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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Franklin Township Council Meeting – June 24, 2025: Energy Bid, Housing Plan, Ordinances

Township Council — Tuesday, June 24, 2025

BodyFranklin Township, New Jersey

SessionTownship Council

DateTuesday, June 24, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:37:50

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:00

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 meeting would take place at the municipal building at 7 p.m.

0:11

on Tuesday, June 24th, 2025.

0:15

If we could all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by invocation from Councilman Embarrison.

0:23

Pledge allegiance to the flag in the United States of America and the Republic is what it stands.

0:32

Underground individual liberty to justice for all right.

0:42

May those assembled here today enjoy the many offerings of our township.

0:47

May we abide by the rules we have established, those of trust, fellowship, and ethics.

0:53

And may we place service above self in our daily endeavors.

0:58

And may we always test ourselves and our efforts to be sure they are the truth, good for all concerned, of benefit to mankind, and provide peace and understanding.

1:11

Amen.

1:21

Councilman Embarrison.

1:23

Still here.

1:23

Councilwoman Francois.

1:27

Councilman Carrazi.

1:29

Mayor Kramer.

1:30

Here.

1:30

Councilman Nonichaka.

1:32

Here.

1:32

Councilmember Patasnik.

1:34

Present.

1:34

Deputy Mary Dean.

1:35

Here.

1:36

Councilman Vassanella?

1:37

Here.

1:37

Councilman Wright.

1:39

So there's no compliment of commendations or proclamations.

1:44

Item number six.

1:46

I've kind of um shuffled the agenda a little bit.

1:50

Um I wanted to get the energy aggregation bid results in before the public spoke so that the public can uh comment on it during public session if they'd like to.

2:06

So take it away.

2:09

Good evening, everybody.

2:10

Nice to put uh real faces with names be in addition to virtual pictures of everyone.

2:17

Um my name is Lauren Alchler.

2:18

I'm with Gable Associates, the energy consultant that's working with Franklin Township on your energy aggregation.

2:25

And a bid was issued in RFP on June 2 to take bids today, June 24th.

2:34

It was advertised in the home news tribune and distributed to third party energy suppliers, and we followed the bidding process as required by local public contract law.

2:46

Uh you have an ordinance that stipulates requirements for awarding a GEA deal 4379-22.

2:55

This ordinance requires at least 10% greater than state mandated levels of RPS be procured, and the uh ward must also provide at least four five percent savings versus utility rates.

3:10

Unfortunately, none of the bids that came in today met that specified criteria.

3:17

Therefore, the recommendation is to make no award at this time, yet allow that your bid remain open for up to a hundred and twenty days to allow the township to take refresh bids at a later date within that time period.

3:35

And that would be subject to issuance of an addendum to the RFP.

3:40

Thank you.

3:42

Thank you.

3:43

Any questions?

3:45

Can I ask a question?

3:47

Are you at liberty to disclose what was the highest savings uh pro in in the in the proposal?

3:54

I can discuss that with the council, and I have provided some information to the council members.

3:59

We typically recommend that it not be discussed in public while the bid is still open.

4:03

Okay.

4:04

So I asked you uh uh the bid process.

4:07

All right, thank you.

4:08

You're very welcome.

4:11

Anyone else?

4:15

Okay, so I'm not gonna vote on the resolution now.

4:17

We'll uh open to public session.

4:21

Um I have uh unanimous consent open for public session without objection.

4:30

We're open for public session.

4:32

Um we give five minutes to each person, no yielding of time, may only come up once.

4:38

Please state your name and address.

4:40

And this is on any topic, right?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Affordable Housing█████████████████████████25%

Public Engagement█████████████13%

Procedural██████████10%

Environmental Protection████████8%

Voting Systems███████7%

Public Works█████5%

Energy And Innovation████4%

Veterans Recognition████4%

Energy And Environment████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Franklin Township Council Meeting – June 24, 2025

The Franklin Township Council met on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the Municipal Complex. Key actions included not awarding a contract for government energy aggregation due to insufficient savings and clean energy criteria, adoption of two ordinances (water rate increase and animal control fees), and endorsement of the Fourth Round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan. The meeting also featured public comments on the proposed NESiE pipeline, affordable housing, tax sales, and ranked choice voting.

Consent Calendar

Approval of Minutes: The work session/regular meeting minutes of June 12, 2025, were approved.
Approval of Warrants: Warrants totaling $2,031,125.87 were approved.
The consent agenda (resolutions #25-267 through #25-288) was adopted en bloc, including:
- Reappointment of Beverly Watson as Deputy Registrar.
- Appointment of Marc Dancy as Alternate #1 to the Planning Board.
- Authorization for out-of-state police training (NOBLE conference in Hollywood, FL).
- Tax title lien redemptions.
- Contract awards for DPW roof restoration ($294,640.05), UPS radio system ($22,261.03), replacement of three Convault gas tanks at DPW ($320,708.44) and one at Town Hall ($198,907.37), and audio system upgrade for courtroom ($30,000).
- Special event permits for Shree Swaminarayan Satsang Mandal (July 9–13) and a charity bike ride (September 14).
- Renewal of plenary retail consumption and distribution licenses for 2025-26.
- Release of various performance guarantees and escrows.
- Stormwater detention facility maintenance agreement for 789 Hamilton Street.
- Approval of the 2025-2026 Hunting Program.
- Authorization of fireworks displays at The Palace at Somerset Park in July 2025.

