Heated Exchange Over Missing July 4th Recognition Overshadows Routine Council Business
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A tense public-comment exchange dominated much of the meeting after a resident, speaking in honor of her late father, a World War II Army veteran, criticized the council and library for once again posting nothing about the Fourth of July on the borough or library websites or Facebook page. She said she had raised the identical complaint about missing July 4th and 9/11 recognition in September 2022 and had been told informally afterward that "no one cares about the Fourth of July anymore." Council members disputed that characterization and said they had done a full remembrance of 9/11 victims the previous year, but ultimately only agreed to "discuss" adding some acknowledgment to the website, Facebook page and library programming without committing to specifics. Separately, resident Ryan Doyle pressed the council on the status of a proposed gas-leaf-blower ordinance and criticized Montclair council members for what he called unfair characterizations of Glen Ridge during fire-contract negotiations; council members said there was no active discussion of an interlocal police-services agreement with Montclair.
Council authorized procurement of roughly 2,100 replacement water meters through the Morris County Cooperative Pricing Council, appointed Councilor Ann Marie Morrow as the borough's Emergency Management Coordinator for a three-year term beginning July 14 (with some on-the-record confusion in the roll call over whether Morrow herself voted on her own appointment), and approved a restructuring of construction-department appointments: Michael DeFrancesco as construction code official, zoning officer, code enforcement officer, electrical sub-code official and electrical inspector; Felix Esposito as building sub-code official/inspector; Anthony DeSoli as plumbing sub-code official/inspector; and Thomas Simpson as fire code official/inspector, all effective July 1.
Council also approved two NJDOT municipal-aid grant applications for paving — one covering Glen Ridge Parkway, Baldwin Street and Ferncliffe Terrace, the other covering Yantacaw Avenue, Bennett Street and Oakwood Avenue — reaffirmed the borough's participation in the Essex County Urban County CDBG program through 2026, gave first reading to an ordinance setting 2023 non-union salary titles (No. 1787), and gave final adoption to a capital-improvement appropriations ordinance (No. 1786). A resolution authorized a fireworks/cannon-salute permit for Bloomfield Cemetery's Revolutionary War memorial unveiling on July 1, reduced from 13 shots to one or three at the borough's request. Administrator Zichelli thanked staff and PSE&G crews for managing a short-notice power shutdown to replace aging underground transformers.
All formal votes that evening carried unanimously (six ayes, no nays).
What to watch
- Whether the borough adds any Fourth of July acknowledgment to its website, Facebook page or library programming
- Bloomfield Cemetery's Revolutionary War memorial unveiling and cannon salute, July 1
- Construction department reappointments take effect July 1