Police, fire and emergency services

The Committee adopted Ordinance No. 2026-1518, a bond ordinance appropriating $18,060,000 for a municipal annex and authorizing $17,200,000 in bonds or notes, 5–0 with no public comment. The Mayor said the annex will house a new Police Headquarters and Emergency Management Office, partly offset by a $2.25 million federal grant. Four consent resolutions and the bills list also passed 5–0.

The Committee adopted Ordinance No. 2026-1517, appropriating $330,000 from the capital fund balance for Public Works equipment including a replacement dump truck, 5–0, and introduced Ordinance No. 2026-1518, the $18,060,000 municipal annex bond ordinance, unanimously. Eleven consent resolutions, including acknowledgement of the 2025 municipal audit, and the claims passed 5–0. In public comment a resident asked the Township to weigh data centers' benefits and drawbacks before any ban, and members responded.

The Committee adopted Ordinance No. 2026-1516, barring electric and motorized bicycles, scooters and motorcycles from park footpaths, walkways and trails, 5–0 with no public comment. It introduced Ordinance No. 2026-1517, spending $330,000 from the capital fund balance on Public Works equipment to replace a dump truck that caught fire, with a hearing set for September 14. Six consent resolutions, including a tree-planting contract and a bid for a co-location on the Township's 34 Kenbury Road cell tower, and claims of $10,693,929.56 passed 5–0.

The Committee introduced Ordinance No. 2026-1516, limiting e-bikes and other motorized bicycles and scooters on park paths and fields, by unanimous vote with a hearing set for August 10. Four consent resolutions, including a playground purchase for White Oak Park, and claims of $848,106.59 passed 4–0 with Mrs. Columbus absent. A resident asked the Committee to consider an ordinance prohibiting data centers, and the Administrator reported that Branchburg is on the list for a $2.25 million federal Community Project Funding award for an Emergency Operations Center.

After an executive session on litigation brought by FH Golf Partners, LLC over sewer access for a proposed development in Readington Township, the Committee adopted Resolution No. 2026-143 supporting and consenting to the proposed Upper Raritan Water Quality Management Plan amendment, 5–0. Ten consent resolutions, including a Tax Collector extension for third-quarter tax bills and a police memorandum of understanding for the ARRIVE Together program, and claims of $5,302,970.86 also passed 5–0.

The Township's consultant, Maurice Rachad of Colliers Engineering & Design, said Norfolk Southern maintenance work overlapping the Township's required Lehigh Road rail crossing upgrades should substantially finish the crossing improvements by the end of June. Consent Resolutions No. 2026-111 through 2026-119, including liquor and tower/wrecker license renewals and an air pack purchase for the North Branch Volunteer Fire Company, passed 5–0.

The Committee adopted four capital ordinances, each 4–0 with no public comment: No. 2026-1512 ($100,000 for facility improvements), 2026-1513 ($240,000 for police vehicles and equipment), 2026-1514 ($1,018,000 for Public Works equipment) and 2026-1515 ($150,000 for volunteer fire-company equipment). Consent Resolutions No. 2026-101 through 2026-110 passed 4–0. The Administrator said final Lehigh Road rail crossing plans were going to Norfolk Southern for approval. Mr. Young was absent.

After a public hearing with no comment, the Committee moved to adopt Ordinance No. 2026-1511, which assigns police tows per incident instead of weekly and adopts the New Jersey State Police towing rate schedule. It introduced four capital ordinances totaling $1,508,000, paid from capital funds, for building improvements, police vehicles, Public Works equipment and fire-company equipment. Consent Resolutions No. 2026-94 through 2026-100, including a settlement in Forlenza v. Township of Branchburg, passed 4–0. Mrs. Columbus was absent.

The Committee adopted Ordinance No. 2026-1510, the annual ordinance to exceed the budget appropriation limits and establish a cap bank, 4–0 with no public comment, and reviewed departments' capital requests. Consent Resolutions No. 2026-78 through 2026-85 passed 4–0, including a feasibility study to repurpose 580 Old York Road and an architectural contract with The Goldstein Partnership, LLC for the conceptual design of a new police building. Mr. Owens was absent.

The Committee introduced the 2026 municipal budget (Resolution No. 2026-69), with a public hearing set for April 27, and introduced Ordinance No. 2026-1510, the annual cap-bank ordinance, with all members in favor. Consent Resolutions No. 2026-70 through 2026-77, including the sale of general improvement bonds, passed 5–0. The meeting included the Police Department's awards ceremony and the oaths of three new patrol officers, and the Administrator and Mayor spoke about the Red Rock Preserve fire.

The Committee adopted Ordinance No. 2025-1505, spending $600,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund on Municipal Building and other facility improvements, 5–0 with no public comment, and passed eight consent resolutions 5–0, including year-end budget cancellations and an air-pack purchase for the NVFC. The Administrator said NJDOT had closed the Route 202 U-turn at Holland Brook Road to prepare for future work.

The Committee adopted Ordinance No. 2025-1502, a $1,200,000 bond ordinance for communications equipment that the Mayor said will upgrade radios for the emergency services, and Ordinance No. 2025-1501, permitting digital signs in the I-1 Industrial Zone, each 4–0 with Mrs. Columbus absent. It introduced a sewer-rate ordinance that the Administrator said will add $50 a year for the average home on public sewer, and the annual salary-range ordinance, both for hearing on November 24.