Taxes

There were more questions than comments May 16 when the school district’s proposed school rezoning plan was debuted to a packed house in the Franklin High School cafeteria. That could be a good thing, in terms of keeping district on schedule for getting the entire redistricting project finished in time for the 2018-19 school year. The rezoning plan is necessitated …

The Township Council at its May 9 meeting approved several contracts for goods and services. Among the actions taken by the council: Approved a correction in a 3-year contract with Lightpath of Jericho, NY for the township’s telephone system. The original contract set a limit of $2,400 per month, but, according to a memo from Justin Heyman, the township’s IT …

What some township officials called the best land purchase in township history was closed on May 11, when papers were signed for the $14 million purchase of the 65-acre Consolata Missionaries tract on Route 27. Consolata representatives, township officials and others were on hand in the Township Council chamber for the closing, for which an oversized presentation check for $14,090,000 …

One of Franklin’s own is its newest police officer. Malcolm Belvin was sworn in at the May 11 Township Council meeting. Belvin, a graduate of Franklin High School, was most recently a member of the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Department, said township Police Chief Lawrence Roberts. “I always like to say when we have the opportunity to hire somebody from Franklin …

The Franklin High School outdoor athletic complex and gym will likely have some new additions starting next school year in the form of sponsored banners. The Board of Education at its April 27 meeting unanimously approved amendments to the district’s policy regulating sponsorship signage, allowing the banners only at the high school, showing no signs of the discord that accompanied …

A Pennsylvania-based architectural firm has been hired to conduct a feasibility study for the proposed Lewis Street Youth Center. The Township Council awarded Kimmel Bogrette Architecture of Conshohocken, Pa. the $25,000 contract at its April 25 meeting. The firm was selected from eight candidates, all of whom were vetted by Township Manager Robert Vornlocker,  Alice Osipowitz, Director of Parks and …

A plan for a “family friendly” Catalpa Park – slightly different from what was approved last year – is making the rounds before relevant committees before its official public debut. The plan is being shepherded by Township Manager Robert Vornlocker. Earlier this month he took the plan to the Advisory Recreation Council for its input, and on April 18, Vornlocker …

Reginald O. Davenport has resigned as principal of Franklin Middle School. The resignation was effective April 3. Nick Solomon, the Sampson G. Smith vice-principal, has been named interim FMS principal. Davenport’s resignation letter cited “personal and health reasons,” district spokeswoman Mary Clark said in an email statement. “In the interim, as is standard operating procedure when a principal is out …

Bonding and capital ordinances appropriating more than $11 million for purchases and capital improvements were introduced by the Township Council at its March 28 meeting. The ordinances will have a public hearing and final vote in April. Among the biggest-ticket ordinances are $3,459,600 for water utility projects and $3,324,000 for the 2017 phase of the township’s road resurfacing project. The …

Nearly $1.5 million in contracts were approved by the Board of Education at its March 23 meeting. The biggest ticket item was a $1,128,999 contract awarded to Irvington-based KM Construction for reconstruction of the Franklin Middle School parking lot. The base cost of $830,707 is for the side lot and service courtyard. Alternate bids were also accepted for the service …