Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Township administrator, council give updates on grants, veterans housing, streetlights and winter readiness; residents raise Stonebridge and stray-cat TNR items
Summary
Administrator Alan Weinberg detailed a state pavement grant closeout ($550,000 grant on a $598,000 project), health-benefit savings vs. state averages, salt and plow readiness; council members described an 80-unit veterans building (37 units guaranteed to veterans). Public commenters raised Stonebridge HOA concerns about a nursing mandate and urged a trap-neuter-release program for stray cats.
In his administrator’s report, Alan Weinberg told the council the township closed out the South Middlesex Road paving project, which used a state pavement-preservation grant of $550,000 against a total project cost of $598,000; Weinberg stated the state covered approximately 92% of the construction cost. Weinberg also reported that the township’s employee health-benefit cost increases averaged 11% over the past three years compared with a 46% increase at the state level, and that DPW’s winter preparations include over 3,500 tons of salt and more than 30 plows (17 of them with salters).
Councilman Michael Markell reported on the new veterans housing building that has 80 units, with 37 units guaranteed to veterans and the remainder to receive preference; Conifer Realty will manage the application process and resident outreach. Markell said the township expects to begin accepting applications soon.
Council members also noted other capital and community items: the James Monroe Park concession/restroom project is out to bid with an anticipated opening on Dec. 12 and award at the next meeting; the township received a NJDOT grant of $414,000 for paving in the Heritage Chase neighborhood in 2025.
Public commenters raised local quality-of-life and safety concerns. Susie Cohen and Paul Alschuler told the council that the Stonebridge HOA voted to remove a town-mandated 24/7 nursing-services requirement and asked the township to respect the residents’ vote while noting that removal does not preclude arranging nursing services if desired. Christine Gandy urged the council to adopt a coordinated trap-neuter-release (TNR) program to manage large colonies of stray cats and said local animal-control staff and volunteers are prepared to assist.
A resident requested a left-turn arrow at Prospect Plains Road and Applegarth; staff said the intersection redesign is a county project and that an arrow is included in the NJDOT-approved plan. No new funding votes were taken at the meeting; the council recorded several routine approvals and adopted two ordinances related to Union Hill Road.
