Highlands council approves sewer, capital bond ordinances and adopts multiple resolutions; several ordinances set for public hearings

The Borough Highlands Mayor and Council on May 7 adopted multiple funding and contract measures and advanced several ordinances to further public hearings.

The council adopted bond ordinance 02506, providing for sewer utility improvements and authorizing $86,250 in bonds and notes to finance a portion of the work. The council then adopted bond ordinance 02507 authorizing capital improvements and acquisition of equipment, including police equipment, new radios for the fire department and other items the ordinance listed; the ordinance text also referenced the possibility of a new pumper fire truck and an F-250 pickup truck. Both ordinances passed by roll-call vote.

Council introduced and passed on first reading ordinance 02508 to designate restricted parking in front of a residence occupied by a person with a disability at 36 Valley Street; a public hearing on that item was scheduled for May 21, 2025. Ordinance 02510, a zoning cleanup and clarification of steep-slopes provisions intended to make requirements clearer for the tree commissioner and to add a brief tree-removal section, was also passed on first reading with a May 21 public hearing.

The council adopted resolution R25-110 awarding a fair-and-open contract for pedestrian improvements for the Marine Place East project and later adopted R25-111 to authorize non-fair-and-open professional construction administration and inspection services in connection with that project. A staff member explained the project will add a walkway, concrete work, stairwells and ramps and that work is expected to take about 60 days. Roll call on R25-110 recorded one abstention (Council Chilac); the resolution was adopted.

The consent agenda (resolutions R2512 through R25116) was approved and included items such as a contract for landscape services at Snug Harbor Skate Park, a resolution calling for restoration of energy taxes to municipalities, a non-fair-and-open contract for wireless communications consulting to assess borough-owned sites for improved cellular service, payment of bills and an expert-witness services contract related to an arbitration matter. Council members discussed the skate-park landscaping and the need to identify borough properties suitable for a new cell tower to improve coverage, especially above the high school.

No substantive public testimony opposed the bonding or contract measures during their hearings. Several of the introduced ordinances carry public hearings on May 21, 2025 for final consideration.

Actions at a glance - Ordinance 02506 (sewer utility improvements): adopted on second and final reading (roll-call yes votes recorded). Source: council reading and roll call at the May 7 meeting. - Ordinance 02507 (capital improvements/equipment): adopted on second and final reading; listed purchases include police equipment, fire radios, and possible new apparatus (pumper truck, F-250 pickup). Source: ordinance reading and roll call at the meeting. - Ordinance 02508 (restricted parking for persons with disability at 36 Valley St.): passed on first reading; public hearing set May 21, 2025. - Ordinance 02509 (sale of unregulated "phantom" products): discussed and passed on first reading (see separate article for details); public hearing May 21, 2025. - Ordinance 02510 (steep-slopes/zoning clarifications): passed on first reading; public hearing May 21, 2025. - Resolution R25-110 (Marine Place East pedestrian improvements award): adopted; roll-call recorded one abstention. - Resolution R25-111 (construction administration/inspection services): adopted. - Consent agenda (R2512–R25116): adopted; items include landscape services at Snug Harbor Skate Park (R2512), restoration of energy taxes resolution (R2113), wireless communications consulting (R2114), payment of bills (R25115), and expert-witness contract for arbitration representation (R2116).

What’s next: Several ordinances (02508, 02509, 02510) are scheduled for public hearings on May 21, 2025. The Marine Place East contract work is expected to begin after contract execution and take about 60 calendar days.