Elsie Foster, a Highland Park resident of 29 years and local government official of 22 years was appointed as the mayor of Highland Park in January. With this, she became the first African American mayor in Highland Park’s history.
Aside from the mayorship, Foster has worn many hats. She is Director of Consumer Affairs and Weights & Measures for Middlesex County and previously she established and ran for 15 years Aunt Elsie’s Homestays, a company that placed international students in schools throughout the Northeast.
Mayor Foster initially got involved in the Highland Park community as a member and then the secretary of the public school district’s PTA. In October of 2000, Foster became a member of Highland Park’s town council. This provided a “bird’s eye view” of the local government as she was able to see every committee assignment and work with every department in the borough.
Mayor Foster shared that one of the most important aspects of her ideal vision for Highland Park is a vibrant downtown. Main Street Highland Park is currently a state-designated downtown area, which is a crucial step to gaining funding for development, but losing the Stop & Shop location this month has made finding a replacement supermarket the priority of the borough before other redevelopment projects. Mayor Foster hopes to create a safe, secure, and beautified downtown that retains Highland Park’s current small-town charm, but also converts it into an attractive destination where people can come to eat, dance, live, work, and play.
Beyond upgrading Highland Park’s downtown, a key issue Foster first focused on as a councilwoman and now as the mayor is the “restructuring and rebranding” of the town’s police department. According to Foster, the police used to have a “horrific reputation,” especially among people of color and young people. Foster wants to change the culture surrounding policing in Highland Park, focusing on community policing and building a reputation for friendliness and approachability among residents. One key aspect of this effort is a new state project ARRIVE Together, a program that pairs mental health experts with police officers to respond to 911 calls from people facing mental health crises. In Middlesex County, ARRIVE Together will be first rolled out in Highland Park, Perth Amboy, and Edison. Mayor Foster expects this program to reduce irate instances and confrontations between police officers and residents.
Foster’s larger goals include the furthering of equity, inclusion, and diversity. This not only includes the diversification of the police department but the borough’s staff as a whole. When Foster first became a councilwoman, the lack of diversity was evident. She attests that around 230 people were working in the municipal building, but only 3 of these employees were people of color. “You can’t say you’re a diverse town when there’s no diversity,” Foster said of the lack of representation in the government.
It was not only a lack of racial representation in the Municipal Building but also nepotism that worried Foster. Some departments of the borough used to be predominantly staffed by particular families, with Foster approximating 50-60% of the municipal building staff being each other’s family and friends. The creation of stronger anti-nepotism policies and an ethics board opened up opportunities for civic service and diversification within Highland Park. Fair ordinances must protect not one group but all groups.
In line with Mayor Foster’s value of equity, it is not enough to ensure everyone a seat at the table, but also to provide them all with an equal sightline. If you are interested in getting involved in the Highland Park community, visit https://www.hpboro.com/ to find information about vacancies on local boards, commissions, and other service opportunities for the civically minded. There is a wealth of information and experience available to you as a potential future leader of your community. Your voice has value.