(Fanwood, NJ) – At its regular meeting Monday night, the borough council recognized Girl Scout Week and Women’s History Month.
Julie Murphy, a member of the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Girl Scout Service Team, led girls from Brownie Troop 40346 and Daisies from Troops 40106 and 40246 to the microphone as they read some of the ways the Girl Scouts have helped the Fanwood and Scotch Plains communities.
The organization is celebrating its 112th anniversary this year and today there are more than 50 million women that are Girl Scout alums with Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey serving some 13,000 girls across the state, according the proclamation read by Mayor Colleen Mahr.
“We want to thank people like Julia and the Scout Leaders for providing a safe and inclusive space for girls to flourish and grow and develop leadership skills,” the Mayor said.
The Mayor presented a proclamation for Women’s History Month to Bernadette Hoyer and Jean Naugle of the College Club of Fanwood-Scotch Plains, which is celebrating their 91st anniversary.
Naugle, co-president of the College Club, said the club participates in service organizations and offers programs five times a year to the public and awards scholarships to between 10-12 young women each year. The Club has given out $780,000 in scholarships to local young women since 1933.
The council also appointed Maureen Doherty as a member of the Fanwood Historic Preservation Commission.
The council approved resolutions for shelving at the new library now under construction, awarded a bid for the 2023 road program for Willoughby Road and Oak Court and authorized the borough to submit a grant application with Union County for the 2023 Road Improvement Program for Pandick Court, Robin Road, and Second Street.
Also passed was a resolution in support of RevolutionNJ, the state’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary of the United States and the American Revolution in 2026, and a resolution in support of converting existing, but underutilized rail track within the Central (CRR)/New Jersey Transit Right-of-Way into pedestrian/bicycle trails and connecting all pedestrian/bicycle trails in Union County.
Stephen Dunn of Kenilworth commented on the resolution supporting the pedestrian/bicycle trails. He said he is the founding member and current president of Union County Connects. He said the initiative started four years ago focused on an unused rail line between Cranford and Elizabeth. He said they realized that there was a network of underutilized rail lines within the county.
Locally, he said the Greenbrook Trail is under construction in Plainfield.
“Our vision is to connect into that Greenbrook Trail and bring you all the way back up to the Olmstead Trail in Lenape Park, which will connect into the East Coast Greenway,” Dunn said, noting that if biking were an option outside of a car more people would use the use trails.
“I think it would be really great because I think anything we can do to help promote what you’re doing and amplify it through our channels would be great,” Mayor Mahr said.
Council President Katherine Mitchell said the Fanwood Recycling Center will be open on Saturday, April 6 from 8-11 am for self-service drop-off. She also said the Department of Public Works leaf pickup for all quadrants is April 15. The brush and branch pickup will on April 22 for northeast and northwest quadrants and April 29 for the southeast and southwest quadrants.
Councilwoman Erin McElroy Barker urged residents to arrive early for this Saturday’s Easter Egg Hunt at Forest Road Park, which begins at 10 am.
It was noted that upcoming community events include Clean Communities Day on April 20, Ladies Night on June 6, Fan Jam on July 14, Fan Woof Day on August 18, and Fanny Wood Day on September 14. A full listing of events has been mailed to residents and posted on the borough’s website and Facebook page.
