Here is the latest Take Five briefing from the July 1, 2025 meeting of the Mayor and Borough Council.
1) Fireworks in the Park! Council Member Vargas encouraged residents to come out for the annual fireworks festival in Donaldson Park on Thursday, July 3. The fun starts at 6:00 PM with face painting, balloon artists, bounce house/slide/obstacle course for kids, gaming truck for all ages, music, and plenty of food vendors. Fireworks begin at 9:15 PM. Due to the large number of attendees, please consider walking or biking as Donaldson Park will be closed to vehicular traffic. Spectators may park in any legal parking space along Borough roads (be sure to adhere to any posted no parking signs) and accessible parking will be available via the Middlesex County Park Ranger checkpoint located at the South Second Avenue entrance to the park. We hope to see you there!
2) Sustainable Land Use Pledge & Complete and Green Streets Policy: The Borough Council passed two resolutions that reaffirm Highland Park’s commitment to sustainability. The first, the Sustainable Land Use Pledge, articulates seven sustainable land use principles that work together to provide a framework for how the Borough should grow and redevelop. The second, the Complete and Green Streets Policy, sets forth a protocol for implementing the Borough’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, making our roadways safer and more convenient for all users. Both the Pledge and the Complete and Green Streets Policy are best practices in the Sustainable Jersey program.
3) Upcoming Roadway Improvements: Borough Council authorized two grant applications to the New Jersey Department of Transportation for upgrades to Borough roadways. Specifically, requested funds will support improvements to So. 7th Ave (from Eden Ave to Donaldson St), So. 11th Ave (from Woodbridge Ave to Aurora St), Lawrence Ave (from Harrison Ave to Lincoln Ave), No. 5th Ave (from Raritan Ave to Montgomery St), So. 8th Ave (from Eden Ave to Graham St), and Parkview Terrace.
4) Electric Community Shuttle Bus: Having secured $177,000 from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Diesel Modernization Program, Borough Council authorized the purchase of a 2025 Motiv EPIC4 Shuttle Bus. The vehicle, which is wheelchair accessible and fully electric, will be made to order and we hope to take receipt before the end of the year.
5) Renewal of ARRIVE Together Program: Council authorized renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care Services to continue the Borough’s participation in the ARRIVE Together Program (Alternative Responses to Reduce Instances of Violence and Escalation Together). The program pairs a law enforcement officer with a certified mental health screener to respond together to calls for behavioral health crises with the goal of connecting those in crisis with the proper mental health resources they need in a safe manner. The Borough was proud to be a part of Middlesex County’s original program along with Edison, Woodbridge, and New Brunswick, and we are pleased that the program has now expanded to include a total of 11 municipalities.
If you’re interested in watching the June 24th Council meeting, go to HPTV’S Youtube channel where the meeting will be posted in its entirety. The next meeting of Council is scheduled for Tuesday, August 12th at 7 p.m.
