BERNARDSVILLE – A plan to mill and pave Bernards Avenue at a cost of $200,000 to $250,000 was approved by the Borough Council Monday night but not without the acrimony that often accompanies public works discussions.


By a 4-1 vote, the council backed the proposal it had suggested only a week ago when it convened as a public works committee of the whole. But the lone dissenter then, Councilman Joseph Rossi, again raised safety concerns about dropping new sidewalks and curbing from the project. Councilwoman Vivian McMillen was absent from both discussions.

Rossi pointed to a Tuesday, Sept. 6, accident when a person was reportedly hit by a car on Bernards Avenue as evidence that safety needs to be improved on the road.

According to the police report on the accident, a vehicle driven by a Bernards Avenue resident struck a North Carolina resident, who was on the edge of the road west of Garibaldi Street at 7:13 a.m. According to the report, the motorist was unable to see the victim “due to the blinding sun glare.” The pedestrian was transported to Morristown Memorial Hospital with moderate injuries. Police said no charges were filed.

Rossi was not alone in voicing safety concerns.

“How do you feel you’re serving the public interests by not having a safer street?” Bernards Avenue resident Steve Tobin asked the council.

Tobin was told that the recommended road work plan balanced an effort to combat rising costs, uses a state grant and meets the conflicting opinions that the council has sometimes heard from residents about what should be done on the road. Tobin, however, was not convinced and continued to press the council for answers.

“Are you through?” Mayor Jay Parsons asked pointedly at one point.

“Is there a warrant out for me or something?” Tobin shot back.

Although it appeared Parsons was going to allow him to continue, Tobin left the microphone and returned to his seat in the audience.

The next speaker, Somerset Avenue resident and Somerset Hills Board of Education member Greg DiGioacchino, said he “continued to be amazed at the lack of respect” shown to audience members.

Earlier, council members discussed the financial issues connected to the decision.

Councilman Lee Honecker said the listed cost of Bernards Avenue sidewalks themselves is $38,000. But other base work would have to be done on the street to prepare for them, meaning it would cost about $150,000 to “implement” sidewalks, he said.

Rossi said fears that the state Department of Transportation (DOT) would terminate a $150,000 Bernards Avenue grant if not spent soon might be unfounded. Referring to a letter from the DOT, Rossi said the state appeared to be more concerned about longer-standing grants, such as money for the downtown streetscape project, that have yet to be spent by the municipality.

©Recorder Newspapers 2005