Township Council Ok’s More Than $120,000 In Services Contracts
Contracts worth more than $120,000 were approved February 9 by the Township Council. The Council approved contracts to provide employee health services, and for maintenance for the township 9-1-1 system. A $30,000 contract for employee health services was awarded to Robert Wood Johnson Physician Enterprise P.A./Urgent Med of Philadelphia. According to the contract, services to […]
Councilman Galtieri: I’m Not Pursuing Grandparents’ Park
The push to build a pocket park on Willow Avenue formally ended on January 26, with Township Councilman Will Galtieri publicly pulling the plug on his brainchild. “I have heard you loud and clear and at this point I am not proceeding with asking Council to change the usage of the land from passive to […]
Proposed ‘Grandparents’ Park’ Plan May Be Dead
A controversial plan to build a small park on Willow Avenue, near New Brunswick Road, appears to be dead, according to a comment made by a Township Councilwoman. Councilwoman Kimberly Francois (D-At Large) made the announcement in the midst of a conversation on another topic during the township Redevelopment Agency’s regular meeting on January 25. […]
Public Pans ‘Pocket Park’ Plan
Residents opposed to a proposed “Grandparents’ Park” in Somerset spent more than two hours January 12 expressing their feelings about the plan to the Township Council. The Council held a special hearing on the plan, necessitated by the facts that the land – located at Willow Avenue and New Brunswick Road – was bought with […]
Township Council Goes To ‘Plan B’ For CDBG Grant Money, Will Help Renters
Getting almost non-existent response from East Franklin businesses to a COVID-19 relief grant program, the Township Council has decided to instead use the money to help township renters. Mayor Phil Kramer said at the November 24 virtual Township Council meeting that given that only one business owner applied for the special Coronavirus Aid Relief & […]
Township Could Absorb NJAW Rate Increase For Rate Payers
The township may temporarily absorb a nearly 7 percent rate increase from New Jersey American Water that has been approved by the state. But that won’t be indefinite, and at some point the increase will be passed on. Mayor Phil Kramer announced the 6.6 percent increase – approved by the state Board of Public Utilities […]
Township Agrees To Pay FTPD LT. $300K To Settle Discrimination Lawsuit
The township has agreed to pay $300,000 to a Franklin Township Police lieutenant and keep her on paid administrative leave until mid-2021 to settle a discrimination and harassment lawsuit the lieutenant filed in 2018. The officer, Lt. Kristen Durham, has been on administrative leave since early 2018, after what she claimed was a “bogus” internal […]
Public Comments Sought For Proposed CDBG Money Disbursement
Public comments are still being accepted for the township’s proposed plan on how to spend more than $500,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant program money. The money comes from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, and is used to support public services, public facilities and housing projects that service low-income communities. The […]
Township Council Makes More Than $1 Million In Purchases
The Township Council on June 23 approved the purchase of more than $1 million in equipment and services. The purchases were: $351,613.50 to Z Brothers Construction of Sayreville for resurfacing of the Public Works parking lot at Ninth Street and Willow Avenue. $390,577 to DeSantis Construction of Somerset for the resurfacing of Jacques Lane. $30,000 […]
Township Unlikely To Embrace ‘Defund The Police’ Movement
Franklin Township is not likely to join the “defund the police” campaign that is arising across the country, officials said on June 11. The reason, officials say, is that the township police department isn’t funded to the extent that would make that practical. The comments came from Mayor Phil Kramer, Township Manager Robert Vornlocker and […]
