News-pourri

BUDGET PROCESS BEGINS – The Township Council met virtually March 11 to begin the annual budget hearing process. Township property owners can expect a tax increase this year that’s larger than hikes in the past several years, Mayor Phil Kramer said during the Township Council’s March 11 budget virtual hearing. One of the bigger factors in the increase is the …

BOWLS A’PLENTY – A variety of bowls were available for attendees as part of the admission price to the fundraiser. Approximately 300 people gathered at the DoubleTree Hotel on Atrium Drive March 10 for the sixth annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for the Franklin Food Bank. The attendees were able to sample food from a handful of local restaurants and shop …

A pre-Ramadan celebration was held March 9 at the township library by a local organization whose mission is to “shine a light on Islam in the Franklin Township community through acts of charity and service,” according to its founder. The Quidma organization – Quidma is the Arabic word for “to serve – hosted the event, held in the library’s main …

School district officials are looking into ways to compensate for the approximately 2 percent cut in state aid for Fiscal Year 2025. The district will receive $21,119,162 in state K-12 aid, a reduction of $386,982 from last year’s figure. A district spokeswoman said the amount cut represents about 6 percent of the equalization aid given to Franklin by the state. …

HEALTH CLINIC COMING – Township Manager Robert Vornlocker said the proposed Zufall health clinic on the campus of Franklin Middle School – Hamilton Street campus will eventually be expanded to all residents. A partnership between the Township and Board of Education that will result in a health clinic on a school campus came one step closer to fruition at the …

FIREFIGHTER HONORED – Senior Fire Marshal Charles Maria holds his commendation at the February 27 Township Council meeting. Two township residents received commendations for their volunteer work at the February 27 Township Council meeting. Charles Maria, the Township’s Senior Fire Marshal, was honored for his volunteer work in fire service, and Sara Malone was honored by the township Environmental Advisory …

WARRIOR MENTOR – Marco Collazo, a mentor with Operation Great Expectation, talks about the program at the February 22 Board of Education meeting. A high school mentoring program with claims of reducing the number of “behavior infractions” in schools was given a pat on the back by the Board of Education at its February 22 meeting. The program – operation …

EXPLAINING THE PLAN – Schools Superintendent John Ravally explains the plan to use the former Middlebush School as a pre-school center to offer universal, free, pre-school to District children. The Board of Education on February 22 took the first step in reclaiming the former Middlebush School building as a school. The Board agreed to give district administrators the authority to …

COUNTY TAKES OVER – Somerset County will renovate Guglielmo Marconi Memorial Park after officials stopped unauthorized work being done by the Franklin Township Marconi Foundation. Plans by a private organization to refurbish the Guglielmo Marconi Memorial Park at Easton Avenue and JFK Boulevard have been scuttled by Somerset County officials, about two months after the Township ordered that work on …

MAKING THE CASE – Township Manager Robert Vornlocker told the Open Space Advisory Committee on February 20 that the Meadows Foundation needs help in paying some of its bills. The Open Space Committee on February 20 voted to recommend that some of its money be used to help the cash-strapped Meadows Foundation pay some of its bills. The recommendation will …