Public Comments & Testimony

Linda Powell (22 Buffett Drive) spoke in opposition to the proposed NESiE pipeline project, detailing health risks from air contaminants, particulate matter, and synergistic effects. She urged continued community involvement.
Rob Peterson (66 Wilson Road) questioned recusals by Councilmembers Anbarasan and Potosnak regarding warehouse votes and perceived conflicts of interest. He called for transparency.
Javar Walker (15 Coon Street) thanked Michelle Peterson for help finding his missing grandfather, then proposed that tax sales be prioritized for Franklin residents and a first-time homebuyer program. He expressed concern about housing affordability.
Benjamin Guy (35 Patton Drive) applauded the workforce development program’s first cohort, urged the council to invite graduates to share their experiences. He asked about DPW infrastructure assessments following a water main break in his area, called for continued leadership on affordable housing, requested updates on the roadway improvement plan and community solar program, and encouraged the council not to become complacent.
Alex Clark (396 Hamilton Street) advocated for ranked choice voting, citing the recent Democratic gubernatorial primary where the winner received only 34% of the vote. He provided examples of low-percentage wins and asked for the council’s support for state bills S1622/A4042.
Beverly Lawson (2004 Amwell Road) criticized the council for not issuing a proclamation for veterans during June, stating that 17.6 veterans commit suicide daily and that the council failed to acknowledge their service. She also raised her application to join the Hamilton Street Advisory Board.

Discussion Items

Government Energy Aggregation Bid: Lauren Alchler (Gable Associates) reported that a bid was issued on June 24 but no third-party supplier met the required criteria: at least 10% more renewable energy than state mandated levels and a minimum 5% savings for participants. The recommendation was to make no award but keep the bid open for 120 days to allow for refreshed bids. Council unanimously adopted Resolution #25-289 to not award a contract.
Council Responses to Public Comments: Mayor Kramer clarified his recusal was specific to one warehouse application (B9) and not all warehouses. Deputy Mayor Potosnak defended the council’s record on affordable housing and rejected the notion that the township is resting on its laurels. Councilman Anbarasan addressed property ownership allegations, stating he had recused himself appropriately and that all required financial disclosures are on file.
Affordable Housing Plan (Resolution #25-287): Vince Dominic, Economic Development Director, presented the Fourth Round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan. The plan addresses a present need of 268 units (via rehabilitation) and a prospective need of 659 units over 10 years. Four projects are identified: 260 Davidson Avenue (conversion of hotel to apartments), 347 Elizabeth Avenue (new construction), 606-610 Franklin Boulevard (senior affordable housing), and 315 Davidson Avenue (affordable housing). The plan will provide 722 total units, of which approximately 66% will be affordable—far exceeding the typical 20% set-aside. The Planning Board had already adopted the plan, and the council’s endorsement sends it to the court-appointed program administrator (Retired Judge Miller). Councilmembers praised the work and noted the township has been a statewide leader in affordable housing, with the ability to now choose among additional projects.

Key Outcomes

Energy Aggregation: Resolution #25-289 was adopted (unanimously) to not award a contract; the bid remains open for 120 days.
Ordinance 4469-25 (Water rate and meter access): Adopted on second reading after public hearing.
Ordinance 4470-25 (Animal control fees): Adopted on second reading after public hearing.
Consent Agenda: All resolutions were adopted en bloc, including Resolution #25-287 endorsing the Fourth Round Housing Plan.
Old Business: Randy Jones was nominated and appointed to the Franklin 250 Committee (unanimous acclamation).
Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:52 PM (based on transcript end).

Meeting Transcript

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 meeting would take place at the municipal building at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24th, 2025. If we could all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by invocation from Councilman Embarrison. Pledge allegiance to the flag in the United States of America and the Republic is what it stands. Underground individual liberty to justice for all right. May those assembled here today enjoy the many offerings of our township. May we abide by the rules we have established, those of trust, fellowship, and ethics. And may we place service above self in our daily endeavors. And may we always test ourselves and our efforts to be sure they are the truth, good for all concerned, of benefit to mankind, and provide peace and understanding. Amen. Councilman Embarrison. Still here. Councilwoman Francois. Councilman Carrazi. Mayor Kramer. Here. Councilman Nonichaka. Here. Councilmember Patasnik. Present. Deputy Mary Dean. Here. Councilman Vassanella? Here. Councilman Wright. So there's no compliment of commendations or proclamations. Item number six. I've kind of um shuffled the agenda a little bit. Um I wanted to get the energy aggregation bid results in before the public spoke so that the public can uh comment on it during public session if they'd like to. So take it away. Good evening, everybody. Nice to put uh real faces with names be in addition to virtual pictures of everyone. Um my name is Lauren Alchler. I'm with Gable Associates, the energy consultant that's working with Franklin Township on your energy aggregation. And a bid was issued in RFP on June 2 to take bids today, June 24th. It was advertised in the home news tribune and distributed to third party energy suppliers, and we followed the bidding process as required by local public contract law. Uh you have an ordinance that stipulates requirements for awarding a GEA deal 4379-22. This ordinance requires at least 10% greater than state mandated levels of RPS be procured, and the uh ward must also provide at least four five percent savings versus utility rates. Unfortunately, none of the bids that came in today met that specified criteria. Therefore, the recommendation is to make no award at this time, yet allow that your bid remain open for up to a hundred and twenty days to allow the township to take refresh bids at a later date within that time period. And that would be subject to issuance of an addendum to the RFP. Thank you. Thank you. Any questions? Can I ask a question? Are you at liberty to disclose what was the highest savings uh pro in in the in the proposal? I can discuss that with the council, and I have provided some information to the council members. We typically recommend that it not be discussed in public while the bid is still open. Okay. So I asked you uh uh the bid process.

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