Township Committee — November 24, 2025
The Committee adopted Ordinance No. 2025-1503, raising sanitary sewer rates (from $1.40 to $1.50 per gallon per day of projected flow for unmetered properties, $5.38 to $5.85 per 1,000 gallons for metered ones, and minimum charges from $399 to $450 a year), 5–0 with no public comment. It also adopted the annual salary-range ordinance, 5–0, and passed twelve consent resolutions 5–0, among them opposition to Senate bill S-4736 on local land-use decisions.
- Taxes
- Infrastructure
- Government
Meeting recording
Recording plays on the township archive
This meeting does not play on this page. The township's recording is complete and plays in full on the township's own channel.
What happened
The Township Committee’s minutes of this regular meeting, approved at its December 8 meeting, are on the Township’s Documents-On-Demand portal, linked from its Agendas/Minutes page, in the Township Committee and Board of Health minutes folder. Mayor Thomas Young called the meeting to order at 8:02 p.m. All five members were present: Mayor Young, Mr. Brendon Beatrice, Mr. James Schworn, Mrs. Anna Columbus and Mr. David Owens. Also present were Director of Finance Diane Schubach, Township Clerk Maggie Schmitt and Township Attorney William Willard; the minutes note that Administrator Gregory Bonin was not in attendance. The minutes record about 20 members of the public. No one spoke in either public comment period.
Sewer rates
The Committee held the second reading and public hearing of Ordinance No. 2025-1503, amending Chapter 10, Section 10-5 of the Municipal Code, “Rates for Sanitary Sewerage Service,” “to modify the rates and charges.” As read into the minutes, it changes the annual rates:
| Property | Old rate | New rate |
|---|---|---|
| Unmetered nonresidential | $1.40 per year per gallon per day of projected flow, minimum $399 | $1.50, minimum $450 |
| Unmetered residential | $1.40 per year per gallon per day of projected flow | $1.50 |
| Metered | $5.38 per 1,000 gallons, minimum $399 a year | $5.85 per 1,000 gallons, minimum $450 a year |
For metered properties it also strikes the words adding “a meter administrative and inspection charge of $63.50 per quarter for a water meter or sewerage meter.” Flow is projected under N.J.A.C. 7:14A-23.3, and property owners may appeal their flow to a panel of the Administrator, the Mayor and the Chief Financial Officer or their designees.
Ms. Schubach said the Township “has had a difficult time keeping up with the increases from the Somerset Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority, and it is essential for the utility to maintain financial stability.” At the ordinance’s introduction on November 10, Mr. Bonin had said it would add $50 to the average home on public sewer. No one spoke at the public hearing. The ordinance was adopted on motion of Mr. Schworn, seconded by Mr. Owens. Recorded vote: 5–0 (Aye: Schworn, Columbus, Owens, Beatrice, Young).
Salary ranges
The Committee held the second reading and public hearing of Ordinance No. 2025-1504, amending Subsection 20-1.1, “Schedule of Minimum and Maximum Salaries.” Mayor Young said it reflects a State requirement to update the ranges for Township officials and employees each year. The schedule read into the minutes raises several maximums, among them Assistant Township Engineer ($105,000 to $125,000), DPW Assistant Director ($131,250 to $150,000), Construction Code Official ($157,500 to $165,000), Engineering & Planning Director ($200,000 to $220,000) and Health Officer ($116,550 to $120,057); replaces fixed hourly minimums for many part-time titles with “Minimum Wage”; and removes the Court Administrator and Deputy Court Administrator titles. Ranges left unchanged include Township Administrator ($75,000–$250,000), Mayor ($4,000–$21,000) and Township Committee member ($3,500–$21,000).
No one spoke at the public hearing. The ordinance was adopted on motion of Mr. Schworn, seconded by Mrs. Columbus. Recorded vote: 5–0 (Aye: Schworn, Columbus, Owens, Beatrice, Young).
Other business
Resolutions No. 2025-203 through 2025-214 passed 5–0 on motion of Mr. Owens, seconded by Mr. Schworn: a purchase of fire service equipment for the Readington VFC from ESI Equipment Inc. (2025-203); appropriation transfers (2025-204); personnel resolutions for Director of Finance Schubach (2025-205), the appointment of D’Amico as Chief Financial Officer (2025-206), Deputy Health Officer Nelson (2025-207) and 2026 non-union salaries (2025-208); recreation refunds (2025-209); release of a maintenance guarantee for Symrise, Inc. (2025-210); a resolution “opposing S-4736 – prohibits local autonomy and local decision making on land use planning” (2025-211); “support for New Jersey Climate Superfund Act (S3545/A4696)” (2025-212); tax refunds (2025-213); and an engineering contract with Mott MacDonald for a “Meter Chamber 12B hydraulic model sanitary sewer collection system capacity evaluation” (2025-214). The claims for payment also passed 5–0. The minutes of November 10 were approved.
A discussion of selling Township-owned property at Block 17.13, Lot 12.02, 200 Harlan School Road, was put off until the Township Administrator could attend. Mayor Young read a proclamation recognizing the Somerville High School Marching Band as New Jersey State Champions.
In liaison reports, Mrs. Columbus said she attended the New Jersey League of Municipalities conference and a session on affordable housing; Mr. Beatrice listed December Recreation events; Mr. Owens recommended a documentary series on the American Revolution and congratulated Mayor Young on his induction into the “NJ Legislatures Hall of Fame”; and Mayor Young said he has served on the Township Committee for over 27 years. The meeting adjourned at 8:22 p.m.
Records
- Minutes and agenda: Agendas/Minutes page of the Township’s website, which links its Documents-On-Demand portal (Township Committee and Board of Health folder)
- Meeting video on the Township’s Granicus archive