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Bernards Township Committee honors student musician, logo designer and English Farm; approves next year’s holiday schedule
Summary
On Sept. 9, 2025, the Bernards Township Committee recognized a student Carnatic musician, the 250th-anniversary logo winner and English Farm as the township’s longest-running business, and approved the township holiday schedule for 2026 by unanimous vote.
The Bernards Township Committee on Sept. 9 recognized local residents and institutions for cultural and historic contributions and approved its holiday schedule for next year.
Mayor Donna Fields presented a resolution honoring Nandini Iyer, a Pingree School sophomore, for her Carnatic vocal solo debut on April 24, 2025, and for donating concert proceeds to Somerset Food Bank and CORD USA. The committee approved Resolution 2025-0328 by voice vote. Iyer told the committee, "I wanna thank my parents for supporting me through this whole journey and my music teacher and all my other music teachers for helping me so much," and said she had donated money raised at the concert to the named charities.
The committee also recognized Deborah Pester DeWitt as the winner of the township’s 250th-anniversary logo contest (Resolution 2025-0339). The anniversary committee reported eight anonymous submissions and that the five-judge panel, which included the mayor, selected DeWitt’s design. DeWitt said the logo was a family effort, explaining she used experimentation and help from her daughters when developing the entry.
The committee adopted Resolution 2025-0340 honoring English Farm in Liberty Corner as Bernards Township’s longest continuously operating business. Mayor Fields noted the farm’s origins in the 1730s and thanked Carol English and her family for multigenerational stewardship. Carol English accepted the recognition, saying the family now includes eighth- and ninth-generation owners and thanking the committee for the tribute.
During public comment, resident David Becker thanked the committee for creating the 250th-anniversary committee and said early coalition-building is underway with nonprofits, the library, the school district and Somerset County. Resident John Crane praised the town’s role in preserving English Farm, noting the municipality had purchased development rights to protect the property.
On routine business the committee approved the consent agenda, including a holiday schedule resolution (noting Veterans Day will be observed) on a roll-call vote with all members recorded as voting yes.
The committee presented resolutions and certificates, took photos with honorees and moved on to other agenda items. No formal policy changes or controversial actions were taken during these recognitions.
