Warren's public record, explained

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Warren is governed under the township form by a five-member Township Committee, elected to staggered three-year terms. The Township’s Committee page describes it as a collective executive and legislative body. Each January the Committee elects one of its members as Mayor, who presides and votes as a member, and another as Deputy Mayor, who acts in the Mayor’s absence; under the township form the Mayor has no other special powers except those granted under general law and limited appointment powers.

The Committee’s 2026 Rules of Order (Resolution 2026-001, in the January 6, 2026 agenda packet) set three members as a quorum and require a majority of all five to adopt an ordinance; a resolution or motion needs a majority of the members present and eligible to vote. Routine matters may go on a consent agenda and are voted in one motion. The Township Administrator, appointed by the Committee, runs the departments, prepares the budget and serves as Qualified Purchasing Agent, per the Administration page.

Land-use applications go to the Planning Board or the Board of Adjustment; the Boards and Committees page lists both along with the Board of Health, Environmental Commission, Open Space Advisory Committee, Historic Sites Committee and others. The Board of Health page describes a nine-member volunteer board, seven regular members and two alternates.

The Township lists Shaun Fine as Mayor and Vanessa Kian as Deputy Mayor for 2026, with Lance Blick, Daniel Croson and Daniel McCarey as Committee members. Daniel J. McCarey was sworn in at the January 6, 2026 reorganization meeting, where the mayoral and Deputy Mayor nominations each carried 5–0 (minutes).

Two Committee seats are on the November 3, 2026 ballot, for three-year terms. The Somerset County candidate list names William DiGrande and Samuel Holden, Democrats, and Shaun J. Fine and Vanessa Kian, Republicans. The election page has the polling places and deadlines.

Mark M. Krane is Township Administrator, Donna Hands is Township Clerk and Karen DeNave is Chief Financial Officer, by the 2026 appointment resolution in the January 6 packet. DiFrancesco, Bateman, Kunzman, Davis, Lehrer & Flaum, PC holds the Township Attorney contract, not to exceed $200,000 at $205 an hour (Resolution 2026-035).

The 2026 Committee schedule (Resolution 2026-010) sets regular meetings on Thursdays, with executive session at 6 p.m. and public session at 7 p.m.; the January 6 reorganization was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and called to order at 6:39 p.m. Meetings are in the Susie B. Boyce Court Room at 44 Mountain Boulevard, while the municipal offices work from temporary leased space at 3 Mountainview Road.

Each speaker gets three minutes when the Chair opens the floor, comments on agenda items must be germane, and Privilege of the Floor is open to any matter of general public importance. A resident may speak once in each public portion. Agendas are posted in the AgendaCenter 48 hours ahead, with draft ordinances and resolutions when complete, and minutes after Committee approval (Resolution 2026-001).

Agendas and minutes are in the township’s AgendaCenter, one category per body, and meeting video is on the township’s TelVue player. Dates move, so the township calendar is the authority.