Township Council

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 …

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 …

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 …

Tips on staying safe in the wake of an uptick statewide of car thefts and home burglaries were given during a virtual town hall meeting February 15. The town hall was hosted by Mayor Phil Kramer and Public Safety Director Quovella Maeweather. During the roughly 50-minute session, Maeweather reviewed a number of steps residents can take to keep their properties …

ASKING FOR HELP – Shani Madaminova, co-owner of the Leaf Haus cannabis dispensary on Easton Avenue, told the Township Council on February 13 that her business is suffering because of the Township’s current signage regulations. A plea from a local small business owner at the February 13 Township Council meeting spurred the governing body to create an ad hoc committee …

The Township Council on January 23 approved a contract with senior department heads that will extend through the end of 2025. The contract, with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, covers senior department heads and is retroactive to January 1, 2021. Township Manager Robert Vornlocker said that negotiations on a new contract were sidelined mainly because of …

(Photo: East Millstone UMC.) An ordinance that would allow the purchase of property in East Millstone for open space preservation was introduced by the Township Council on January 23. The ordinance would allocate $261,500 from the Township’s Open Space Trust Fund to buy the property at 4 Elm Street. The property is owned by the East Millstone United Methodist Church, …

MAKING HISTORY – FTPD officer Patrick Kanu is ceremoniously sworn in at the January 23 Township Council meeting. Officials said Kanu is the first West African uniformed officer in the township. Five new Franklin Township Police officers – two of whom are graduates of the Youth Police Academy – were ceremoniously sworn in at the January 23 Township Council meeting. …

TAKING THE OATH – Mayor Phil Kramer takes the Oath of Office while his wife, Laurie, looks on. Councilmember Ed Potosnak was voted in as Deputy Mayor at the January 2 Township Council reorganization meeting. Also at the meeting, re-elected At-Large Councilmembers Kimberly Francois and Ram Anbarasan and newcomer Alex Kharazi and Mayor Phil Kramer were sworn in. The Council …