Taxes

A Somerset family’s creation will be among the dozens of trees at the 36th annual “Festival of Trees” at the Environmental Education Center, 190 Lord Stirling Rd., Basking Ridge. The Lyons’ family’s tree is entitled, “Peace and Goodwill.” Presented by the Somerset County Parks Commission Environmental Education Center’s naturalists, the display will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. …

Help in paying rent for low-income residents is available from the Somerset County Homelessness Trust Fund. The fund’s Rental Assistance Program will provide up to 15 months of assistance and case management to help them increase their chances of staying within teh county, according to a press release about the program. The program pays a subsidy – up to $300 …

Minor adjustments to two ordinances were approved at the Township Council’s Nov. 26 meeting. The ordinances have to do with licensing and fees. The council approved an ordinance amendment that strikes the $50 per vehicle per year fee charged to limousine companies. Mayor Brian Levine said the change brings the township into compliance with state law. A second ordinance change, …

The organization that funds the Franklin Township Animal Shelter received a $2,000 donation to help it buy pet food for families in need. The Franklin Township Community Foundation, started about 15 years ago through a grant from the Heller Corp., provided the grant. It was presented to Second Chance for Animals president Bob Pezzano at the Nov. 12 Township Council …

The school district administration will not support a requested reversal of a pay cut instituted this year for substitute teachers, schools Superintendent Edward Seto said Nov. 14. Nor will the administration support a previously promised bonus for those substitute teachers who worked more than 120 days in the 2012-2013 school year, he said. “I’m not recommending it,” he said after …

Single-stream recycling is coming to the township. Township Councilman Ted Chase (Ward 1) told members at the Nov. 12 meeting that Somerset County wants to expand its pilot program, started earlier this year, into the township next year. The plan, he said, is to start the new pickups in June, “after extensive publicity.” Under single-stream recycling, all recyclable materials can …

The township’s willingness to house its medical and dental health care plans with one company led the company to slash its initial 2014 renewal premiums by more than $750,000. That was the word Nov. 12 from Stuart Migdon, of the Woodbridge-based Business & Governmental Insurance Agency, the township’s insurance broker. Migdon told the Township Council at its meeting that Horizon Blue …

Milling and paving of Easton Avenue from John F. Kennedy Boulevard to Worlds Fair Drive begins at about 8 p.m. Nov. 1. The $1.1 million job is expected to take until Nov. 15, according to the Somerset County engineering department’s Rich Lazicky. Th work also includes all of the jughandles in that stretch of the county road. Work along the …

New identifying signs for the township’s three historic districts were approved by the Open Space Advisory Committee. The committee took the action at its Oct. 15th meeting. The plan still must be approved by the Historic Preservation Advisory Commission. Each district would get up to three signs, at a cost of between $1,200 and $1,500 per village, said Tiffany Delaney, …

Drivers may want to avoid Franklin Boulevard in the evenings and early mornings through Nov. 4. Repaving work on the road, between Easton Avenue and Hamilton Street, has begun. The work will be performed nightly from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. The cost for this county project is $688,000, according to county engineer Matt Loper. [wpgmappity id=”6″]