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Frenchtown council swears in reelected members and selects council president; leaders outline 2026 projects
Summary
The Borough of Frenchtown swore in two reelected council members and chose a council president at its reorganization meeting; officials highlighted 2026 infrastructure priorities including street and sidewalk work and raised the idea of parking meters to create recurring revenue.
Two council members were formally sworn in at the Borough of Frenchtown’s reorganization meeting as officials and staff took the oath of office and set leadership for the coming year.
Chair called the Jan. reorganization meeting to order and said the council certified the election and would administer the oath to the reelected members Kathleen Bernhardt and Hannah Updike. An official introduced as Assemblyman Anthony Varelli led the oath. Both officials pledged to support the constitutions of the United States and the state of New Jersey and to "faithfully and impartially" perform the duties of the office.
The council then took nominations for council president and completed a roll-call vote that resulted in the selection of a council president; colleagues offered congratulations to the president following the vote.
In brief remarks after the organizational items, the presiding official praised the reelected members and outlined a set of priorities for 2026. Projects mentioned included the South Washington Street improvement project, Harrison Street sidewalk repairs and resurfacing, installation of backup generators at the Department of Public Works facility and upgrades at the Creek Road pumping station. The official said these projects were made possible in part by support from state lawmakers and grant funding.
The presiding official also raised the possibility of introducing parking meters in the business district as a nonpunitive measure to encourage turnover, support access to small businesses and generate a recurring revenue stream that could be reinvested in municipal infrastructure. The official said modern parking systems can be customized with adjustable times and seasonal schedules and called for stakeholder engagement before moving forward.
The council approved the reorganization agenda, including two added resolutions, by roll call. No additional details or contentious debate about the leadership votes were recorded during the meeting.
