Special Bernardsville Meeting, Book Sale Collections This Week

This Monday morning will start out with a special meeting of the Bernardsville Borough Council, and the topics on the agenda include awarding an housing affordability assistance services contract, and also approving a resolution regarding affordable housing to submit to the state Council on Affordable Housing.

As in other communities around the state, Bernardsville must show that it has committed the use of funds built up in its municipal affordable housing trust account, or risk having the state seize those funds.

That money — in Bernardsville's case, almost $1 million — was set aside by a small contribution from developer's fees in previous years. 

Bernardsville planners have said the money already is earmarked for projects such as rehabilitation of housing, and affordability assistance for residents. The statewide deadline for submitting an answer to COAH is Aug. 2.

The Bernardsville Planning Board also is scheduled to meet at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday night, Aug. 1.

Meanwhile — if the weather holds — movie night under the stars at the Bernardsville Pools has been rescheduled from last week until this Thursday night, Aug. 1, at dusk. The pool is located off Seney Drive, across from the Bedwell Elementary School.

Meanwhile, students and other have an opportunity to log volunteer hours helping organizers of the upcoming book fair organized each summer by the Somerset Hills American Association of University Women.

The collection of books and DVDs and CDs begins July 29 through August 1, and August 5, according to the web site for the Somerset Hills AAUW. Collections will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on those five days.

On those days, students are needed for shifts of two to six hours each day, between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Bernardsville Middle School off Seney Drive in Bernardsville. There is no air conditioning.

Students and other volunteers would be asked to receive bags of books at the loading dock; sort and set up books on tables, and later pack up unsold books.

Over in Bedminster, the township Land Use Board is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

Also on that day, the township is scheduled to hold a bulky waste disposal collection from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Details are online at the Bedminster Township website.