Watchung Mayor Sets Ambitious Goals for 2022

Mayor Keith S. Balla presented his ambitious agenda of 2022 goals for the Borough of Watchung at its recent reorganization session. Above all, Mayor Balla asks for unity and cooperation as Watchung moves forward to improve the quality-of-life for its property owners, businesses and visitors. Here, in its entirety, are the Mayor’s remarks.

Happy New Year. Welcome to our residents, friends, relatives and elected officials who are joining us at this reorganization of the Watchung Borough Council.

I wish to welcome council members Christine Ead and Curtis Dahl whojoin the Watchung governing body to serve with honesty, integrity, humility, respect for everyone and in the best interest of Watchung.

I am extremely thankful for this opportunity and privilege to serve as Mayor of Watchung. As elected public servants we are entrusted by our residents to manage the affairs of the Borough; and to create and keep a safe environment for all people who live, work and visit Watchung.

This responsibility includes our police, fire, emergency services as well as safe streets and quality education for children, and activities for our residents’ health, education well-being, recreation and enjoyment.

2021 was our second year filled with public safety challenges for residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. This unprecedented pandemic has strained public resources and impacted the lives of our residents, businesses, public employees and volunteers who work hard to maintain order, safety and help all with regard to their lives, employment, education, business and health needs.

I wish to thank all Watchung employees, volunteers, residents and businesses for their effort, understanding and cooperation to help us get through these difficult times. I look forward to working with each of my Council colleagues: Ron Jubin, Pietro Martino, Wendy Robinson, Freddie Hayeck, Christine Ead and Curtis Dahl and our borough employees as we move forward to make Watchung the best community.

Clearly, our residents, with their diverse experiences, expertise and abilities are the greatest assets in our community. I look forward in 2022 to work together as a unified Watchung community in a bipartisan collaboration that will strengthen the bonds between us and helps us live, work, educate and raise our families together.

The Mayor’s Priorities

Our first responsibility is public safety for all residents, businesses and visitors. In 2021, I appointed our new Police Chief Andrew Hart, and I promoted Lt. Kenneth Boyle and Lt. Sherif Zaiton; I promoted Sergeants Jason Moberly, Brad Sporer and Ryan Dunnel; and hired Officers Michael Bahadourian, Casy Breese, Darren Calleo, and Alyssa Krum.

With persistence, and in collaboration with our businesses, residents, Somerset County officials and the State of New Jersey, we plan to continue improving public safety on our county roads by having new crossing lights installed on Stirling Road and at the circle. We will also push for lower speed limits and tougher traffic enforcement.

Due to so many truck accidents on Hillcrest Road, we have submitted detailed information to the N.J. Department of Transportation and to Somerset County that recommend changes at Route 78 and Hillcrest Road to mitigate the unsafe and speeding truck traffic.

Last Sept. 2nd, I spent the night at Watchung Police Headquarters and Municipal Court comforting people rescued from the raging flood waters that swept through Watchung. By the swift actions of our first responders, and the grace of God, no one died from these floods.

Over the course of that night, we made certain that each person who was rescued made it safely home. I want to thank and recognize the sacrifices made by Chief Hart, the Police Department and the volunteers who serve on our Rescue Squad and Volunteer Fire Department.

They saved many lives when Hurricane Ida dumped 10 inches of rain in a few hours, causing flash floods in Watchung, our most severe flooding since 1973.

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, our rescue squad and volunteer fire department is seeing more enthusiasm and a growing number of volunteers.

I encourage our residents to consider volunteering in some capacity. Volunteers – working side-by-side with their neighbors – will bring strength and unity to our community.

Second — Flooding from Hurricane Ida demonstrated decades of neglect for Watchung’s roads and infrastructure. Fortunately, the cost of the Elsinore culvert reconstruction was covered by FEMA. Moving forward I plan to have all of Watchung’s culverts with corrugated pipe, mapped and evaluated for priority repairs or replacements to ensure that we do more roadways collapse or washed away.

We have scheduled various Watchung road improvements – using state DOT grants from 2020-21 of $675,000 combined with municipal funds – totaling $1.35 million to pay for work to be completed in 2022.

With the $589,000 worth of federal Fiscal Recovery Funds that Watchung received, will also have our sewer lines evaluated for storm waterintrusion and make repairs to save the borough money for needless treatment fees.

Third — My Administration is committed to improve local government transparency.

To accomplish this, we continue to upgrade our technology and communication abilities by improving our borough website, providing greater access to information, and making good use of social media platforms to keep our residents informed.

To increase transparency, we are live-streaming Borough Council meetingsand using Zoom to give our residents the ability to interact with borough officials.

We have redesigned the borough website, installing modules to better inform our residents and improve responsiveness to community needs.

We continue to digitize our records, eventually making them online accessible. We are also advancing initiative to promote greater inclusion, diversity, equality and respect.

I look forward to soon establishing a new Inclusion, Diversity, Equality & Respect Committee that will be appointed to review Watchung’s policies and procedures about recruitment, hiring,
training, support and advancement for all borough employees, appointees and volunteers.

Fourth — In 2021, my professional expertise as a forensic accountant help the Borough of Watchung negotiate a long-term PILOT agreement with developers of the 230-unit Bonnie Burn Road apartment complex.

This carefully structured agreement will, over the next 30 years, generate $31.8 million in net revenue. It promises substantial property tax relief to today’s taxpayers and future property owners. Plus, it provides a host of other public benefits to the Watchung community.

Fifth — Borough officials will continue to search for local properties that will potentially help Watchung to comply with its legally-required affordable housing obligation. Watchung must be proactive as we develop our affordable housing solutions to ensure they are most beneficial to
our community.

Sixth — Unfortunately, our Borough did not receive a State Library Improvement Grant that would have enabled us to create a new state-of-the-art combination library, arts and community
center. I now plan to appoint an Ad Hoc Facilities Committee to develop an alternate plan for our well-regarded public library so it can continues to best serve our community.

As we emerge from COVID-19 in 2022, I plan for Watchung to host more community activities for residents of all ages. These activities are to include a family sports challenge competition; an international food night so residents can sample and share cuisine from our various local cultures; a community band concert on the green; craft fairs, community barbecues, a chili cook-off contest; and revitalizing Camp Endeavor for community use.

I wish to thank departing council members Eisenberg Knegten and Lindsay Goodloe for their valuable service to our residents and businesses.

We offer special thanks to Borough Administrator James Damato, who has stepped up numerous times while our Public Works manager’s position was vacant. Mr. Damato helped to ensure that many projects were successfully completed during 2021, including the removal of the old pool and a collapsed retaining wall at the Library; painting of the Arts Center building; and reconstruction of the Elsinore culvert with its cost covered by FEMA.

On behalf of our entire community, I thank our front-line medical workers and emergency services: police, fire and EMTs for dedicating their lives to preserve the lives of others.

I ask all residents to please be patient, forgiving, respectful, and provide encouragement as we move forward in 2022 so we can work together in peace and harmony for the good and well-being of everyone in Watchung.

I wish to thank my wife Karen for all of her love and support and my three children, Jonah, Noah and Hannah for being a tremendous help and blessing throughout the year.

I thank everyone in Watchung for your encouragement, help and support, and for your advice, valuable time, talents and treasures that make Watchung a great community.

These past two COVID years have given each of us time to reflect on our blessings. Let's take every opportunity to brighten someone's day with kind words, a smile, helping hands and giving hearts.

I welcome your future assistance to unite Watchung and to help build a brighter future.

God Bless You All,

Mayor Keith S. Balla