Township Council

A total of $866,517 in contracts for goods was approved by the Township Council at its June 24 meeting. The Council approved: A contract worth $294,640.05 for DPW roof restoration to Weatherproofing Technologies Inc. of Beachwood, Ohio. A contract worth $22,261 for a radio system from CDW Government Inc. of Glendale, Ca. A contract worth $320,708 for three gas tanks …

EXPLAINING THE PLAN – Debbie Hartman, a consulting engineer for Somerset County, explains the proposed plan for the Griggstown Causeway that is hoped will improve safety and reduce traffic congestion. Somerset County officials on July 1 unveiled a $2 million project that is hoped will alleviate traffic congestion problems at the Griggstown Causeway. If approved, the plan would not come …

RECOMMENDS DENIAL – Loren Altshuler, from Highland Park-based Gabel Associates, tells the Township Council that it’s the company’s recommendation that the one price quote for energy aggregation be declined. Any potential electricity cost savings for township residents through energy aggregation will have to wait a while longer because the Township Council declined to make a contract award to an energy …

EXPLAINING THE INCREASE – Mayor Phil Kramer explained the different tiers of the proposed water rate hikes at the June 12 meeting. Water rates would increase this year between 5 percent and 27.5 percent under an ordinance amendment introduced at the June 12 Township Council meeting. The actual amount of each water increase would be based on a user’s consumption of …

NEW COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN – Bob LaCorte was recently named the chairman of a new committee to spearhead Franklin’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding. (File photo.) The first member of an as-yet-unnamed township committee to guide Franklin’s commemoration of the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026 was recently named. That person, nominated by Mayor Phil Kramer …

WANTED ANSWERS – John Baptist, a commercial property owner on Hamilton Street, questions the Township Council on May 27 about the Special Improvement District assessment. The first special assessment in 10 years of commercial property owners in the Hamilton Street Special Improvement District was approved May 27 by the Township Council. The total assessment for the year was $34,268, and …

DENIAL OVERTURNED – Hundreds of residents attended each of the eight Planning Board hearings on the proposed B9 warehouses application. (File photo). In a scathing decision in which he called out what he said was the Planning Board’s “unmitigated hypocrisy,” a state Superior Court judge recently overturned the Board’s denial of a controversial two-warehouse development near the Canal Walk housing …

FIGHTING BACK – State Assemblyman Joe Danielsen talks during the April 23 energy forum about legislation he is sponsoring to help mitigate upcoming electricity rate increases. The state agency responsible for regulating utilities in New Jersey has taken an “all-hands-on-deck” strategy to help mitigate coming spikes in the amount Garden State residents will pay for electricity, residents were told at …

The Township Council approved $1,075,689.24 in purchases of goods and services at its April 8 meeting. The Council awarded: A contract worth $309,650 to Whitfield Schneider Enterprises of West Long Branch for boiler replacement at the Franklin Township Senior/Community center. A contract worth $199,999.48 to Riverview Paving of Hackettstown for the Newkirk and Evergreen resurfacing program. A two-year contract worth …

TALKING CHICKENS – Kate Brown, from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, speaks about raising hens for eggs April 17 in the Township Council chambers. About two dozen aspiring chicken keepers were provided the ins and outs of raising hens in their backyards at a special forum April 17 hosted by Township Council Member Ed Potosnak. The forum comes in the wake …