Bedminster Considers Changing Food and Restaurant Rating System

Although no action has been taken, the Bedminster Board of Health reportedly is kicking around the idea of altering its food and restaurant inspection system to add one more step in the interest of providing a more representational and specific rating, Township Committeeman Bernie Pane told the Township Committee on Monday night.

If the ratings are revised, Bedminster would have an inspection system used by many other towns and cities, including New York City, Pane said.

The current system awards a rating of satisfactory, conditionally satisfactory or unsatisfactory, Pane said. 

The system under consideration — which had only gotten as far as the discussion stage at last week's Board of Health meeting — assigns a rating of A or B for different levels of satisfactory, C for conditionally satisfactory and a failing unsatisfactory rating.

Pane compared it to have a grading system, rather than just a pass-fail rating. He said if a food establishment upgrades the deficiencies pointed out in receiving a conditionally satisfactory approval, it would only be allowed to rise to the level of a "B" for that year.

A conditionally satisfactory rating requires certain issues to be addressed, said Township Administrator Judy Sullivan.

Pane said a Somerset County Health Department inspector, David DeRosa, handles inspections in Bedminster.

The Board of Health, being an autonomous body, would be responsible for passing its own ordinance change to put the new system in place, Pane said.

But he added that the board's discussion did not lead to a decision, or even consensus. 

"I'm not sure the entire Board is on board with changing the rating system," Pane told the committee members.