New Providence Investigates Library Gun Safety Event After Rally Claims

New Providence officials will investigate a gun safety event held last week at the New Providence Memorial Library. Union County Life is reporting on the borough’s response, which followed a resident’s claim that the event was a political rally rather than the roundtable it was billed as.

Mayor Al Morgan said Tuesday that the borough will look into the Oct. 7 event. “There’s no excuse for what happened,” Morgan said during public comment at the Borough Council meeting. “There will be an investigation, and we will get to the bottom of it.”

Diane Bilicska, a former Republican member of the Borough Council, told the council she attended the event expecting a discussion of the root causes of gun violence, including mental health. Former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords was among those in attendance. Bilicska said the format undercut what the event could have accomplished. She credited speaker Kim Banks, a mother who spoke about losing her son to gun violence, with trying to steer the conversation toward substance.

“It was incredibly disappointing using our memorial library for such a political rally,” Bilicska said. She said she thought the library did not host political events. She also said media, including ABC7 Eyewitness News, were present, and that she understood the library does not allow media coverage without signed permission. She asked the council to consider a policy barring “political events disguised” as public forums.

Councilwoman Kathleen Dolan said she reserved and paid for the room on behalf of the New Providence Democratic Club. She said she did so at the request of the Union County Democratic Committee, which organized the event. Dolan met with library director Stacey Maisch on Tuesday. She said that because a candidate attended, the event became partisan, and the library cannot support partisan events.

“It wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be either, but we’re on the same page now,” Dolan said. “I don’t think that that kind of event will happen again.” She said that if she were involved in a similar event in the future, she would organize it very differently and would not hold it at the library.

Bilicska said campaign signs were visible in the background. She also said Dolan told her at the event that Rebecca Bennett, the Democratic candidate for Congress in the 7th District, was present, which made it a political rally. Morgan said everyone on the dais who has run a campaign knows the borough prohibits campaign signs on public property. He added that when a prominent outside figure visits the borough, local police are supposed to be informed, and that did not happen in this case.

Questions about how the event was promoted are part of the review. Resident Mary Barnett asked whether it had been publicly advertised, saying she had not seen it promoted. Council members gave differing answers on whether the event was invitation only or open to the public. Dolan said she was not responsible for registration. Morgan said those questions will be part of the investigation.

Councilman Matt Cumiskey said borough resources should serve all residents. “Anything that we do is for the residents, all residents,” Cumiskey said. “Hopefully, it’s something that doesn’t happen again, especially with our borough resources.”

Representatives of the library and the Union County Democratic Committee were not at the meeting.

Find more New Providence government news, events, and local updates on Union County Life.

Q: What happened at the New Providence library event?
A: A gun safety roundtable was held at the New Providence Memorial Library on Oct. 7, 2026. A resident told the Borough Council it turned into a political rally, which Councilwoman Kathleen Dolan acknowledged in part by saying a candidate’s attendance made the event partisan.

Q: Is New Providence investigating the event?
A: Yes. Mayor Al Morgan said Tuesday that the borough will investigate the event and get to the bottom of what happened.

Q: Who organized the event?
A: Councilwoman Kathleen Dolan reserved and paid for the room on behalf of the New Providence Democratic Club, at the request of the Union County Democratic Committee.

Q: Why do some residents say the event was a political rally?
A: Diane Bilicska said campaign signs were visible and that Dolan told her a Democratic congressional candidate, Rebecca Bennett, was present. Bilicska said the format turned a discussion of gun violence into a political event.

Q: Does the library allow political events?
A: Bilicska said she thought the library did not host political events. Dolan said the library cannot support partisan events, and she met with library director Stacey Maisch about the event.

Q: Is the borough considering a new policy?
A: Bilicska asked the council to consider a policy barring “political events disguised” as public forums. The source does not report any council action on that request.