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UPCOMING DATES

Thank you to News 12 New Jersey for visiting Cranford last week to discuss our storm preparations. Given our history with flooding, the Township takes storm risks incredibly seriously. You can find their story here.

Cranford’s Office of Emergency Management tracks a storm event a week-plus in advance of it potentially impacting our Township. As the storm approaches, our Department of Public Works crews clear catch basins and perform additional flood mitigation maintenance measures. If projected rainfall warrants, the Township deploys the mobile pumps to Balmiere Parkway, opens the river gates to lower the water level, pre-deploys barricades to flash-flood prone locations, and ensures we have the personnel available to rapidly respond to issues. Throughout, the Township seeks to inform residents of what to expect in a significant rain event via Nixle alerts, Cranford TV 35, social media, and the Official Township of Cranford website (click on Storm Management located on the Home Page).

In addition to the above, we continue to pursue major solutions to flooding in town, including the Army Corps of Engineers Rahway River project, raising an additional 14 homes with FEMA, home buy-outs, drainage improvements, planting 1,000 new trees in town, and other projects.

August 13 Official Meeting Highlights

Commissioner Reports

Mayor Andrews

• 750 Walnut Ave. project and settlement agreement: There has been an ongoing lawsuit initiated by Hartz Mountain almost since we signed the agreement, claiming the Township received too good of terms from Hartz. We've had a number of issues with the site. The settlement outcome is moving in a more positive direction for residents, particularly those that live in the area; it makes financial sense for the town; it resolves big outstanding issues, such as trees, where we believe they took down more than they were permitted to, and Township will gain greater oversight of the project to make sure that Hartz is living up to the commitments that they made to the Township before they started.

Commissioner Terrence Curran Recreation and Parks

• There's still about another month left of sun and fun at the Cranford outdoor pools.

• Indoor pool, and indoor gym is open. If you need somewhere to work out and take care of wellness, you can always join the Cranford YMCA .

• 750 Walnut Ave. Settlement Agreement: I think this is a good agreement. It relieves us of a lot of lawsuits, which there's always uncertainty with. It gives us all the things that we're asking for, in terms of the trees, the berm reduced truck traffic and having an on-site inspector. So I think that a lot of the issues that have been swirling around have been sort of lumped into this one agreement, and at the end of the day, it's going to be a good thing for Cranford.

Commissioner Kathleen Miller Prunty Engineering & Public Works

• Update on the two pedestrian footbridge projects:

Crane Parkway / Harold Johnson project: we expect completion by August 23.

Riverside Dr. / Balmiere Pkwy. footbridge, a Union County project: abutments and supports on either side are finished, and are waiting for the delivery and installation of the bridge. It will come in three sections and dropped in with a crane. It's 130-feet long. Date of installation is TBD. There have been some questions raised about the elevation of the levee and that it looks like it changed. There is no change. Our engineers went out and surveyed the levee and the current conditions and confirmed there is no change in the elevation.

• Catarina Guimarães, a Cranford High School graduate, will represent Team USA Track and Field in the Paralympics Games in Paris 2024.

Commissioner Paul A. Gallo-Public Safety

• Cranford Fire Department Call Lieutenant Marotta was able to secure a large donation of towels from Kohls for the fire department. These towels will be used for maintenance purposes, keeping the CFD fleet clean, as well as a quick and easy way to cool down the firefighters.

Township Attorney Ryan Cooper

• Generally, this is a very positive agreement. The trial with Hartz began July 29 and settled in an agreement Sunday night.

• Watch the video of the update on the 750 Walnut Project and Settlement Agreement.

Commissioner Gina Black – Finance

• Ongoing discussion about sewer fee adjustments because we are getting such high fees and high increases from RVSA. We want to make sure that we are covering this on a usage-based manner. The fees we are currently charging taxpayers for sewer usage are only covering a small portion of the RVSA billing to the Township. So, it hasn't been adjusted for many years, much like a lot of fees. 

• Proposed ice rink at Orange Avenue pool: I want to assure you all that there has been no official application, there's been no negotiations. This is all just in the idea stage. We're trying to hear from all of the residents. That's a very important part of it. We have to have resident buy-in before we can even move forward to the steps that we would need to take to negotiate a deal or any kind of arrangement. The people who are proposing this are residents of the town, hockey families, and it is quite an investment and quite a huge risk for them. 

Lavona Patterson - CFO/Administrator

• Update on the 2021 FEMA elevation project the township now is undergoing: Back in 2021, 14 homes were approved. Seven were Repetitive Loss (RL) homes, and the other seven were Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL). The SRL is 100% covered by a grant. The RL is only 75% covered. Since the application, some of these RL homes are now SLR. So that means they are entitled to 100%.. After a couple of negotiations back and forth with the State, we're happy to report that now those homes will be considered SLR and will get the 100% coverage. This equates to $507,000 that we will be getting back and these homeowners will not have to put out of their pocket. We're more than happy about that. Colliers will be our construction managers, design and engineering in this process. This will definitely help us move forward faster with these programs. We're anticipating a nice, smooth operation in the elevation of the 14 homes.

