Volunteer Opportunities, Twp. Committee and School Board Meetings This Week

Bernards Township is a community full of people who are willing to pitch in as volunteers for many situations and organizations, and Ridge High School students who must fulfill service hours during sophomore year have even more incentive.

All students looking for volunteering opportunities should attend the Teen Volunteer Fair on Monday at the Bernards Township Library, 32 S. Maple Ave.

The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in Program Rooms A and B. Local organizations looking for teen volunteers will be on hand at the fair to talk about what they do and what roles volunteers can fill to help. Anyone with questions should contact Kaitlin at 908-204-2523.

Board of Education, Township Committee meetings

The second Bernards Township Board of Education meeting of the year is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, at the William Annin Middle School, 70 Quincy Road in Basking Ridge.

Then, on Tuesday, at 8 p.m., the Bernards Township Committee will hold its second meeting at the Bernards Township Library, while the courtroom and main meeting room at Town Hall undergoes continuing renovations.

The meeting is scheduled to begin with an award for the winner of the Bernards Township Beautification's Sunflower Growing Contest held this year.

Ridge Baseball parking restrictions survey

The Township Committee then is scheduled to discuss the results of a survey or residents who live near the Ridge Baseball Complex off Valley Road, asking whether they believe that the organization's plans to install a synthetic turf field would worsen traffic, and negatively impact their neighborhood.

The results of the survey are linked to this week's Township Committee meeting.

In the survey, 12 residents were in favor, and five against seasonal parking restrictions on nearby cul-de-sacs, according to township figures. Most of the residents said they believed that the RBC's plans for a turf field would negatively impact the neighborhood if built, with 12 reportedly agreeing, and 3 saying no.

The linked survey also has 13 respondents saying they are negatively impacted now by the baseball club's activities on Valley Road, and four disagreeing with that statement.

The issue has been brought up at previous Township Committee meetings, and a Township Committee report in August said that no progress reportedly had been made in resolving the issue between the baseball club and neighbors.

The Ridge Baseball Club initially showed up at a Township Committee meeting in January seeking permission to install the artificial turf on the infields of the four athletic fields at the baseball complex — but ended up discussing parking disputes and other concerns by neighbors.

Another municipal meeting that is being moved to the library is the Bernards Township Planning Board, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. A discussion on allowing local charitable organizations to erect temporary signs in suitable locations is on the agenda.

More Ridge school news

Take on a leadership position at Ridge High and help make a difference in your school community! Get involved in Student Government! How? Pick up the paperwork, to run for a student government position, from your grade level advisor. All completed paperwork must be returned by 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23.

Back to School Night for parents of 9th and 12th graders at Ridge High School is 7 p.m. on Thursday. Parents are advised to print out their students schedules ahead of time from the school website's Home Access Center.