More than $1 million from Berkeley Heights' $3.5 million emergency storm-repair bond is committed to a Springfield Avenue streetscape project. The project does not appear on the township's storm damage list, NJ21st reported Aug. 27 after reviewing records obtained through an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request.

The Township Council passed Ordinance 2025-26 after a July 14, 2025, storm that damaged roads, culverts, bridges and drainage areas across Berkeley Heights. The bond authorized $3.386 million in borrowing. During the August 2025 debate over the ordinance, township officials told residents the money was "ONLY for storm-related damage and repairs, nothing else," according to NJ21st.

The ordinance's text told a different story. It authorized $3.29 million for "various road improvements," $235,000 for "various culvert/bridge improvements" and $40,000 for paving a driveway. The words "storm" and "flood" do not appear in the project descriptions, NJ21st reported.

On Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, less than three months after the bond was adopted, the Council approved Resolution 2025-340. The resolution awarded a contract to Cifelli & Son General Contracting for the "Safer Sidewalks for Springfield Avenue Transit Access" project and identified Ordinance 2025-26 as a funding source. The chief financial officer certified $1,026,307.50 from the bond's road-improvement account.

Springfield Avenue was not on the storm damage list.

The township's own infrastructure update page confirms construction on the Springfield Avenue project began in 2026. The scope includes brick-paver sidewalks, street light installation, tree removals and landscaping between River Road and Plainfield Avenue.

The overall Cifelli bid totals $1,986,607.50, combining the bond funds with $910,330 from a separate Springfield Avenue sidewalk grant. Bid documents list items including benches, bike racks, landscaping and 75 decorative light poles at $12,000 each. NJ21st cautioned that its OPRA records do not show which specific line items are paid from the bond versus the grant.

An Aug. 13 account ledger reviewed by NJ21st showed $1,076,277.50 committed from Ordinance 2025-26 to the Cifelli contract. None of that money had been paid as of that date.

NJ21st noted the records alone do not prove the township violated the ordinance by directing bond money to the Springfield Avenue project. The outlet raised questions about the gap between the public promise and the actual spending, and first flagged concerns about the bond's broad language on Aug. 6, 2025, when the ordinance was under consideration.

NJ21st reported it emailed Mayor Angie Devanney and the Council for comment before publication and had not received a response as of Aug. 27. No public response from township officials appeared in public records as of Aug. 31.

As of Aug. 13, the township had spent $248,682.37 under Ordinance 2025-26, with another $1,216,744.91 set aside for unpaid expenses. About $2.1 million remained uncommitted.