Here is the latest Take Five briefing from the August 8, 2023 meeting of the Mayor and Borough Council.
1) Passing of Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver: A moment of silence was held to commemorate the life of Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver who passed away on August 1, 2023. Oliver served in the New Jersey legislature for 14 years as an Assemblywoman, eventually becoming the first African American female Assembly Speaker. She successfully ran for Lieutenant Governor in 2017 and won reelection in 2021. During the meeting, both Mayor and Councilmembers spoke fondly of the Lieutenant Governor and her tenure serving the people of New Jersey and Highland Park.
2) Fireworks in the Park/End of Summer Bash: The Department of Community Services is hosting the annual fireworks display on Thursday, August 31st at Donaldson Park. Join the Mayor and Borough Council beginning at 5:00 p.m. for food and refreshments, a bounce house, obstacle course, activities and games, and more. Arrive at 6:00 p.m. to enjoy the final installment of the Parkstock music series with live music by Hair Magic and Cold Weather Company. Fireworks will begin promptly at 9:00 p.m.
3) Shared Services for 9-1-1 Dispatching Services: Borough Council authorized a shared services agreement with Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, to provide emergency communications and radio dispatching services for 9-1-1 emergency calls. This agreement will be effective as of January 2024 and there will be no disruption to emergency services. A shared services agreement with Rutgers will leverage their network's infrastructure and provide cost savings for the Borough.
4) Arts in the Park Street Fair & Art Showcase: Highland Park’s much anticipated Arts in the Park is returning to Raritan Avenue on Sunday, September 10th from 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Arts in the Park is Main Street Highland Park’s annual street festival, juried art show, and arts and crafts sale. In its 17th year, Arts in the Park draws thousands of art enthusiasts and visitors from the region to enjoy artistic offerings, live music, delicious food, children’s activities, and much more. Artists and vendors that would like to participate can register here.
5) Library Roof: Borough Council authorized a professional services agreement with Arcari + Iovino Architects for architectural design and construction documents to replace the flat roof portion of the Highland Park Public Library (HPPL). The replacement of the flat roof of the library will alleviate the persistent leaking the building experiences during weather events and preserve the integrity of the ongoing interior renovations. As a reminder, during their closure for construction, you can visit the HPPL Express at 901 Raritan Avenue.
If you’re interested in watching the August 8th Mayor and Council meeting, go to the HPTV Youtube channel where the video of the meeting will be posted in its entirety. The next meeting of Mayor and Council is scheduled for Tuesday, September 5th at 7:00 p.m.
