Franklin Township Council Work Session/Regular Meeting – October 11, 2022

The Franklin Township Council met in person at the municipal building Council Chambers at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, after giving notice under the Open Public Meetings Act. The agenda included a Breast Cancer Awareness Month proclamation, public comment, reports, approval of warrants, two ordinances, and a 16-item consent calendar. No minutes were submitted for approval; a planned executive session was postponed.

Commendations & Proclamations

• Mayor and Council recognized October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Councilwoman Francois read the proclamation, which encouraged annual mammograms beginning at age 40 and recognized survivors, families, medical professionals, and researchers.
• Dorothy Reed, president and CEO of Sister to Sister, accepted the proclamation. She said the nonprofit has served the community for 20 years, offering free one-on-one counseling, financial help, and support group meetings for people going through breast cancer treatment. She noted that 40,000 women still die from breast cancer each year.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Shirley Tallman (57 Tallman Lane, Canal Walk) asked about a previously listed bond related to Bryant Court. Officials explained the difference between performance, maintenance, and winter bonds; the Bryant Court item was a winter bond for tree survival. Tallman also reported receiving an unsolicited call from Israel Real Estate about buying her home.
• Kiki Anastasica (3204 Enclave Circle, Citizens Warehouse Action Group) said the 2021 township circulation report totaled 95 pages but devoted only nine lines, on page 65 under paragraph 3.5 'Freight and Goods Movement,' to truck and freight movement. She read the report's recommendation that the township more fully explore freight concerns, including complete streets and safety for non-motorized users, and asked whether the council had started such a study. The Mayor said the planning board is expected to examine traffic impacts as part of a reexamination tied to warehouse zoning changes.
• Terry Thorerson (18 Labed Drive, Somerset) thanked the council for new display screens and raised concerns that mail-in ballots and public messaging around energy aggregation and community solar are confusing voters. She asked whether the township could adopt standards stricter than state law, particularly for EV charging and for requiring solar panels rather than solar-ready roofs. The attorney said preemption rules vary, and not all fields allow stricter local rules.
• Doc Cunningham (11 Stout Court, Somerset) promoted an October 22 National Civics Day event with 'hometown medal of service' awards and called for a shift in citizenship and leadership.
• Benjamin Garrett (35 Patent Drive) announced an October 29 trunk-or-treat festival at John's Plaza, asked residents to participate in a youth center survey, and said he had trained six Franklin residents for community solar installation work. He questioned whether Ever Solar is similarly hiring locally, criticized the rushed rollout of community solar and energy aggregation, and asked for a public forum.
• Debbie Stewart (2 Farrington Plaza) agreed that Canal Walk residents are confused about the solar and energy ballot question. She also asked what the four-ton weight limit means. Officials explained it is 8,000 pounds gross vehicle weight and that local deliveries and businesses are exempt; warehouses could not use a restricted road if another route exists.
• Jim Johnston (34 Norwich Place) asked the council to invite Somerset County Commissioner Chanel Robinson to a future meeting. He said she was curt at the August 23 county commissioners meeting and did not disclose that she had served on the Franklin council, and he criticized what he called a lack of transparency.
• Nirmal Shah (9 Congress Court) urged council members to support Deputy Mayor Pruitt's proposed open forum on the Master Plan so residents could participate more meaningfully.
• A resident from Parkside (Tibbs, 25 Parkside, Somerset) thanked the council for the Fourth Ward community center and the police community relations bureau. He said the Fourth Ward needs low-income housing, citing 50 families without homes, 15 homeless men, and no shelter for 15 years, and criticized the housing authority's record. He also urged support for Democratic candidates.
• A first-time speaker from 17 Mitchell Avenue expressed concern about cannabis dispensaries being proposed around Hamilton Street and Eastern Avenue, near schools, and asked what the council would do for youth and rehabilitation resources. The Mayor answered that no cannabis licenses have been approved in Franklin by the state as of that date; the township has only adopted zoning-confirmation resolutions for state applicants, and future businesses would be regulated by state law.
• Beverly Rubinovitz (67 Bayard Road, Canal Walk), a breast cancer survivor, praised Sister to Sister but urged the organizations and township to also publicize that men can get breast cancer, noting two young men she knew who did not survive.

