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Somerville council adopts obsolete‑ordinance repeal, authorizes fitness‑court award and approves grants, bills totaling $3.46M
Summary
The Somerville Borough Council on May 4 adopted an ordinance removing an obsolete newspaper‑recycling code, authorized a National Fitness Campaign EUS contract for a fitness court, approved multiple grant applications (including a Transit Village grant for Veterans Memorial Drive EV charging and crossings), and voted to pay $3,464,726.75 in bills.
The Somerville Borough Council voted on several administrative and procurement items at its May 4 meeting, approving an ordinance to remove an obsolete curb‑side newspaper‑stacking rule, authorizing a grant and a limited‑bid contract, and passing consent resolutions and a bills payment by unanimous roll calls.
Council adopted Ordinance 2800 to eliminate a decades‑old code section on newspaper stacking at the curb that no longer reflects current recycling practices; a staff member told the council the language dates from the 1980s and is obsolete. The public hearing on the ordinance was opened and closed with no public comment and the ordinance was adopted by unanimous roll call.
On the consent agenda the council approved multiple items including authorization to apply for and execute a New Jersey Department of Transportation Transit Village/local aid grant for enhancements on Veterans Memorial Drive (pedestrian crossings and EV charging stations), an NJDEP green communities grant agreement, hiring seasonal lifeguards for 2026, and approving the Tour of Somerville and Memorial Day parade road closures.
Council also authorized an extraordinary/unspecific services (EUS) contract to National Fitness Campaign LP to procure and install an outdoor National Fitness Campaign adult fitness court in a borough location near Cliff and High streets. Staff said the equipment is grant‑funded (through a Blue Cross Blue Shield statewide program) but that local concrete bids have been higher than comparators in other municipalities; the EUS procurement route was described as allowed when a proprietary contractor supplies a trademarked product and a formal open bid would not be practicable. Council recorded a unanimous vote to authorize the contract so the borough can meet the grant timeframe.
The council approved a resolution urging restoration of energy tax receipts and enhanced municipal aid (a League of Municipalities initiative) and then voted to pay bills and vouchers in the amount of $3,464,726.75; the bills motion passed by unanimous roll call.
During the public‑comment portion of the meeting, resident Peter Roos asked about a proposed Mountain Avenue development; Mayor Brian Gallagher responded that no specific plan is before the borough, the property (the Reuben Estate) remains zoned R‑1 single‑family but the lot‑size standard has shifted from 10,000 to 7,000 square feet within R‑1 and that density remains about six units per acre. The mayor said any owner seeking added density would have to seek relief before the zoning board. "There is no plan, right now... The only thing that's being addressed is zoning... When all of this is done, it will be zoned R‑1," the mayor said.
Next steps: staff will proceed with the fitness court contract procurement under the EUS authorization to try to satisfy grant timing; the council will return later to consider the finalized community energy plan and any ordinance changes recommended by the plan.
