Township Committee — September 14, 2026

The Township Committee’s minutes of this regular meeting, approved at its September 28 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 7:04 p.m. All five members were present: Mayor Schworn, Mr. Brendon Beatrice, Mr. Thomas Young, Mrs. Anna Columbus and Mr. David Owens. Also present were Township Administrator Gregory Bonin, Director of Finance Diane Schubach, Certified Finance Officer Mindy D’Amico, Township Clerk Maggie Schmitt and Township Attorney William Willard. The minutes record approximately 15 members of the public. No one spoke in the public comment period on agenda items.

The annex bond ordinance: first reading

The Committee introduced Ordinance No. 2026-1518, “Bond Ordinance providing for the construction of a municipal annex … appropriating $18,060,000 therefor and authorizing the issuance of $17,200,000 bonds or notes of the Township to finance part of the cost thereof.” In the minutes’ account:

• Mayor Schworn said the ordinance will fund a project to build a new Police Department facility with an Emergency Management Center. He said it authorizes funding but does not commit the Township to spending the full amount, and that the existing Police Department building is in good condition and could be repurposed but no longer meets current operational standards.
• Mr. Young said the Township expects federal funding to offset part of the cost. Mr. Bonin said the Township is slated to receive a $2.2 million federal grant to upgrade its current emergency operations center, and that those funds will go toward the new facility.
• Mayor Schworn said the Township is working with the Branchburg Board of Education and hopes to acquire the Old York School property as the site for the building.

The ordinance was introduced on motion of Mr. Beatrice, seconded by Mr. Young, and carried unanimously, with a public hearing set for September 28, 2026. (The motion as written in the minutes names “Ordinance No. 2026-1517”; the item heading and the title read are those of No. 2026-1518, which the Committee heard and adopted at its September 28 meeting.)

Public Works equipment: Ordinance No. 2026-1517 adopted

The Committee held the second reading and public hearing of Ordinance No. 2026-1517, “Capital Ordinance to authorize the purchase of new or replacement equipment, by and for the Department of Public Works … and the expenditure of $330,000.00 from the Capital Fund Balance.” The ordinance authorizes new or replacement equipment for the Department of Public Works, “including, but not limited to, a replacement dump truck,” appropriates $330,000 from the capital fund balance and sets a period of usefulness of at least five years. Mayor Schworn said it authorizes the expenditure for a replacement dump truck for the Department of Public Works that was destroyed by a fire.

No one spoke at the public hearing. The ordinance was adopted on motion of Mr. Owens, seconded by Mrs. Columbus. Recorded vote: 5–0 (Aye: Young, Columbus, Owens, Beatrice, Schworn). The consent agenda later that evening included Resolution No. 2026-159, authorizing the purchase of a Kenworth Model T480 4x2 truck from Gabrielli Kenworth of NJ, LLC.

Data centers, in public comment

Mike Dolan, described in the minutes as a longtime Branchburg resident, said he had read the September edition of the Branchburg News about data centers, which gave him the impression there had been public comment favoring an outright prohibition. He encouraged the Township to evaluate whether data centers are an appropriate use and to weigh their benefits and drawbacks before adopting any ban. In the minutes’ account of the responses:

• Mr. Young said residents should review the Governor’s recent position on data centers, which he described as reasonable and balanced. He said the Township should not discourage data centers that serve legitimate business purposes and stressed a thoughtful approach that supports economic development while addressing community concerns.
• Mayor Schworn said the New Jersey Legislature had recently passed data-center legislation that is “quite robust,” that the data centers now operating in the Township provide positive ratables, and that he does not anticipate additional data centers locating in Branchburg in the near term.
• Mr. Owens said the governing body remains committed to protecting residents’ interests while fostering an environment that lets businesses remain, expand and contribute to the community.

The Committee took no action on data centers.

Deer management

Larry Fox, chairman of the Wildlife Management Committee, presented the annual deer-harvest report for the 2025–2026 season and the committee’s recommendations for the coming season. He said the committee recommends adding the Sempre property to the approved hunting areas, and that some farmed sites are not being actively hunted by the farmers who lease them and could be opened to hunters. On motion of Mr. Young, seconded by Mr. Beatrice, the Committee moved to approve the 2026–2027 deer hunting season.

