Taxes

The cost of having Somerset County act as the township’s health department will increase more than $37,000 over the next three years. The department’s 2013 annual report and new three-year contract was presented to the Township Council at its Aug. 12 meeting. The council acts as the township’s Board of Health.

A proposal to install a speaker system in the Middlebush Park sports complex will likely be defeated on Sept. 9 when it is scheduled to be up for a vote by the Township Council. All six council members who attended the Aug. 12 meeting said they would not vote for a system which includes external speakers, with some expressing support for a so-called …

UPDATE: Work on the Steep Hill Bridge on Blackwells Mills Road is set to start about Aug. 7, according to an announcement from Somerset County. The work will take about three months, which will require road closures. A detour route will be posted, using Van Cleef, Amwell and South Middlebush roads, according to the statement.

John Calavano, the Board of Education’s business administrator and assistant schools Superintendent, has resigned. Calavano said in an email that he submitted his 60-day notice on July 29.

[wpgmappity id=”13″]   Canal Road between Blackwells Mills and Butler roads is scheduled to be closed for repaving starting July 28.

The length of Baier Avenue from Hamilton Street to Franklin Boulevard will be paved starting about July 23, leading to sporadic closures over three days. Parking will be prohibited on the street during the work, which is scheduled daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to an announcement from the township.

The federal Department of Homeland Security has awarded township Fire District No. 1 a $450,242 grant to replace members’ noncompliant breathing apparatus, according to a press release from U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12). Fire District 1 includes Elizabeth Avenue, Millstone Valley, Somerset and Middlebush volunteer fire companies.

Every year before Memorial Day, much of DeMott Lane is decorated with American flags hanging from utility polls. The flags are put up by the township, using public works employees.

Contracts for more than $1 million worth of road improvements were awarded at the July 8 Township Council meeting. The funding for the projects is included in the current budget.

More than $200,000 in equipment purchases for the police department were approved at the July 8 Township Council meeting. The council voted to buy seven vehicles and six portable computers.