July was an exciting month for sports enthusiasts with the culmination of the 2026 World Cup. Considering Bernards Township’s designation as a Team Base Camp, FIFA presented 200 soccer balls to our community, which in turn were distributed to our local area schools. It’s our hope that the children will get a kick out of playing with the balls, a memento of the recent World Cup, in the coming academic year.

As you are aware we had a storm on July 3 that caused extensive damage in areas of the state.   We began with 847 customers out, went up to a high of 2267 when a substation went down, and then over several days these outages decreased, resulting in full restoration on/around Thursday, July 9th. JCP&L reported that there were 340,000 customers of their 1.2 million impacted from the storm on July 3rd.  Eighty-five percent restoration was achieved by day four, and days five and six moved into the smaller pockets of damage/outages.

With this storm, most of our outages were a result of downed trees, including many on private property.  Due to the heat the prior week without any rain or condensation, there is potential that trees were weaker. Add that to the 70-80MPH gusts and unfortunately trees that fell included those that would normally be considered healthy, along with limbs that fell off these trees.

Our municipality was in the top ten most heavily impacted from the storm, along with, among others, Harding, Morris Township, Berkeley Heights, and New Providence/ Summit. During that time, the township worked closely with contacts in JCPL, Board of Public Utilities, our Assembly persons and the governor’s office to ensure focus and attention to the Township. Notwithstanding the damage sustained created complexity in repairs.

We will be reviewing areas of opportunity for the future, along with how to best provide data and facts to residents. As always, we encourage residents to sign up for the Rave Alert to stay informed.

I want to thank our Department of Public Works, Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, our Fire Companies and EMS squad, for their relentless work during the storm outage. Commitment to the community and their professionalism is greatly appreciated. My appreciation as well to the Somerset Hills YMCA which opened their facilities to individuals and families with power outages, along with the Delta Hotel, Courtyard Basking Ridge, Somerset Hills Hotel and Old Mill Inn which provided a discount to families without power who relocated to hotels during that time.

Prior to the July 14 Township Committee meeting, the Bernards Police department swore in new officers, as well as those being promoted to greater leadership roles, and presented lifesaving awards to six members. Those recognized, Officer Gorky, Sergeant Ray Gizienski, Sergeant Phil Jasina, Sergeant Chris Albanese, Officer Josh Filipovits, and Officer Olivia Strama, responded to the home of a resident who credits them with saving his life. The resident, Mr. Durkin, suffered a cardiogenic shock, impacting his heartbeat and prevented oxygen from going to his brain.

At the July 28th Township Committee meeting, and the prior meeting, several residents shared concerns during public comment on 99 Lord Stirling Road.  As background, 99 Lord Stirling Road is currently zoned 10.8 acres of land zoned for two-acre, single-family housing.  The developer’s intended project is 38 housing units for individuals age 55 and over, plus one structure for special needs individuals, with the developer to provide a second structure for special needs individuals on property he owns at an unspecified location in the township.

As I shared with residents that evening, in November 2025, the Township committee approved 3-2, with Committeewoman Asay and I voting nay, “Resolution #2025-0395 – Authorizing The Township of Bernards Planning Board to Undertake a Preliminary Investigation for the Redevelopment of 99 Lord Stirling Road, Block 3101, Lot 2, and 25 Sherwood Drive, Block 3101, Lot 3, as Shown on The Township of Bernards Tax Map as a Non-Condemnation Redevelopment Area.” Presently, only one Township Committee member remains who voted in favor of the resolution.   

As the next step, the planning board will undertake the review of the property at an upcoming meeting and determine whether the lots meet the criteria as areas in need of development. The Township Committee is not bound or legally required to take any action on any recommendation from the planning board.

In the meantime, residents have an opportunity to provide comment to the planning board during the public hearing on this matter. Information on the more recent public comment at the Township Committee meeting regarding 99 Lord Stirling Road is provided here.

I also reported at our July 28th Township Committee meeting that on Tuesday, July 21, Stop and Shop’s Government Affairs liaison notified me that the Basking Ridge store will be closing sometime in October.  The decision to close the store was based on a comprehensive financial review, along with alignment to the expiration of the lease.  The company is also closing its store in Westfield, and earlier in the year closed its store in Toms River.

Stop and Shop has informed all employees of this decision, and they will be offered continuing employment opportunities at nearby locations, including Berkeley Heights, Madison, and Watchung.  In addition, the store liquidation will include working with area food bank networks to ensure that useable products are provided to those in need. Stop and Shop has operated in the Lyons Mall since 2001, when it transitioned from Grand Union, which was the first tenant of the Lyons Mall.

My husband Mike has childhood memories of attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Grand Union when it opened in August 1970. Many of you, like me, have been patrons of Stop and Shop over the years, and appreciate the service of the employees and managers to our community. Currently the landlord has indicated there is a new tenant preparing plans and specifications for township review. More details will be provided as determined. Economic development is a priority for the township committee. We will continue to stay focused on the property and needs of our community.

On Wednesday July 29 the Township Finance team offered a presentation, “Understanding Your Taxes.”  The topics covered included, among other areas, the township’s approach to annual reassessment, how the tax rate is set, options for making safe and timely quarterly payments, information on NJ state property tax relief programs, and where municipal dollars go.  The information was expertly communicated and well received by a larger than customary audience. The presentation is available on the Bernards.org website.

Lastly, and related to our taxes, the office of Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) recently announced that 18 Community Project Funding requests made by his office, totaling nearly $18M ($17,765,906), are included in key House funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year.  The funding helps towns complete critical projects without placing the full burden on local property taxpayers. The request includes $1.84M funding for the construction of a culvert at Pleasant Valley Park.

We’ve heard some people reflect that this is a lot of money and is not a necessary project.  To provide some context, currently, hundreds of vehicles per day drive through the stream that intersects the park road, negatively impacting the water quality.  The construction of a culvert would reduce water pollution, provide a safe crossing to the rear of the park, and allow the construction of new paths throughout the park.   Additionally, the project greatly expands walking and exercise opportunities, especially for the veterans who live at Valley Brook Village, the HUD Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing apartments on the Lyons VA campus next to the park.

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