Taxes

Catalpa Park could be open by the fall of 2018, now that the Township Council has green-lighted the final concept plan. The park’s two cricket pitches – the source of much of the controversy over the park during the past three years – should be ready for play by the spring of 2019, according to one of the engineers planning …

Update: Franklin Township is one of three towns in Somerset County identified as possible branch sites, Somerset County YMCA David Carcieri said in an email. Carcieri declined to name the other two, but wrote that “the interest and enthusiasm of Franklin township officials, and the community, have been the catalyst for advancing this opportunity.” “Franklin was identified primarily based on …

A three-month bridge replacement project – slated to start June 28 – is expected to cause massive delays along South Middlebush Road and surrounding roads. Come mid-September, according to the plan, the $745,000 project will result in a brand-new, wider bridge, according to documents on file with the Somerset County Public Works Department. During the construction, South Middlebush Road will …

The chaining off of Ari Drive at Julie Court was once again a hot topic during a Township Council meeting. Most of the residents of streets affected by the chains who showed up at the May 30 council meeting praised the decision, but there were some who opposed it. The council on Feb. 14 voted to install the chain in …

A new 5-year contract for the schools Superintendent was approved May 25 by the Board of Education. The $196,584 contract ups schools Superintendent John Ravally’s salary by nearly $20,000, and comes just two years into his original 5-year term. The move was made to bring Ravally’s salary in line with updated state regulations concerning schools superintendents’ compensation, school board president …

There were more questions than comments May 16 when the school district’s proposed school rezoning plan was debuted to a packed house in the Franklin High School cafeteria. That could be a good thing, in terms of keeping district on schedule for getting the entire redistricting project finished in time for the 2018-19 school year. The rezoning plan is necessitated …

The Township Council at its May 9 meeting approved several contracts for goods and services. Among the actions taken by the council: Approved a correction in a 3-year contract with Lightpath of Jericho, NY for the township’s telephone system. The original contract set a limit of $2,400 per month, but, according to a memo from Justin Heyman, the township’s IT …

What some township officials called the best land purchase in township history was closed on May 11, when papers were signed for the $14 million purchase of the 65-acre Consolata Missionaries tract on Route 27. Consolata representatives, township officials and others were on hand in the Township Council chamber for the closing, for which an oversized presentation check for $14,090,000 …

One of Franklin’s own is its newest police officer. Malcolm Belvin was sworn in at the May 11 Township Council meeting. Belvin, a graduate of Franklin High School, was most recently a member of the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Department, said township Police Chief Lawrence Roberts. “I always like to say when we have the opportunity to hire somebody from Franklin …

The Franklin High School outdoor athletic complex and gym will likely have some new additions starting next school year in the form of sponsored banners. The Board of Education at its April 27 meeting unanimously approved amendments to the district’s policy regulating sponsorship signage, allowing the banners only at the high school, showing no signs of the discord that accompanied …