Township Council — February 24, 2026

What was decided

The minutes list seven members present at roll call, with Ms. Francois absent; Mr. Singh is not named in the roll call but moves, seconds and votes throughout. The Council excused Ms. Francois’s absence, 8-0 (mover Kramer, second Vassanella). Every vote was 8-0: ayes Anbarasan, Kharazi, Kramer, Onyejiaka, Singh, Uddin, Vassanella and Wright; no nays; Francois absent. Alexander Avellan sat for the Township Attorney.

• Res. #26-112, “Barring the Federal Government from Using Township-Owned and Township-Controlled Land, Property Spaces, Facilities, Equipment and Resources for Federal Civil Immigration Enforcement”, was first amended (mover Anbarasan, second Uddin) and then adopted as amended (mover Anbarasan, second Uddin). The text in the minutes provides that, except as authorized by a judicial warrant or judicial order or under its Paragraph 5, Township departments and agencies “shall not permit or consent to” federal immigration officers entering, accessing or using nonpublic areas of Township property, or using Township property “as a staging area, processing location, or operations base”, to facilitate federal enforcement of civil immigration law. It defines a judicial warrant as one issued by a federal Article III judge, a federal magistrate judge or a Superior Court judge. The minutes print only the amended text, not what the amendment changed. See immigration enforcement.
• Hamilton Street Special Improvement District: Res. #26-101 read the CY2026 budget by title (mover Onyejiaka, second Vassanella); Res. #26-102 adopted the budget as introduced, a grand total of $40,228.00, with $6,228.00 from surplus and $34,000.00 assessed on property owners (mover Kharazi, second Vassanella); Res. #26-103 adopted the assessment roll (mover Uddin, second Anbarasan).
• Adopted on second reading:
  • Ord. 4494-26, miscellaneous fees (mover Uddin, second Kharazi);
  • Ord. 4495-26, the Castleton Park surface utility easement and temporary easement for the approved diversion of 0.14 acres of Green Acres parkland (mover Uddin, second Anbarasan);
  • Ord. 4497-26, repealing and replacing Chapter 81 to meet the Fair Housing Act and the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls (mover Kharazi, second Uddin). See Fourth Round housing.
• Introduced, with hearings set for March 10: Ord. 4498-26, Chapter 284, Recycling, fees and materials at the convenience center (mover Kharazi, second Uddin); Ord. 4499-26, late dog licensing fees (mover Kharazi, second Vassanella); Ord. 4500-26, wedding and civil union fees (mover Uddin, second Singh).
• Consent agenda (Res. #26-104 to #26-111; mover Anbarasan, second Vassanella). It included:
  • #26-109, amending the contract for snow plowing services on 22 routes for the 2025–2026 season, RJM Landscaping & Design, to not exceed $450,000.00;
  • #26-111, extending the Terhune Farm lease (Canal Road, Jacques Lane, Suydam Road and Butler Road), 225 tillable acres to Lawrence L. Terhune at $8.00 per tillable acre, March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2031. (The resolution title gives “$1800.00 per year”.)
• Approved warrants of $29,071,546.65.
• Executive session: Res. #26-113, “Potential Acquisition of Open Space Properties – Skillmans Lane – Route 27/Little Rocky Hill” (mover Uddin, second Anbarasan). The minutes’ motion line reads “Adopt Resolution #26-100”. See open space and farmland.
• The Manager announced Lloyd Fredericks as the new Public Safety Director as of March 25, 2026.

Public hearings

• Hamilton Street SID assessment roll. Renee McGuiness, 93 Oakland Avenue, asked about updating the special assessments and the website; the Manager described the Hamilton Street Advisory Board, which meets next on March 2.
• Ord. 4495-26. Renee McGuiness asked whether the easement is for pipeline improvements for the valve and how the valve is protected. The Mayor said it will help protect a remote valve; Mr. Vassanella noted the flood plain and the site being underwater; the Manager said the pipeline is from the 1940s and due for replacement, and noted the safety concerns.
• Ord. 4497-26. Javahn Walker of Kuhn Street, asked for a summary; the Mayor said there is only the ordinance. Renee McGuiness asked for clarification; the Manager said it responds to the Township’s Fourth Round of affordable housing, and Mr. Wright said affordable housing is located throughout the Township.

Public Discussion and snow removal

Debra Hingman of Roberts Road, thanked staff for responding to her call and email, said the Township should rethink its snow-removal contractors, and described ongoing problems in her neighborhood.

The minutes record that Mr. Wright said enforcement of moving vehicles off the streets more than doubled during the storm; Mr. Kharazi asked whether contractors are supervised, and the Manager said they work under foremen; Mr. Anbarasan asked about bus stops, and the Manager said there are over 2,000 bus stops, that clearing them all is not practical, and that the aim is to clear streets and intersections. In Council comments Mr. Singh said more passes and drivers would cost more money, and Mr. Vassanella suggested reviewing the sidewalk ordinance’s snow-removal timeline.

Records

• Minutes (approved March 24, 2026) · Agenda · Packet
• Video on Granicus (1:49). Granicus publishes no captions for Franklin meetings; this page follows the Clerk’s minutes.