Taxes

A $2 million decrease in water utility collections may lead to a rate increase during the year, the Township Council was told on March 15. Township auditor Andrew Hodulik told the Council during its second budget hearing that the utility’s fund balance decreased from $10 million to $8 million over the last year. Don’t Miss Out! No other media outlet …

The Township Council heard the first round of budget requests at a special March 7 virtual meeting. Requests for equipment and new hires highlighted the Township Council’s first budget hearing on March 7. The budget hearings, the second of which will be held on March 15, are the Council’s chances to hear what the various department heads say they need …

Approval for the purchase of eight vehicles for the Franklin Township Police Department was approved at the February 22 Township Council meeting. Resolutions to purchase seven 2022 Ford Explorer SUVs, for a total price of $237,500, and one 2021 Ford Expedition SUV, for a cost of $39,358 were approved. Don’t Miss Out! No other media outlet covering Franklin Township brings …

A partnership between the Franklin Township Public Library and the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey, through which members of each can borrow items from affiliated libraries, is seen by officials as a model of cooperation between the SCLSNJ and independent libraries in the County. Through the program, Franklin Township library patrons can borrow materials from and take advantage …

The Franklin Township Police Department’s more than 65 uniformed officers are among those scheduled to add body-worn cameras to their equipment list around February 1, a police department spokesman said. The cameras became mandatory thanks to a 2020 law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy. Their use, and the storage and maintenance of videos recorded with them, are heavily regulated by …

The Franklin Township Library Board of Trustees awarded the library’s southern branch construction contract to a Garfield-based company. A Garfield-based construction company on December 27 was awarded the contract to construct the Franklin Township Public Library’s southern branch building. Pal-Pro Builders was given the $2.6 million contract during a special meeting of the library Board of Trustees. Don’t Miss Out! …

The Township Council on December 14 approved minor stipend increases for some Fire District Commissioners for 2022. Approved were increases from $7,500 to $7,650 for commissioners in Fire District 2 and increases from $7,584 to $7,750 for commissioners in Fire District 3. Don’t Miss Out! No other media outlet covering Franklin Township brings you the depth of information presented by …

Magnolia Road will be closed to through traffic into 2022, due to the replacement of the Magnolia Road bridge. The replacement of the Magnolia Road bridge will probably not be finished until mid-February. That’s the word from Somerset County engineer Matthew Loper, who sent an update letter to the township that was read at the November 22 Council meeting. Don’t …

A grant to the township from the state Department of Transportation will pay for a little more than half the cost of repaving part of DeMott Lane next year. The $348,000 grant was announced on October 26. It was part of more than $161 million in municipal aid grants given out to 541 towns. Don’t Miss Out! No other media …

Township open space consultant Tara Kenyon told the Committee about the options available to internally maintain the grassland preserves. Purchases the township will have to make to internally manage the two grasslands preserves were discussed at the October 19 Open Space Advisory Committee meeting. The preserves – Negri Nepote and John Clyde Memorial – need to be protected from invasive …