1) Farewell to Council Member Tara Canavera: December 10, 2024 marked the final Borough Council Meeting of the year and the final Council Meeting for Council Member Canavera, who has served on Borough Council since 2020. Each member of Council underscored her work and contributions to the Borough, thanked her for her years of commitment to improving the quality of life in town, and for being a voice for some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
2) Holiday Happenings: In the spirit of the holiday season, the Borough Council encouraged residents to come together for a number of upcoming events and programs, including: Main Street Highland Park’s Night Owl Markets on December 14, 21, and 22 from 4 to 8 PM (Saturdays) and 4 to 6 PM (Sundays) at the Welkovitz Pavilion, 212 Raritan Avenue; the EHS Dance Ensemble Holiday Performance on December 18 at 11:15 AM at the Highland Park Community Center; Cocoa, Coffee and Cardmaking with a Cop on December 18th, from 5-7pm at the Highland Park Community Center; the Winter Concert with Flutist Elana Segal and Guitarist Matt Vicari on December 19 at 11 AM at the Highland Park Community Center; and the annual Menorah Lighting on December 26, from 4 to 5 pm, at the Welkovits Pavilion downtown.
3) Drone Activity in New Jersey – Council Member George reported that the Police Department is aware of the recent drone sightings across the state and is monitoring the situation closely, in conjunction with partner agencies at the county, state, and federal levels. Currently, there is no information indicating any specific, immediate, credible threats. While it is not illegal to fly a drone, or unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in unrestricted airspace, authorities are requesting information regarding any UAS sightings, including images and videos. The FBI has asked the public to report sightings to its tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800 225-5324); photos and videos of the drones are encouraged and can be uploaded at tips.fbi.gov. If you observe drones that may impact critical infrastructure, please report it by calling the HPPD non-emergency number at 732-572-3800 or 9-1-1 if there is an emergency.
4) Upper Raritan Road Diet: Borough Administrator Teri Jover reported on the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s most recent proposal for the Upper Raritan “Road Diet,” which was discussed at the December 3, 2024 Borough Council Work Session. The purpose of the project is to make the portion of State Highway 27 between No. 6th Avenue and the Edison border safer by reducing the number of travel lanes thereby slowing speeds and reducing the number of crashes. The latest configuration reduces the number of traffic lanes to three, one travel lane for each direction and a left turn lane in the middle, with the addition of 5-foot bike lanes in each direction. Click here for more information.
5) Upcoming Water and Sewer Projects: The Borough Council authorized the use of American Rescue Plan funding to complete two projects: 1) to clean and line sewer mains and manholes throughout town, and 2) to conduct water service line field verifications to refine the Borough’s lead service line inventory. The projects will commence in early 2025.
If you are interested in watching the December 10th Mayor and Council meeting, please 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 the annual reorganization meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
