Franklin passes 2022 budget, tables Pride Month resolution
FRANKLIN - The Borough Council approved a 2022 budget by a 5-1 vote this week, the same budget they rejected earlier in the year.
The vote on the $7.4 million spending plan came following a public hearing where no one spoke. The plan calls for a tax rate increase of just over 3 cents per $100 of assessed value over the 2021 rate.
At the April 12 meeting, Council members Concetto Formica, Stephen Skellenger and Rachel Heath voted against the budget. Councilmen Joe Limon, John Postas and Gilbert Snyder voted in favor.
The lone vote against the re-introduced budget on Tuesday came from Councilman Concetto Formica.
At Tuesday's meeting, Formica also moved to table the Council's consent agenda, which usually contains items such as paying bills, accepting reports from borough departments and the occasional resolution recognizing a group or supporting what other municipal governing bodies have done.
However, Formica's motion did separate two items, paying the borough's bills and a resolution about the re-designation of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area into a national park and preserve.
Included in the tabled items were the usual department reports, and correspondence copies of similar national park resolutions from Sandyston and Hampton as well as the Kittatinny Regional Board of Education, and Sussex County commissioner resolutions on "parents' bill of rights."
The tabled consent agenda also included a resolution recognizing June as Pride Month. While no council members mentioned that resolution, a copy of the proclamation was included on the printed agenda available to the public at the meeting and included with the agenda available through the borough's web site.
The national park resolution calls for the Sierra Clubs of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as private organization seeking the change of designation, to provide much more information on what parts of the recreation area would carry which designation and how that designation would alter issues such as hunting, fishing, fees paid at various points and "imminent domain," a process by which government agencies, under certain conditions, can claim property.
The council was unanimous in donating the property at 25 Susquehanna Street to Habitat for Humanity which plans to demolish the single-family home and replace it with a taller home for a low/moderate income family.
The property had reverted back to the borough several years ago for failure to pay taxes.
The sale to Habitat came after a public hearing at which just one resident spoke. Dawne Rowe said she was happy to see the transaction being done.
This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Franklin NJ 2022 budget passes, tables LGBT Pride Month resolution
