence Municipal Alliance will conduct “Every 15 Minutes,” a program devoted to educating high school students about the dangers of drug and alcohol use while driving. The Municipal Alliance is also focusing on mental health wellness for our community. We cannot more strongly stress the importance of shopping locally and supporting our wonderful and generous small businesses who continually support us. Our business community is the backbone of our borough. Please shop New Providence. Wishing all a happy and healthy spring!
It was an exciting day while we watched demolition of the Berkeley Caterers structure. The property owner negotiated, as part of the county’s acquisition for green space, to complete the demo work, clearing the way the development of a passive park.
Mayor Al Morgan New Providence
The Senior Affairs Committee met and discussed how to roll out the 2022 goals as part of the 7 “buckets” for
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senior programming: Recreation, Health, Public Safety, Entertainment, Education, Socialization and Communication. The Economic Development Council continues to thrive under the leadership of Brian Kraut and received positive feedback on the effectiveness of the Technical Review Committee as it relates to assisting the proposed bakery on Springfield Avenue and the Connell development. The Truth Community Healing & Inclusion committee introduced our new municipal prosecutor, Moshood Muftau, and elected Kyle Brogden as our new chairman. The TCHI had a fruitful discussion on better developing and defining victim rights/ advocacy under the direction of Ritu Chandra. The Committee hosted the first annual Black History Month flag raising ceremony, with Frank Bolden bestowing the honors of raising the flag. Council will host budget hearings for the public. The administration and CFO continue to work with our council budget group to put together the budget for full council consideration in a few weeks. There are still some uncertainties, however, as they relate to how municipalities can use and report the use of federal American Recovery Plan funds. Communities all over the state are in limbo. Angie D. Devanney Mayor Berkeley Heights
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