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Hawthorne proclaims National Public Works Week; borough crews repair Franklin Field lights after animal damage
Summary
The borough proclaimed National Public Works Week and recognized DPW staff; engineers reported emergency repairs at Franklin Field after a squirrel chewed two service wires, causing lighting failures that required contractor work and a recommended insurance claim.
The Hawthorne Borough Council declared the week of May 18–24, 2025, National Public Works Week and publicly thanked the Department of Public Works for infrastructure work and event support at the council's May 21 meeting.
Mayor and council members presented a proclamation recognizing public-works staff and invited residents to note recent DPW projects and upcoming events. “We saw the people who do the real work in town,” a council member said as employees were recognized.
Engineers also briefed council members on an emergency lighting failure at Franklin Field. "The source of the failure and the damage was from a squirrel eating two of the service wires," the borough engineer said, describing how the animal accessed the service head and chewed through insulation. The service was a three-phase, four-wire connection; two of the conductors were compromised, briefly causing wires to meet and the system to blow.
Quality Electric and Musco Lighting were onsite to replace modules and restore the system, and the engineer recommended filing an insurance claim because the utility (PSE&G) would not cover the damage. Borough staff said the pool is scheduled to open Memorial Day weekend and reminded residents of related public-safety and recreation information.
The council did not change any policy at the meeting; the discussion was a report on operations and emergency repairs.
