Watchung Mayor Balla Calls for Unity & Cooperation

WATCHUNG, NJ — Mayor Keith S. Balla recently unveiled a series of ambitious priorities that his Administration plans to undertake in 2022, encouraging the borough’s bipartisan council and it residents to work cooperatively to improve the quality-of-life here.

Mayor Balla delivered his upbeat message, calling for community “unity, cooperation and understanding” at the borough’s recent reorganization meeting.

Among his top priorities, Mayor Balla cited plans to strengthen public safety; make infrastructure improvements to local streets and culverts; upgrade the borough’s sewer systems; enhance municipal facilities including Watchung’s popular public library and revitalize Camp Endeavor for community use.

To minimize costs for property owners, the borough will use a combination of federal and state grants, as well as funds that Watchung received from the federal American Rescue Plan, to fund many new 2022 initiatives, Balla said. The mayor also intends to:

• Increase municipal transparency with technology upgrades to the borough's website and social media platforms by live streaming more public meetings and digitizing public records to make them accessible online.
• Proactively identifying available properties that can potentially help Watchung comply with its legally-required affordable housing obligation.
• Provide more community activities for residents of all ages, including family sports competitions; international food nights; community band concerts; and craft fairs, community barbecues, and a chili cook-off contest.

Please read Mayor Balla’s 2022 priorities, in their entirety, on this news website.

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Mayor Keith S. Balla is a forensic accountant and leads the Forensic, Litigation & Valuation Department at PKF O'Connor Davies LLP, a regional accounting and consulting firm. Mayor Balla was sworn in as Watchung mayor in 2019 and has since implemented measures to generate substantially more municipal revenue and to save tax money through shared services, outsourcing, tough negotiation and prudent fiscal practices.