Berkeley Heights Public Library Director Amy Steinbauer has resigned after months of public pressure over the library's spending and programming.
Council Vice President Susan Poage announced the departure at the Tuesday, Oct. 6 Town Council meeting, according to TAPinto. Poage praised Steinbauer for bringing programs for all ages and supporting the Mayor's Wellness Committee.
The library's assistant director will oversee day-to-day operations while the library board appoints an interim director and searches for a permanent replacement. No timeline for the appointment was given.
The library operates on an annual budget of about $1.7 million. Public questions about that spending had been building for months. A July 2026 candidate statement published on NJ21st flagged an approximately 18.4% salary increase from 2025 to 2026 and $550,000 in operating funds transferred to capital reserves across December 2024 and December 2025.
Councilman Alvaro Medeiros said at the Oct. 6 meeting that the library's annual report showed no excess funds to return to the township. He urged residents to attend upcoming library board and budget meetings.
Steinbauer's response to the resignation was not available in public records as of publication.
Resident raises TCE concern at Nokia site
The same meeting surfaced a public health concern tied to the roughly 260-acre former Nokia property, which is planned for redevelopment that includes an age-restricted housing community.
Resident Joe Iadanza raised concerns during public comment about a plume of trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical classified as a human carcinogen, at the site. TCE is a synthetic solvent that can depress the central nervous system and cause internal organ damage if it comes into contact with humans, according to NJ21st's account of the meeting.
Poage said the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is aware of the contamination and is managing the remediation. According to TAPinto's account, Nokia remains responsible for the cleanup, which has been underway for years, and any developer will be aware of the contamination.
Mayor Angie Devanney said the developer, not the township, pays for the professionals reviewing the project. She added that residents can review DEP letters about the cleanup through the township clerk's office.
The council banned data centers townwide on July 22, a vote that repeatedly referenced the Nokia property's future. The exact scope of the TCE plume and the DEP's remediation timeline were not detailed at the meeting.
The next Berkeley Heights Town Council meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 20, with an Italian Heritage Month flag raising at 6:30 p.m. before the session. The library board meets Monday, Oct. 19, and the library budget meeting is Monday, Nov. 9.