In public comment, Christine Bliss of Woodfern Road asked about the report and the growing deer population, raising concern that development is displacing deer. Mayor Schworn said significant development is also occurring in neighboring municipalities, that future development may slow or stall with economic conditions, and that several approved developments in the Township have not been fully cleared or advanced.

Paper street at 2228 South Branch Road

Mayor Schworn said a resident has asked the Township to vacate a landlocked paper street next to their property; such roads exist only on the tax map, and the vacated land is typically divided among the adjoining owners. Mr. Bonin said the Engineering Department found no underground utility lines, that the site is mostly vegetation and that there is no feasible way to extend the road. The Committee agreed by consensus to have the Township Attorney draft an ordinance vacating the paper street.

Rail quiet zone

In his report, Mr. Bonin said Norfolk Southern has completed the necessary repairs in its right-of-way, the Township’s consultant incorporated them into the Township’s improvement plan and submitted the plans to Norfolk Southern last month, and the Federal Railroad Administration hopes to issue an intent to proceed shortly; he said the Township hopes construction can be done this year or early next year. In public comment Ms. Bliss asked for a timeline for Norfolk Southern’s response on the Township’s updated plans for the Lehigh Road rail crossing. Mr. Bonin said the Federal Railroad Administration suggested the Township give Norfolk Southern a notice to proceed, but the Township needs Norfolk Southern’s approval first, and the railroad’s review can be ongoing within its response period. Ms. Bliss raised the expiration of the temporary quiet zone in spring 2027; Mr. Bonin said the Township hopes to move forward shortly but cannot without Norfolk Southern’s approval.

Other business

The consent agenda, Resolutions No. 2026-156 through 2026-166 with the departmental reports, passed on motion of Mr. Beatrice, seconded by Mrs. Columbus. Recorded vote: 5–0 (Aye: Young, Columbus, Owens, Beatrice, Schworn). It included acknowledgement of the 2025 municipal audit (2026-156) and the 2025 municipal court audit (2026-157); an amended professional services contract with Mott MacDonald for construction-phase engineering oversight of the Neshanic pump station upgrade (2026-158); the truck purchase (2026-159); a fireworks display at the Harvest & Hops Festival (2026-160); a Public Works step increase and Police Department grade elevations (2026-161, 2026-162); recreation refunds (2026-163); two totally disabled veteran tax exemptions (2026-164, 2026-165); and tax refunds (2026-166). The claims for payment for August 24 and September 14 passed 5–0 on motion of Mr. Young, seconded by Mrs. Columbus. The minutes of the August 10 regular session were approved.

Mayor Schworn read a proclamation honoring Bill and Monita Haduch, founders and editors of The Branchburg News, for 25 years of service on their retirement, and congratulated Sylvia Perkel on her 100th birthday and her retrospective exhibition at Raritan Valley Community College.

In his report, Mr. Bonin said the Silver Saddle Community Pool finished its fifth season meeting its membership and financial expectations, with a late-summer lifeguard shortage that closed the pool for a few days and that the Township will address for next season. He said registration for the fall tree-planting program, a developer-funded streetscape program that has planted more than a thousand trees, closes September 15, with planting in the second half of October. Mayor Schworn said the Township has received positive feedback on Schifano Construction’s road paving in the Fox Hollow development.

Also in public comment, Steve Lipman of Magnolia Drive asked about large aircraft he had seen flying over his property in groups of three; after discussion with members, the minutes say the aircraft were most likely Osprey aircraft on security operations tied to presidential visits to the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.

In liaison reports, Mr. Owens noted the North Branch Volunteer Fire Company’s 9/11 remembrance ceremony, Mrs. Columbus spoke about the anniversary and the building renovations, and Mr. Beatrice announced the Harvest & Hops Festival on September 26. At 8:10 p.m. the Committee approved Resolution No. 2026-167 to enter executive session; it convened at 8:20 p.m., returned at 8:30 p.m. and adjourned.

See data centers, municipal annex, public safety, open space and land stewardship, roads and traffic and budget and taxes.

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