Here is the latest Take Five briefing from the April 28, 2026 meeting of the Mayor and Borough Council:
1) Park Partners Vote at the May 3rd Street Fair: Borough Administrator Teri Jover offered yet another good reason to come out to Sunday’s Spring Street Fair and Earth Day Fair: to help select the winners of the annual Park Partners grant program! This year, residents will be able to vote on their favorite Park Partners projects at the Borough table in front of Superfresh, between Fifth and Sixth Ave, from 11:30 am - 4:30 pm. Be sure to stop by in between your many food, entertainment, and shopping stops!
2) Highland Park Porchfest is May 17th: Council Member Vargas encouraged residents to hit the streets to enjoy the local musical talent on display at Porchfest 2026 on Sunday, May 17th, from 12-6pm, rain or shine. There are more than 75 live performers on 15 porches throughout the Borough. Bring a chair and make yourself comfortable at one location, or wear your walking shoes and hop around from porch to porch. From classic rock and bluegrass, to jazz, singer-songwriter, blues, hip-hop, and classical, there’s something for everyone!
3) Mayor-for-a-Day: Mayor Elsie Foster welcomed fifth-grader Grace Smalley to Borough Hall on Wednesday, April 22 to serve as ‘Mayor for a Day’ in observance of NJ Local Government Week. Grace spent the day learning firsthand about how local government works: meeting with Mayor Foster, discussing redevelopment efforts along Raritan Avenue, and exploring the programs offered at the Community Center. The experience also included a hands-on budgeting exercise, where the “Mayor” worked alongside a “Council for a Day” to solve a fictional municipal challenge and present their solution to fellow students. The program offered a fun and engaging way to introduce young residents to civic leadership and the important work happening every day in Highland Park.
4) Easement Connecting South Third to South Fourth: Borough Council introduced Ordinance No. 26-2129, authorizing the acquisition of an easement behind 332 Raritan Avenue (Block 3001, Lots 17, 18, 19, and 33) to a connection between the Borough’s municipal parking lot on South 3rd Avenue to South 4th Avenue, allowing for better vehicle and pedestrian movement in anticipation of the pedestrian plaza on South Third. A public hearing for this ordinance is scheduled for May 19th.
5) Preparation for the Public Plaza on South Third: Borough Council advanced plans to transform the South Third Avenue Plaza area with two key moves. First, the Borough will begin soliciting bids for the demolition of two Borough-owned properties at 15 and 23 South Third Avenue, clearing the way for development work. Meanwhile, the Council also approved an agreement with QuikLaunch Solutions LLC to provide “owner’s representative” services to expedite the pre-construction activities related to the plaza.
If you’re interested in watching the April 28th 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, May 19th at 7 p.m.
