Township Council

RATE HIKE EXPLAINED – Mayor Phil Kramer explained the necessity of a water rate hike at the April 23 Township Council meeting. Water rates would increase nearly 17 percent under an ordinance amendment introduced at the Township Council’s April 23 meeting. The Township would also charge a water meter fee ranging from $4 to $257.25 per quarter, depending on the …

STIFF OPPOSITION – Area residents gather at a 2018 meeting to show their opposition to the proposed NESE project. (File photo.) The company behind a $1 billion, multi-state gas pipeline proposal that would include a compressor station in the township has decided to walk away from the project. Williams-TRANSCO told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on April 10 that it …

NUMBERS MAN – Township Manager Robert Vornlocker broke down the 2024 municipal budget at the April 9 Township Council meeting. Skyrocketing mandated costs are behind a small municipal portion tax increase included in the Township Council’s 2024 budget. Final numbers weren’t available at the April 9 Township Council meeting when the budget was introduced, but the bottom line is the …

ORDINANCE DEFEATED – An ordinance that would have removed a 2,000-foot distance requirement between liquor stores, promoted by Mayor Phil Kramer, was defeated after facing stiff opposition from township liquor store owners. An ordinance that would have eliminated the requirement that liquor stores be located at least 2,000 feet from each other was defeated at the April 9 Township Council …

SUPPORTING THE PROGRAM – Deputy Mayor Ed Potosnak said he now supported the Council contributing $300,000 to a construction trades program for Franklin High School students. With an enrollment-based “guardrail” in place, the Township Council on April 9 voted to partner with the Board of Education to offer some Franklin High School students training in the construction trades. The Council …

Today at 10:23 AM Franklin Township experienced an earthquake which was centered in Lebanon NJ with a magnitude of 4.8. About 18 miles from our municipal complex.  I have contacted our public safety director Quovella Maeweather who indicated the state, which obviously includes Lebanon, has activated the office of emergency management but Somerset County and Franklin have not. There are …

CDBG APPLICATIONS EXPLAINED – Deborah Mitchell, the Township’s CDBG program administrator, talks about some of the 16 applications submitted for grants. A public hearing on applications for nearly $350,000 in Community Development Block Grant money was held at the March 26 Township Council meeting. The public hearing is part of the process of awarding the grants, the money for which …

BUDGET TALKS – The Township Council held its second budget hearing of the year, a three-hour affair – on March 19. A hike in township water utility rates may be in the offing. If it comes to pass, the rate hike would be the second such increase in two years. A discussion about the water utility budget during the March …

GIRL SCOUTS HONORED – Kennedy Price and Yashmee Yatham, and Maya and Ella Pabuwal were honored March 12 by the Township Council for achieving the Girl Scout Silver Award. Commendations to Girl Scouts and proclamations acknowledging holidays were among those issued March 12 by the Township Council. Two teams of two girls each were acknowledged for reaching their Girl Scout …

EXPLAINING THE PLAN – Township Manager Robert Vornlocker brought a proposal to the Council that turned out to be controversial. A nearly hour-long, sometimes heated discussion on partnering with the Board of Education to provide a construction trades training program ended March 12 with the Township Council agreeing to discuss the issue in April. At issue was a proposal for …