Township Council

WINNING SMILES – Board of Education member Nick DeMeglio with Board member-elect Jennifer Welch during the wait for school board election results in the Township Council chamber on November 4. (Updated as of 2:26 p.m. November 7.) Democratic incumbents appeared to be on their way to re-election, and the “Choose All Three” Board of Education slate looked to sweep their …

Contracts totaling $1.7 million were approved by the Township Council at its October 28 meeting. The contracts awarded were: A 2-year contract worth $800,000 per year for water department supplies to Core & Main of Edison. A 4-year contract worth $5,520 in total to Ricoh USA of Parsippany for a copier lease for the Franklin Township Police Department’s Community Relations …

SURPRISE DONATION – Franklin Food Bank executive director Derek Smith, left, hugs Township Councilman Alex Kharazi after Kharazi announced a $5,000 donation to the food bank from the Masjid-e-Ali on Cedar Grove Avenue. Franklin Food Bank executive director Derek Smith walked into the October 28 Township Council meeting prepared to tell members about the dire situation many township residents face …

HERITAGE MONTH HONOREE – Vimal Sodhani thanks the Township Council for recognizing Hindu Heritage Month at the October 28 meeting. A local Hindu community leader was feted at the October 28 Township Council meeting. Vimal Sodhani, of the Sodhani Foundation, was featured during the Council’s annual recognition of Hindu Heritage Month. Sodhani’s foundation has made numerous charitable donations to a …

PROPOSAL FOR STUDY COMMISSION – State Assemblyman Joe Danielsen talks about his proposal for a school finance study commission during a press conference in the Township Council Chamber on October 23. A proposed bill that would establish a state legislative commission to look into changing the way schools are funded in the state was announced October 23 by state Assemblyman …

The following are the latest updates in the Township’s 2025 street resurfacing program: Sebring Rd Area Resurfacing – COMPLETED Sebring Rd – PAVED Annapolis St – THIS STREET HAS BEEN PULLED FROM THE PROJECT. WILL BE ON FOR NEXT YEAR.  Lexington Rd -PAVED Phillips Rd – PAVED Francis St – PAVED Link Rd -PAVED School Ave -PAVED Lewis St – …

PURCHASE EXPLAINED – Township Manager Robert Vornlocker said the money for the surveillance system is coming from a grant. The Township Council voted to spend nearly $340,000 on a multi-faceted surveillance system at its October 14 meeting. The Council will pay the total over four years, with the first year’s payment being $87,225. Money for the system comes from a grant, …

COUNCIL BUYS LAND – The Township Council on October 14 approved nearly $4 million in open space purchases. The Township Council approved the purchase of nearly $4 million for two open space parcels at its October 14 meeting. The Council approved spending $3,067,000 from the Franklin Open Space Trust Fund to buy a roughly 50-acre parcel at 3995 Route 27, also …

Explaining Proposed Ordinance – Mayor Phil Kramer describes the proposed ordinance that would restrict the use of on-site generators. Hoping to preclude any thought of a developer creating a data center powered by generators burning combustible materials, the Township Council on September 30 took the first step in restricting the use of on-site generators. The ordinance would prohibit the routine …

EXPLAINING THE OPTIONS – Darren Mazzei, the Township’s consulting engineer, reviews four options for the construction of Catalpa Park at the September 16 Open Space Advisory Committee meeting. The long-anticipated Catalpa Park is once again the topic of Township conversation, but this time the conversation is focused on finances. The Township Council on September 9 rejected all bids on the …