For the residents of Rocky Hill, NJ, a borough of about 700 people, the struggle to maintain a small-town atmosphere in the face of regional growth is often measured in miles per hour. The latest front in this ongoing saga opened Thursday night, when Rocky Hill Council President Richard Novak traveled to a meeting of the Montgomery Township Committee to make a direct appeal for help. Novak, a consistent voice for traffic calming in the borough, sought the committee's support.

Going forward council will hold one regular public monthly meeting, set for the second Monday of each month starting Monday, January 8....