Hello!

It’s been a great month for our community, including a sparkling Charter Day when we convened to celebrate the 266th of our Township’s founding and our Nation’s 250th anniversary.  The World Cup FIFA 2026 bus amplified the coming tournament happening in our backyard, and the cast of our historical characters brought our country’s semiquincentennial to life. At the end of the month, the full Township Committee participated in the Memorial Day parade. The celebration was hosted by the Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1 and convened our community to honor those who’ve given their lives for our country. During my remarks, I reflected on the history of Bernards residents who’ve paid the ultimate sacrifice to uphold the U.S. Constitution and acknowledged and thanked our first responders and volunteers who put their lives at risk every day in service to our community.

This month we also recognized Ian Scheper, on attaining the rank of Eagle Scout, Fellowship Village on its 30th Anniversary, along with Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and Jewish American Heritage, along with Mental Health Awareness and being a Stigma Free Community.  We appreciate the organizations that joined us for the resolutions and shared remarks, including, among others, the Chabad of Somerset County, the Basking Ridge Indian Community, the Bernards Chinese American Association, and the Bernards Health Department.

This month I was pleased to announce that Bernards Township was selected from among 34 municipalities, and one of only two in Somerset County, to receive funding through the World Cup Community Initiative. The initiative, supported by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) in partnership with the FIFA World Cup 26 New York New Jersey Host Committee (“NYNJ Host Committee”), will assist communities across the state in creating extraordinary fan experiences throughout the World Cup.

The NYNJ Host Committee selected Choose New Jersey as a strategic partner to serve as administrator of the funding and manage the initiative, supporting public fan events, initiatives, and marketing efforts that advance New Jersey’s role in the FIFA World Cup 2026™.   Township Committeewoman Jennifer Asay and I partnered on the application, and we extend our gratitude and thanks to Somerset County for providing resources – both in staff and their grant writing partners – in support of the grant proposal and in navigating the application process.  The grant will support the Saturday, June 13, “Battle of Basking Ridge,” a soccer village and cultural street fair from 3-6 pm. We are then inviting folks to join us for a watch party from 6-8 pm for the Brazil vs. Morocco match, the two teams practicing and staying in Basking Ridge!  For more information on this once in a generation event, visit the World Cup page on Bernards.org.

From “Revolution to Reflection: Flag Day at Ross Farm”, will also happen Saturday, June 13th!  This free community event will feature a music, family fun, history and a cooking contest! The event runs from 11:30 am – 7 pm and will be a great way to celebrate America’s 250th.

This month the Township introduced Ordinance 2599, An Ordinance of the Township of Bernards, County of Somerset, State of New Jersey, Amending, Revising, and Supplementing the Code of the Township of Bernards, Chapter 21, “Land Development,” Regarding Uses Permitted in the E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, & E-5 Office Zones.  The Ordinancewas introduced to amend the land use code including defining Critical IT Electrical Load and defining data centers and prohibiting their use in commercial zones. Data processing centers are amended from permissible to “reserved”.

As background, data centers, as industrial facilities, are designed to store and process digital information. While they’re not exactly top of mind, they are the backbone behind every day online activity, from streaming movies to checking bank accounts. Not all data centers are alike. There are traditional cloud or storage facilities and newer, high-density centers designed for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.While data centers can bring economic development, including job creation, they also pose distinct planning and environmental challenges.  As an example, AI data centers may have a continuous demand for water. Furthermore, their dependence on continuous electricity and fossil-fuel-powered backup generators raises air and noise pollution concerns. There are also other considerations, the ability of first responders and emergency services to serve large-scale industrial facilities.

The Ordinance Introduction was unanimously approved and now the Planning Board will review it for consistency with our Master Plan. There will be a public hearing on June 23 and then the Ordinance will be voted upon for adoption. The Ordinance, if approved, will prohibit the potential for data centers in our community.  It’s my belief that we are elected to do what think is best for the community and make life better for our residents.  This step is taken in that spirit.

Thank you to those who joined me for Yoga in the Park with the Mayor. This activity, along with those offered through our Board of Health, Library and Parks and Recreation, enrich the lives of our residents and reaffirms our Township’s commitment to wellness and inclusion.

I appreciate those who attend or livestream the Township Committee meetings. Upcoming meetings are posted on the Township Committee web page. Meetings are open to the public, and begin at 7:30pm, Town Hall, 1 Collyer Lane.

Your Voice Matters! You can contact me with township questions/ thoughts/ comments at (201)306-0178, or via email at amccarthy@bernards.org. Please note that any correspondence sent to me will be visible to the full township committee and clerk.

– Mayor Ana Duarte McCarthy