Township Committee approved a resolution for a Settlement Agreement with 750 Walnut Avenue Residential Urban Renewal, LLC and 750 Walnut Development, LLC and Hartz Mountain Industries, Inc. to resolve litigation related to the 750 Walnut Avenue Redevelopment Project.

Michael Ash, outside counsel for the Township of Cranford

Settlement Agreement with Hartz Mountain, Re: 750 Walnut Avenue

Please click here to watch the video of the detailed points Mr. Ash described at the Township Committee meeting explaining the settlement agreement.

Hartz is required to:

• Reimburse legal fees of $100,000 to the Township.
• Reconstruct and build the berm.
• Add up to 150 more trees.
• Make a contribution to the Shade Tree Commission.
• Allow a Township engineer onsite daily to monitor and address issues in real time.
• Dismiss three years of tax appeals.

In addition, a future amendment will be forthcoming due to Hartz finding tenants to completely occupy the first building on the commercial side of the project.

• Tenants will be less truck-dependent than typical warehouse uses, resulting in:
• Significantly less truck traffic than anticipated.
• Taking away truck doors, truck bays, loading areas, and restriping them for car traffic to accommodate the non-warehouse uses proposed.

1. A training facility.
2. A repair shop.

Ordinances and Resolutions

Click Here for Full Agenda with Ordinances and Resolutions

Mayoral Appointment to the Planning Board

Appointing Deputy Mayor Terrence Curran as the Mayor's Designee and Class I Member, effective August 14, 2024.

Proclamation: Recognition of Friendship and Kindness.

Clerk's Office

Welcomed new part-time office assistant, Katy Stubler.

Upcoming November election. Questions about voting? You can reach our office at 908-709-7207, or 7210. Think about your voting status before it's too close to the election.

Next month, Wednesday, September 18, there will be a special election to fill the vacancy in the 10th Congressional District, which came about due to the untimely passing of representative Donald Payne Jr.

BUILDING DEPARTMENT

Looking for Status on Permits, Online Payments, Online Forms, Custom Maps, Property Information?

Create an SDL Portal Account in under a minute.

The online form will ask you to provide your email address, first and last name, town name, and to create a username and password.

Once you’ve created an account you will verify the account through your email address.

Then, access the SDL portal for building-related information needed on any property.

Click Here to Register

RECREATION & PARKS DEPARTMENT

Summer Concert Series

Orange Avenue Pool, August 28, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. with local band Burnside Manor.

• Members: $5 individual Member or $20 per family
• Non-Members: $10 individual Non-Member or $30 per family

POLICE DEPARTMENT

As a make-up for our cancelled Cranford Night Out Celebration last week, SAVE THE DATE for our 2nd Annual Ice Pops With The Cops / Cool Down With The FD August 28, from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. The location for this free pop-up event will be announced later this month!

Seeking Candidates: Civilian Traffic Maintenance Driver/Laborer.

FIRE DEPARTMENT

• The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced that Samsung has recalled slide-in electric ranges due to fire hazard. Front mounted knobs on the range can be activated accidentally by humans or pets, posing as a fire hazard. Consumers should contact Samsung to receive a free set of knobs or covers compatible with their slide-in range. Additional info can be found on the Consumer Product Safety website - cpsc.gov/Recalls
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced that BMW is recalling certain vehicles due to an issue with the starter motor which may lead to overheating and start a fire in engine components. BMW owners can check the status of their vehicle on the NHTSA recall check site - NHTSA.gov/recalls

OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

As Hurricane Season is already upon us and active, we encourage residents to take some precautionary steps in advance of any future storms being named. Refer to the OEM Website for more OEM information.

AGE FRIENDLY CRANFORD

Senior Citizen Day is Wednesday, August 21, and the Cranford Theater is celebrating with a complimentary showing of the film "Moonstruck" starring Cher. The film begins at 4 p.m. Click here to register for the film screening. This is sponsored by Union County Savings Bank.

Friday Senior Movies

Movie, "One Life" (2023, Drama, 1 hr. 49 min.)

Friday, September 6, at 12:30 p.m., at the Cranford Community Center

The true story of Sir Nicholas Winton, who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued 669 predominantly Jewish children from the Nazis. It's not until a live BBC television show, 'That's Life', surprises him by introducing him to some surviving children - now adults - that he finally begins to come to terms with the guilt and grief he had carried for five decades. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Lena Olin and Johnny Flynn.

New Jersey Senior Olympic Games--Registration is open now. Games are open to senior athletes ages 50 plus and held September 6-8 in Woodbridge, N.J. Learn more by clicking here.

CRANFORD TV 35

Here's a story of how five Cranford residents found their missing friend.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Click here for Health Dept. News and Announcements.

DOWNTOWN CRANFORD

Website

Follow Downtown Cranford on Facebook and Instagram for Events

JOB OPENINGS

Please go online to view our current job openings at:

https://www.cranfordnj.org/home/pages/employment-opportunities

Municipal Offices are operating under a Summer Hours schedule through Labor Day. Municipal Offices will be open as follows: Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.