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Bernards Township Committee proclaims Italian American Heritage Month, adopts riparian easement and acknowledges state finance survey
Summary
At its Oct. 28 meeting the Bernards Township Committee passed a proclamation recognizing October as Italian American Heritage Month and commended the local UNICO chapter, acknowledged submission of the state Best Practices Inventory with a 39.5 score (exceeding the 32-point threshold for final state aid), adopted an ordinance accepting a riparian conservation easement at 33 North Finley Ave., and appointed a volunteer first-aid squad member.
The Bernards Township Committee on Oct. 28, 2025 adopted a proclamation recognizing October as Italian American Heritage Month, accepted a riparian conservation easement for property on North Finley Avenue, and voted to acknowledge the township’s 2025 Best Practices Inventory response, a report that county and municipal officials say is tied to state aid disbursements.
Committeeman David Tenredi said the committee “recognizes October as Italian American Heritage Month” and highlighted UNICO’s local service and scholarship programs. Nick Kuso, a member of the Basking Ridge UNICO chapter, accepted the proclamation and thanked the committee, saying the honor “means a lot to all of us.” The resolution (2025-362) passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.
Sean McCarthy, the township chief financial officer, presented the Best Practices Inventory (BPI) report the committee acknowledged under resolution 2025-0366. McCarthy said the township completed a 70-question survey that included 37 core competencies and scored 39.5 out of a possible 43.5, above the 32-point minimum the state requires for the township’s final 5% state aid payment. “Happy to report that we scored a 39.5,” McCarthy said.
On land-conservation business, the committee opened a public hearing and adopted ordinance 2587 to accept a riparian-zone conservation easement on property at 33 North Finley Avenue (Block 6008, Lot 3) from Taylor Wellington Dantis and Patrick Joseph Dantis to the township. The public hearing drew no comments; the ordinance passed by unanimous roll-call vote.
The committee also approved a consent agenda that included a resolution commemorating the Liberty Corner Fire Company’s 115th anniversary and voted unanimously to appoint Sarah Bedrosian as a full member of the township’s volunteer first-aid squad under resolution 2025-0358.
Two additional wetlands-related ordinances were introduced for first reading and scheduled for public hearing on Nov. 11, 2025: ordinance 2588 to accept a wetlands conservation easement on property at 16 St. Nicholas Way (Block 8802, Lot 29), and ordinance 2589 to accept an amended wetlands buffer conservation easement on property at 3 Emerald Valley Lane (Block 11401, Lot 21).
During public comment Todd Tidlestein of Riverside Drive urged the committee to petition the state to move the mailing date for sample ballots so voters receive them before early voting begins; he also asked the township to place street signs honoring Captain Ford Shaw and suggested relocating the prescription-drug drop box to a more accessible area of town hall. The committee said staff would follow up on drug-dropbox accessibility and other resident concerns.
The meeting concluded after approval of minutes from Sept. 23, 2025 and a motion to adjourn. The committee scheduled public hearings on ordinances 2588 and 2589 for Nov. 11, 2025.
