Resident Todd Reinstein urges pause on $20,000 message-board purchase, raises hydrant, sidewalk and police staffing concerns

Resident Todd Reinstein addressed the Bernards Township Committee during the public-comment period and urged officials to pull Resolution 250444, the agenda item listed for purchase of electronic message boards.

"There's, at least 2 message boards sitting not being used at all," Reinstein said, urging the committee to consider sharing equipment or renting when needed rather than buying. He estimated the purchase would cost about $20,000 and suggested the township already has unused display equipment.

Reinstein also told the committee that residents should clear snow from fire hydrants and asked the township to keep sidewalks on school routes maintained so pedestrians are safe. He recommended that the committee consider adding a second public-comment period during meetings so residents could respond after hearing agenda business.

On police operations, Reinstein said he believed some duties were not being performed and asked for a review of shift staffing and how officers use their time. "If they don't have enough people on a shift ... then they barely increase that to 5,000,000 minimum," he said (comment was transcribed with an unclear numeric detail). There was no direct staff response recorded to those specific concerns during the public-comment segment; the mayor thanked Reinstein after his remarks.

The committee did not take immediate formal action on the procurement question during this meeting; the consent agenda (which included routine items) was approved later in the session and no separate discussion of Resolution 250444 occurred on the public record at this meeting.