Full Notification

Here is the latest Take Five briefing from the December 5, 2023 meeting of the Mayor and Borough Council.

1) SuperFresh in Highland Park: The Mayor and Borough Council expressed their excitement about the recent announcement that SuperFresh will be taking over the property formally occupied by Stop & Shop. The owners have already begun interior demolition and anticipate opening before Memorial Day 2024. SuperFresh has locations in nearby Hopelawn and Middlesex Borough.

2) Downtown Menorah Lighting, Night Owl Markets and More: Residents were encouraged to come downtown to enjoy the various holiday offerings at 212 Raritan Avenue, including: the annual Menorah Lighting on Thursday, December 7^th from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. complete with sufganiyot, dreidels, and gelt; the last two Farmers Markets of the year on Friday, December 8^th and December 15^th from 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; and the Night Owl Markets on Saturday, December 9^th from 4 – 8 p.m. and Sunday, December 10^th from 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Be sure to visit our local shops and restaurants to find the perfect gifts and treats for your friends and family this holiday season. #ShopSmall

3) Capital Ordinance for Improvements to No. 4^th Avenue, from Denison Street and Harper Street: An ordinance appropriating $609,980 from the Borough’s recent allocation from the NJ Department of Transportation’s Municipal Aid Program for improvements to No. 4^th Avenue from Denison Street and Harper Street was introduced and a public hearing will be held prior to its adoption on Tuesday, December 19^th at 7:00 p.m.

4) Shared Services Agreements for IT and Health Services: The Borough Council authorized the renewal of two successful shared services agreements. Freehold Township has been providing Information Technology support for the Borough since February of 2023 and this new agreement continues that arrangement through the end of 2024. Middlesex County will continue to provide municipal public health services as part of a two-year contract scheduled to end in 2025. The county has provided these services to the Borough since 1998.

5) Extension of Conditional Redeveloper Designations for Tract A and C: Borough Council authorized resolutions extending the designation of Tantum Fidelco as well as 232 Raritan Avenue, LLC (Garden Homes) as the conditional redevelopers for Tracts A and Tract C as identified in the Downtown Redevelopment Plan for Tracts A – D. With this designation now extended to June 30, 2024, the Borough and the conditionally-named redevelopers can continue to engage in pre-development activities including review of the conditional developer’s proposal and negotiation of and preparation of a redevelopment agreement. The Mayor regretfully informed residents that the community meeting to review the plans for Tract C will not take place before the end of the year as hoped; however, the expectation is that it will be scheduled early in 2024.

If you’re interested in watching the December 5^th 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, December 19^th at 7:00 p.m.