Highlands adopts reorganization resolutions, mayor lays out 2025 projects and grant wins

The Borough of Highlands held its 2025 reorganization meeting on Jan. 1, adopting a consent agenda of resolutions that appointed municipal officials, authorized professional-service contracts and approved the 2025 temporary budget. The council voted to adopt resolutions R25-001 through R25-045 as a package, and the clerk declared the motion carried.

The consent agenda included routine appointments and contract authorizations across municipal services — from a municipal attorney and borough engineer to public defenders, prosecutors and a recycling coordinator — and named Antonio Flores to the position of office of emergency management coordinator. The council approved the minutes of the Dec. 18, 2024 meeting earlier in the session.

Mayor (speaking at the meeting) highlighted several fiscal and project updates that officials said will shape 2025 priorities. He reported that property assessments in the borough rose by about $250,000,000 over the past year — an increase the mayor characterized as “over 23%” — and said higher assessments can reduce the municipal tax rate once the budget is set. He also said the borough secured more than $1,900,000 in grants "to help rebuild our parks, rebuild our infrastructure," money he said will reduce reliance on local tax revenue.

The mayor outlined a number of projects and near-term actions: a Jan. 9 Land Use Board hearing on Captains Cove that could lead to condemnation proceedings; the appointment of a conditional redeveloper for the Chatelon property; continued work on Portland Road drainage requiring gas-main relocation paid for by the utility; design and permitting completion for a living shoreline at Veterans Park (approved by the state Department of Environmental Protection and awaiting Army Corps of Engineers review); planning work for the James T. White clam plant under an Asset Activation planning grant; bids planned this winter for work at Overlook and Frank Hall parks; proposed Jones Creek dredging subject to county dewatering procedures; a Shore Drive pedestrian safety project to install sidewalks from Waterwitch Corner to the end of Willow; and milling and paving of Washington Avenue (Marine Place to Chapel Place).

During the public comment period, Ed Johnson of Brookdale Community College told the council the college is "looking forward to working together" on a local history project tied to planning and educational components for waterfront grant work. The mayor acknowledged the college's participation and the formation of local steering committees for planning grants.

The council conducted a standard roll call that recorded council members as present and closed the public portion after comments. A council member moved to adjourn, the motion was seconded, members voted in favor and the meeting adjourned at 12:31 p.m. Ahead: the Land Use Board hearing on Captains Cove is scheduled for Jan. 9.

Details from the meeting record: the clerk read the legal notice confirming compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act (notice to the Asbury Park Press and Two River Times, posting at borough hall and filing with the borough clerk on 01/01/2024). Several oaths of office were administered at the start of the session to newly seated municipal officers and public-safety personnel.