Township Committee — June 8, 2026

The Township Committee’s minutes of this regular meeting, approved at its June 22 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 James Schworn called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All five members were present: Mayor Schworn, Mr. Brendon Beatrice, Mr. Thomas Young, Mrs. Anna Columbus and Mr. David Owens. The minutes record approximately four members of the public. There were no public comments, either on agenda items or in the general comment period.

The Lehigh Road rail crossing

Maurice Rachad of Colliers Engineering & Design, the Township’s consultant for the Lehigh Road rail crossing improvements, gave an update. In the minutes’ account:

• He said Norfolk Southern would be doing maintenance work on nearby rail crossings, beginning in Manville on June 8 and expected to reach Branchburg around June 22.
• He said he had met with Norfolk Southern’s engineer to coordinate that work with the Township’s quiet zone improvements and avoid duplication, and that much of the planned maintenance overlaps the Township’s required upgrades, which is expected to significantly reduce the scope of work the Township needs to do.
• He said the rail crossing improvements should be substantially completed by the end of June, allowing the Township to proceed with additional quiet zone elements.
• Township Administrator Gregory Bonin asked about acquiring the necessary rights-of-way and whether completing those acquisitions, together with the upgrades, would support approval of the quiet zone. Mr. Rachad said that, after plan updates, approval should be achievable.

The Committee discussed the project further. The minutes record that Mr. Rachad would continue to give Mr. Bonin weekly or bi-weekly updates.

Other business

Consent Resolutions No. 2026-111 through 2026-119 and the departmental reports passed on motion of Mr. Beatrice, seconded by Mrs. Columbus. Recorded vote: 5–0 (Aye: Young, Columbus, Owens, Beatrice, Schworn). They renewed the 2026–2027 alcoholic beverage licenses (2026-111) and tower/wrecker licenses (2026-112); authorized a purchase of air packs for the North Branch Volunteer Fire Company from Fire Equipment Company (2026-113); amended Resolution No. 2026-91, on cancelling certain capital appropriation balances, as to the Meister Avenue project (2026-114); covered Public Works summer help (2026-115) and an assistant foreman (2026-116), and recreation program salaries (2026-117); and approved recreation refunds (2026-118) and a zoning permit fee refund (2026-119). The claims for payment passed 5–0 on motion of Mr. Young, seconded by Mrs. Columbus.

The minutes of the May 26 regular session were approved. Mayor Schworn read a proclamation supporting the First Responders and Veterans Lung Cancer Screening Access Act, after students Srikrishna Dowlapalli and Kush Dave of the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative chapter at Bridgewater-Raritan High School described their initiative.

In the Administrator’s report, Mr. Bonin said the Silver Saddle Community Pool had about 1,100 members and should reach its income goal shortly, with rental interest in a newly installed gazebo; that a meeting with the Recreation Department, Police Department and the event host was set to plan the July 5 250th Anniversary Celebration; that the Township was upgrading the Neshanic Pump Station; and that the new tennis court surface would take about two weeks to cure. Mr. Owens said the Township was replacing its American flags ahead of the 250th anniversary, that residents and businesses could drop off old flags at the Municipal Building, and encouraged residents to ride e-bikes responsibly. Mr. Bonin said new e-bike rules take effect in July and that the Police Department would monitor e-bike use and may propose an ordinance to regulate it in the coming months.

In liaison reports, Mrs. Columbus described a 250th Anniversary block party on Horizon Way; Mr. Young spoke about the nation’s 250th anniversary; Mr. Beatrice announced that summer camp starts June 22, that a grand opening for the renovated tennis courts was under consideration, and described the July 5 celebration; and Mayor Schworn spoke about a Business Community Alliance of Branchburg meeting, the Memorial Day commemoration at Stony Brook School and Corporal Jon Elbert’s final DARE graduation after 15 years leading the program. Mr. Owens marked the 82nd anniversary of D-Day.

The meeting adjourned at 7:31 p.m.

See roads and traffic and public safety.

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