Hello!  I hope everyone celebrating has enjoyed a nice holiday season.  We hosted our 36th annual Christmas Eve dinner, for the combined Duarte and McCarthy families. This year’s theme, “A Wintry White Christmas” was a wonderful evening of laughter and love.   

 

During December the Township Committee held two meetings. At the December 9 meeting, several individuals were recognized for longtime service, including among others, Mike Delgado, who achieved 50 years of volunteering to the Basking Ridge Fire Company.  Considering that the Fire Department was officially formed in June of 1904, Mike has been a volunteer for 40% of the years that the Fire Company has been in existence. Each of the Township Committee members shared thanks to Mike and presented him with unique resolutions from the Offices of the Governor, Congress, Legislative District 21, Somerset County, and our Township Resolution. Mike is an exceptional example in Bernards Township of a life well lived in service to others.

 

During the December 9th meeting the Township also recognized and thanked Mayor Janice Fields for her longtime service as a volunteer and elected official of the Township, and Committeeman David Tancredi for his volunteerism, and service this past year as an appointed official.  Both Janice and David have given considerable time and talent to the community, and to that end I wished them my appreciation and thanks for their partnership and contributions, and best wishes in their future endeavors.

 

During the past few Township Committee meetings, we’ve had residents share their concerns about public safety on Allen Road in the wake of our resident Bhuvani Mani being hit by a car on October 31, and then succumbing to her injuries. Deputy Mayor Andrew McNally and I serve on the police subcommittee, and are in communication with residents, county and staff alike, regarding this priority.  The county and township are proceeding with several engineering studies and will anticipate outcomes within the next few months to inform and guide next steps.  In the meantime, my continued prayers and condolences to Ms. Mani’s family and loved ones.

 

December heralds the beginning of winter weather events.  The Police Department reminds all residents that there is no street parking permitted on any township road between 2am and 5am.  This is particularly relevant when crews from the Department of Public Works are out in the early morning hours salting and plowing our roads. Work is hindered if there are cars on the street.  Please be aware that if your car is in the street, you may be ticketed. 

 

The holiday season began with several community events, starting with the Basking Ridge Business Alliance (BRBA) Winter Tree Lighting on December 6.  The community also convened for the Menorah Lighting and Gelt Drop at the Chabad Synagogue on December 14 on the eve of Hanukkah.  Two community Menorah lightings were held at Allen St. Gazebo on December 18 and 20, and we are appreciative of the commitment from our Police Department to provide presence, following the tragedy at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. 

On December 11, Mayor Janice Fields and I honored the Township board and committee volunteers at the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, where attendees received certificates and enjoyed a delicious meal.  Special thanks to Christy Keiffer, Municipal Clerk, and Kendra Kelly, Administrative Assistant, for planning the evening, and to the Liberty Corner Firehouse for providing the space. 

 

During December, I joined the BRBA at their annual holiday party on the 16th at Arbor Terrace. The BRBA seeks to provide opportunities for business owners to grow their business by staying informed, connecting with the community, and networking with other professionals locally. I look forward to continued partnership with the group in the coming year.

 

As the Democratic party gained the majority in this past election, I am slated to be sworn in as Mayor at our reorganization meeting. This is both humbling and a tremendous honor.  I look forward to serving my community, and all of you, in this role, and as always, will seek your involvement and input in the year ahead. 

 

To that end, please join me and in welcoming our newly elected officials, Brett Hodges and John Tompkins, at the Township meeting, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 7:00pm, in the Warren Craft meeting room, Town Hall, 1 Collyer Lane. We anticipate robust attendance, so give yourselves plenty of time to arrive, park, and claim a seat!

 

You can contact me on Township matters at (201) 306-0178, or via email at amccarthy@bernards.org. Please note that any correspondence sent to me will be visible to the full township committee and county clerk. 

Bernards Township’s Health Department is asking all residents to complete an online health survey. Your input is vital to understanding the needs and priorities of our community. The results will guide future programs and services aimed at improving the well-being of all residents. Please share this opportunity with friends and neighbors! Paper copies of the survey are available upon request. Thank you for helping to make our community healthier!

 

Hailing from Austin, Texas where they met and studied computer science, Linda Ness and Munir Cochinwala have enjoyed decades raising their family in Basking Ridge. While Linda grew up on a dairy farm in southern Minnesota, and Munir in Pakistan, this dynamic pair shares common ground in their support for democracy in all its iterations.

 

While Munir says, “In Pakistan, you can’t not be involved with politics,” he remained on the political sidelines here in the U.S, until after he retired. When he decided to become involved at the local level, he did so through his ties to the the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge, which in turn connected him with Nancy D’Andrea and the BTDC.

 

Linda followed Munir’s lead, and today they’re both district reps and quite involved with local efforts. Linda enjoys canvassing, phone banking and meeting other residents in all manner of engagement. Looking forward, she says, “I hope the Democrats can get more representation on the planning and zoning committees, so we have more input and outreach among different groups in town.” She also believes, “There’s an opportunity to unite our neighbors more. I liked John Tompkin’s idea of local dinners and block parties and more occasions for people to meet.”

 

Munir also supports the idea of building a greater sense of community. He’d like to see a stronger selection of restaurants and shops in downtown Basking Ridge as well.  In addition, “I believe our township should create a science and technology committee,” he says, feeling many processes and transactions residents deal with could be streamlined and made easier.

 

Great ideas and the energy and willingness to see them through are qualities that define this thoughtful couple. Linda would love to see the BTDC’s open meetings continue featuring guest speakers, candidates and others able to educate our constituents. She also believes a refresher course on the U.S. Constitution would be great. “Maintaining, reinvigorating and repairing our constitutional representative democracy will require a lot of attention,” she says.

 

Both Linda and Munir are advocates for transparency and exploration of new approaches to meeting affordable housing obligations. They look forward to being part of an effort toward building an even greater sense of belonging in this community they call home. The Cochinwalas have two married daughters, and today their brood includes three granddaughters and a grandson. They adore spending time with both families, who reside in Bernardsville and Florida.

 

– Jen Aaron

Paid for by the Bernards Township Democratic Committee