Mayor Invites Public to Tree Walk; Twilight Challenge

Find out about the trees that are common in Basking Ridge, walk or run for a worthy cause at Twilight Challenge.

Mayor Carolyn Gaziano is inviting residents to join two upcoming fitness events during the next few weeks, beginning with a walking tour of Basking Ridge trees that will meet in front of the historic oak tree by The Presbyterian Church of Basking Ridge. The walk on May 29 and the second event, the 25th annual Pleasant Valley Twilight Challenge, are part of the Bernards Township Mayor’s Wellness Campaign for 2013. The tour of local trees is being sponsored by the Bernards Township Shade Tree Commission, which already has launched its "Five in 5" campaign urging township residents to collectively plant 5,000 trees in the next five years to replace trees wrecked by Sandy last fall. The mayor will launch the walking tour at 3:30 p.m. on …

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Bernards and Far Hills Part Ways on Roads Agreement

Bernards Mayor Gaziano says that Far Hills has said it will contract elsewhere for road maintenance rather than upping share to 50 percent.

As of Wednesday, Bernards Township's arrangement to maintain Douglas Road and a part of Mine Brook Road split down the middle by both towns' borders is over. But Bernards officials said on Tuesday night they've been told that Far Hills now has made other arrangements. Bernards Mayor Carolyn Gaziano reported at Tuesday's Township Committee meeting that she had received a phone call from Far Hills Mayor Paul Vallone informing her that the Far Hills Council had decided to hire a contractor rather than continue the longstanding maintenance agreement with Bernards. The township had asked that the borough increase its share for road maintenance costs to 50 percent, rather than the 20 or 25 percent offered by Far Hills in negotiations late in …

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Far Hills Mayor Wants to Meet on Bernards Roads Dispute

Deadline approaches for day on which Bernards has said Far Hills must pay full half of road maintenance and projects.

Far Hills Mayor Paul Vallone said he would like to meet again with Bernards Township officials as a Feb. 27 deadline approaches in dispute over how much Far Hills should contribute to costs for two roads equally owned by both towns that has led to the Bernards Township Committee threatening to plow and pave only one lane of each road. "I would be happy to discuss possible options," Vallone said on Tuesday night. "We are trying to come up with some sort of agreement," he said, in regard to the issues of routine maintenance and also repaving when necessary for Douglas Road and a portion of Mine Brook Road. The border for the two towns has run down the center of each road since Far Hills split off from Bernards Township to become its own …

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Task Force Preparing Options for Ridge Traffic Report

Mayor said 'marathon' meeting planned Wednesday to draw up options for March presentation.

Bernards Mayor Carolyn Gaziano said there will be a marathon meeting later Wednesday of a specially appointed task force to draw up a detailed list of options, citing pros and cons, for proposed solutions for easing morning traffic at Ridge High School, with the goal of releasing a public report in late March. Gaziano said township officials on the task force could report back at the Township Committee meeting in March. Only one committee meeting is scheduled during the month, on March 12. She said it will depend on how much the group gets done at Wednesday's meeting on whether a report will be ready by that date.  Gaziano said the report might include detailed study and maps of up to 10 different scenarios. School officials already said …

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Skiing with Mayor is On For Saturday

The snow complicated travel also prompts at cross-country skiing as part of Bernards Township Wellness Campaign for this Saturday.

Mayor Carolyn Gaziano confirmed Saturday she will hold a cross-country skiing event at 11 a.m. at the Somerset County Environmental Education Center, 190 Lord Stirling Rd, in Basking Ridge. The free event is open to all, but participants are asked to bring their own skis. The EEC requires at least four inches of snow on the ground to open the trails at the park for cross-country skiing. This is Gaziano's second attempt at scheduling cross-country skiing. Last time in January, insufficient snow changed the event to a fitness walk along the trails with the mayor — which Gaziano said she would do again if the snow isn't deep enough. An anticipated series of fitness events are part of the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign for 2013, which also are …

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Mayor Opens Book Fair at Chabad Schools

Mayor Carolyn Gaziano reads to students at Zimmer Preschool and Olam Academy.

Bernards Township Mayor Carolyn Gaziano last week shared a love of books by reading to children at the opening of the book fair at the Chabad Jewish Center in Basking Ridge. Gaziano said she greeted Zimmer Preschool children and their parents as they entered for the book fair. She then then read books to the kindergarten and first grade students at Chabad's Olam Academy, also at the main Chabad center off Valley Road in Basking Ridge.    

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Mayor's Saturday Ski Event Turns into Walk Instead

Even with little snow, 2013 Mayor Carolyn Gaziano will host first event in 'Mayor's Wellness Campaign.'

If weather forecasts were accurate, and the Basking Ridge area got enough snow on Friday as predicted, then new Mayor Carolyn Gaziano said she would host her first Mayor's fitness event, cross country skiing, this Saturday morning. Walk instead at 9 a.m. on Saturday at EEC Even with too little snow, Gaziano said that all members of the public are invited to enjoy conversation with the mayor while exercising from 9 to 10 a.m. in the setting of the Somerset County Environmental Education Center at 190 Lord Stirling Road in Basking Ridge. Gaziano said in an email that she will meet instead for a walk on the trails of the center. Skiing is only allowed at the EEC when there is more than four inches of snow on the trails and only on trails in …

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GOP Incumbents to be Sworn In for Twp. Committee

Carolyn Gaziano and John Malay, re-elected in November, will begin new terms.

The Bernards Township Committee will retain its all-Republican status for 2013, with the swearing in of two GOP committee members who already have been serving — Carolyn Gaziano, returning for a second three-year term, and John Malay, re-elected last November to his fourth term. The township's annual reorganization meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, at the township municipal complex. After being sworn in, Gaziano, deputy mayor in 2012, is expected to be appointed as mayor for 2013 by her fellow committee members. It will be her first term as mayor. The Republicans last November were re-elected over two Democratic candidates, Michael Komondy and David Ferdinand. Township Committeeman John Carpenter, who previously served as mayor…

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Bernards Mayor for 2013 to be Gaziano; Carpenter to be Deputy Mayor

UPDATED: Gaziano will be looking at emergency preparedness in 2013; Carpenter set to be deputy mayor.

When the Bernards Township Committee meets for its annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 2, Carolyn Gaziano is expecting to be sworn in twice — first, for her second term on the Township Committee, and then for a yearlong appointment as township mayor. Gaziano, deputy mayor in 2012, was re-elected to the township's governing body for another three year term along with her fellow Republican, John Malay, in the November election. As is custom in Bernards Township, where the committee selects the township's mayor for a yearlong appointment, Gaziano now is due to move up to the top spot, held by Mary Pavlini in 2012. Township Committeeman John Carpenter said he is slated to be appointed as deputy mayor at the Jan. 2 reorganization meeting, to …

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