The Franklin Township Council held its regular work session and meeting on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 7:00 PM at the Municipal Building. The meeting included multiple commendations, public comments, discussion on the Hamilton Street traffic and parking study, adoption of ordinances on second and first readings, and approval of a consent agenda with 17 resolutions. All votes were unanimous unless noted.
This work session regular meeting of the township council is called to order. Madam Clerk. In accordance with the open public meeting act of the state of New Jersey, adequate notice of this work session regular meeting of the Franklin Township Council was made as required, indicating that this work session regular meeting would take place at the municipal building at 7 p.m. at on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024. If we could all stand for the Pledge Allegiance and then remain standing for invocation by Councilman Sheepa Udin's. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Let us take the next few moments of silence to each seek in our own way. Whatever sources of inspiration will grant us the strength and power in our thoughts and decisions to be for the benefit of all people at all times. Amen. Madam Clerk, please call the role. Councilman Inbarrison. Here. Councilwoman Francois. Here. Councilman Carazi. Here. Mayor Kramer. Here. Councilman Oni Jaka. Yeah. Deputy Mayor Petasnik. Councilwoman Udine. Here. Councilman Vassanella. Here. Councilman Ray. We now have four proclamation presentations. First is the Czech presentation to Somerset County YMCA from Assemblyman Joe Danielson. You have the stage, Assemblyman. You can face the audience if you'd like. Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to uh call up um Bill Grippo and the representatives from the YMCA. If you have a moment. A couple of years by the way, Mayor, thank you. Former Mayor Francois and Council Mayors, uh Council members. Uh thank you for having me tonight. I'm very happy to uh come to your meeting again with a presentation of money for critical services here in Franklin Township. Um a few years ago, uh Bill Grippo came to my office and was uh explaining me the concept that he's been talking about since at least 2005 and how the critical services that are provided by the YMCA are desperately needed by the families and the children of Franklin Township, and we are a perfect community to host a YMCA. Well, fast forward uh quite a number of years, uh we are here today. So from that conversation, I met the the representatives of the YMCA, and so did council members and other community leaders, and um they've selected a home in Franklin Township and um with partnership with the township council uh using their land, and um I immediately asked how much is this going to cost? Now they think it's gonna cost 30 million. I think it's gonna cost 40 million. But yeah, what uh uh regardless of how much it costs, the ball has to start rolling of getting money in. And while we're waiting to build this project, there's families that need the critical services they provide. There's children uh that need these services, everything from health care, studying, gymnasium, and of course the classic swimming lessons. And there are children who drowned in Franklin Township because they don't know how to swim, and people around them that could have otherwise saved them also do not know how to swim. But I'll let them talk about their services. So I committed to committing to them and the vision of getting state budget money for the YMCA because for this to be a reality, no one organization can afford to pay 30, 40 million dollars. It's gonna be a multi-level partnership, starting from the state, then the county, and then the municipality, and then of course, donations from the community.