Township Council

SAYING THANKS – Flanked by FTPD Captains Vincent Wilson and Brandon Domotor, and acting Public Safety Director Lloyd Fredericks, former Public Safety Director Quovella Maeweather speaks at the November 25 Township Council meeting. Quovella Maeweather, the Township’s former Public Safety Director, was honored at the November 25 Township Council meeting Maeweather, who is now a Deputy Chief in the Johns …

Nearly 100 people – including Franklin residents – gave state environmental officials an earful November 13 during a public hearing on a controversial natural gas pipeline project. The project, Williams-Tranco’s Northeast Supply Enhancement Project, will run from Pennsylvania, through New Jersey and eventually into New York. The project includes a 32,000-horsepower, natural gas-powered twin-turbine compressor station on a 52-acre tract …

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 11:38 p.m. November 19.) Democratic Township Council incumbents won re-election, and the “Choose All Three” Board of Education slate swept their race in the November 4 general …

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 …