Council Comments & Reports

• Councilman Wright apologized for speaking over an attorney at a previous meeting and said two streets are being evaluated for speed humps. He thanked the police for a pink patrol car for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and responded to criticism about Fourth Ward housing, saying the ward is not poor and defending the housing authority.
• Councilmember Potosnak said he supports a virtual or phone-in option for meetings, recommended a yes vote on the energy aggregation public question, and described it as separate from community solar or rooftop solar. He said it could save money and provide about 10% more renewable energy than the current PSE&G default. He also suggested letting public speakers finish and then answering all questions at once to reduce an adversarial feel.
• Councilman Vasanella proposed exploring a 'public advocate for planning and zoning' to represent resident interests in major development cases, possibly funded by developers, and suggested discussing it at a future planning forum.
• Councilman Inbarrison reported that the sewerage authority approved a modest fee increase of $33 per year, or $2 per month, announced a Diwali celebration on Saturday at the municipal complex, and said council members plan to visit an Amazon warehouse to discuss truck traffic and pollution. He also welcomed a new HRC commissioner.
• Councilwoman Francois announced youth civic engagement events, including National Civics Day on October 22, the trunk-or-treat event October 29, and a teen Halloween party, and said she would carry forward the suggestion about men and breast cancer awareness.
• Mayor Kramer explained that PSE&G transports power rather than generating it and that energy aggregation would let the town buy electricity as a group. He acknowledged that a citizen had flagged an inaccuracy in a letter about 21% savings and said staff had asked the vendor to send a correction letter. He also supported considering virtual participation.
• The Township Manager announced the police entrance exam registration deadline of October 18 and noted that applicants must be under age 35; several hundred applications had been received.

Consent Calendar

• Resolution #22-365: Authorized tax title lien redemptions.
• Resolution #22-366: Authorized refunds of tax and water overpayments.
• Resolution #22-367 and #22-368: Released stormwater cash bonds to A.N.B.L. LLC — $7,201.50 for 114 Wade Avenue and $10,795.50 for 129 Stockton Avenue.
• Resolution #22-369 and #22-370: Released $750 winter cash bonds for 3 Cornelius Way (Kevin Enad) and 512 Elizabeth Avenue (Carl & Denise Bettinger).
• Resolution #22-371: Approved final change order for the Henry Street Area Water Main Replacement, increasing the MSP Construction contract from $1,421,608.00 to $1,446,785.01.
• Resolution #22-372: Extended the Republic Services convenience center contract from September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023, not to exceed $75,000.
• Resolution #22-373: Awarded the ESCNJ cooperative purchase for Little League field lighting to Hellas Construction, not to exceed $363,746.70; council members noted most of the cost was covered by a state grant.
• Resolution #22-374: Issued a special event permit to First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens for a tent revival October 26-28, 2022, 7-9 p.m., at 771 Somerset Street.
• Resolution #22-375: Authorized refunds of construction water meter escrows.
• Resolution #22-376: Supported state applications for cultivator, manufacturer, wholesaler, and distributor cannabis licenses and confirmed suitable sites.
• Resolution #22-377: Supported state applications for retail cannabis licenses and confirmed suitable sites.
• Resolution #22-378: Renewed 2022-23 plenary retail consumption liquor license No. 1808-33-043-004 (Zelekowitz), listed as inactive.
• Resolution #22-379: Authorized a grant application to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General Bolstering Police-Youth Trust Program for $16,500.
• Resolution #22-380: Approved the final design, layout, and construction of the skatepark at Middlebush Park; council discussion noted the completed project needed final approval for joint insurance coverage and design immunity.

Ordinances

• Ordinance No. 4382-22 (second reading/public hearing): Amends Chapter 226, Vehicles & Traffic, Section 226-34 regarding mid-block crosswalks on Rutgers Boulevard. The public hearing was opened and closed with no comment, and the ordinance was adopted.
• Ordinance No. 4383-22 (introduction/first reading): Amends Chapter 226, Section 226-13 to prohibit parking at all times on Memorial Drive, a commercial street off Cottontail Lane. Officials cited years of complaints about trailers and truck parking. The ordinance was introduced; a public hearing and final adoption were scheduled for October 25, 2022 at 7 p.m.

Key Outcomes

• Approved warrants totaling $17,147,783.99 for October 11, 2022.
• Adopted the consent calendar as a block excluding Resolution #22-377. Councilwoman Francois, the only no vote on the retail cannabis resolution, voted with the majority on all other consent items.
• Adopted Ordinance No. 4382-22 unanimously.
• Introduced Ordinance No. 4383-22 and set final consideration for October 25, 2022.
• No nominations were made for board, commission, or committee vacancies; the planned executive session on a potential Route 27 land donation was postponed, and the meeting adjourned.
• Next steps identified during the meeting included a possible planning board freight and traffic examination, a possible Master Plan open forum, consideration of a virtual participation option, and issuance of a correction letter from the community solar vendor.