TOWNSHIP OF CRANFORD
NEWS
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This newsletter is published twice a month by the Township of Cranford to provide residents with important information and updates. |
CRANFORD TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE
Mayor Patrick Giblin
Deputy Mayor Kathleen Miller Prunty
Commissioner Tom Hannen
Commissioner Jean Maisonneuve
Commissioner Mary O’Connor
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TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATOR
Jamie Cryan
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Message from the Mayor
Happy Halloween! October is my favorite month in Cranford. We have so many fun traditions. Thank you to the many residents, volunteers, and township employees that have allowed these traditions to continue: Porchfest, Oktoberfest, Scarecrow Stroll, Halloween costume contest, Pumpkin drop and more. Many have had to adapt due to COVID safety requirements and health concerns - I commend the creativity and hard work by many that went into making these events happen.
As we celebrate Halloween on Saturday, please follow the safety guidelines shared in this newsletter.
Despite various challenges due to the pandemic, a whopping TEN new businesses are opening in Downtown Cranford in October and November. In speaking with the new business owners, all reference the support of the residents and the other businesses as a major
factor in their decision to invest in our community. Thank you! Please continue to support our Downtown and all other local Cranford businesses.
Please see the important update in the
newsletter about the 750 Walnut Avenue property. As the township works
towards settling on our Affordable Housing obligations with Fair Share Housing Center, the courts ask that we continue to negotiate with the owners of that property.
Thank you to Deputy Mayor Kathleen Prunty for launching this newsletter earlier this year. I hope that you find this
newsletter informative. As always, please feel free to reach out to me via email [email protected] with questions or concerns.
Best,
Patrick Giblin
Mayor
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From the Township Committee |
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OCTOBER 27TH MEETING UPDATES |
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- In a show of support for local businesses during this very challenging period, the commissioners voted to extend the use of parklets for outdoor dining through November 30. A portion of Eastman Street and lower section of Parking Lot 7 will also be permitted to remain closed for dining and other outdoor business activities from 3 pm on Thursdays to 8 am on Mondays through November 30.
- The Cranford Movie Theater, which operated a Drive-In at the Orange Avenue Pool parking lot, was granted permission to continue showing movies through December 15 and to secure and store the screen on site until the spring season.
- Commissioners approved free shopper parking on November 27 and 28 for Shop Small Saturday and for the holiday season December 11 through 25. Free parking will be available in municipal lots, parking garage, and on-street, in accordance with posted time limits.
- Authorized the cancellation of unexpended funds from certain General Capital Improvement appropriations on completed projects. The unexpended balance of $733,653 will credit to the General Capital Fund.
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UPDATE ON HARTZ MOUNTAIN SETTLEMENT |
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The Compliance and Fairness Hearing on the Township's settlement with Fair Share Housing Center has been adjourned to January.
The recent court order rescheduling the hearing pointed out that Cranford and Hartz have been engaged in productive settlement negotiations. We have made meaningful progress towards a compromise for the future development of 750 Walnut Avenue. Hartz has made significant concessions from their original proposal of 900 residential units and we are exploring keeping some commercial use on the property. There are still significant issues outstanding, and a settlement is not certain, but we will continue to keep the public informed as things progress.
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Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Due to the Coronavirus, only disabled persons will be able to vote on the voting machines. All other registered voters can vote using provisional ballots at the polls (paper, hand-written ballots).
Return vote-by-mail options include utilizing the secure vote-by-mail boxes such as the ones in Cranford (in front of the Community Center and at Union County College, near Parking Lot 2 on Springfield Avenue), mailing the ballot via the U.S. Post Office, dropping the mail-in ballot at the Westfield and Elizabeth County Clerk’s offices, dropping the mail-in ballot to the Union County Board of Elections office in Elizabeth, and dropping the mail-in ballot, on election day, to your polling location. A good voting resource is www.unioncountyvotes.com.
For voting questions, please call the The Cranford Township Clerk’s office at 908-709-7210;
Due to the Coronavirus and the push towards mail-in ballots instead of in-person voting at the polls, Cranford’s polling locations have been consolidated from eleven (11) polling locations to eight (8) polling locations.
Associated with each polling location is the corresponding district.
Cranford
1,15,21 Community Center, 220 Walnut Ave.
2,4,6,14 Livingston Ave. School, 75 Livingston Ave.
3,8,12,26 Bloomingdale Ave. School, 200 Bloomingdale Ave.
5,25,29 Walnut Ave. School, 370 Walnut Ave.
9,18,30 Orange Ave. School, 901 Orange Ave.
10,11,13,27 Hillside Ave. School, 125 Hillside Ave.
17,19,22,24 Brookside Place School, 700 Brookside Place
7,16,20,23,28 High School, 201 West End Place
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From the Health Department |
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There will be a Rabies Clinic on Saturday, November 7 from 9:00 am – 11:00 am in the Community Center parking lot. Please click on this link for more information: Upcoming Rabies Clinics.
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There will be a Cranford Flu Clinic on Monday, November 9, 2020 at 3:30pm. Please click on the link below for additional information and note that you must pre-register.
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LEAF COLLECTION INFORMATION |
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Leaf pickup has started throughout Cranford. Please click on the link below for the leaf collection schedule as well as guidelines.
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From Cranford Police Department |
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NEW STREET CROSSING SIGNS |
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The Cranford Police Department is continuing work to install new pedestrian-activated street crossing signs near schools and other busy streets. The new signs, which flash when pedestrians push the button, are an improvement from older signs and better alert motorists.
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From the Finance Department |
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The Township of Cranford announces the sale of 2019 delinquent taxes and other municipal charges through an on-line auction on November 18, 2020 – 10:00 am. For a listing of all parcels, delinquencies and costs, along with bidding instructions, please visit: cranford.newjerseytaxsale.com.
**information can be viewed free of charge**
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NJ SENIOR PROPERTY TAX FREEZE PROGRAM |
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The 2019 program is fully funded as of the October 1 adoption of the State budget and will be made to eligible senior homeowners on a rolling basis, as applications are received. The deadline for submitting applications has been extended to December 31, 2020. Eligible seniors who did not receive the blue application booklet can get a copy from the Cranford Tax Collector: 908-709-7229 or 908-709-7230. For more information about eligibility call the State Hotline at 1-800-882-6597 or click here.
You must submit a Property Tax Reimbursement Verification form completed by the Cranford Tax Collector. You can mail it to 8 Springfield Ave or leave in the secure drop box marked “Tax Payments." The box is located at the parking lot entrance to the municipal building. If you wish to pick up the completed form, attach a note with your phone number and the office will notify you when it is complete.
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From the Municipal Courts |
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Many payable moving traffic violations are now disputable online without the necessity of a court appearance. Tickets are generally disputed to negotiate a plea agreement to a violation that carries fewer or no points. This option is available on the NJ Courts website at www.njmcdirect.com. To dispute a violation, individuals are required to create a one-time account to access this service and, once created, they will retain the user id for any future disputes. When accessing the website for disputes, rather than choosing the “Payment” option, the “Dispute Case” option should be chosen. Following the prompts will set you on the road to an appearance-free resolution.
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COVID-19 UPDATE (as of 10/28)
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CRANFORD: 593 confirmed cases (2 new in community since 10/26); 97 confirmed fatalities (0 new)
UNION COUNTY: 20,106 confirmed cases; 1,204 confirmed fatalities (168 probable but not yet confirmed)
NJ: 232,997 confirmed cases; 14,531 confirmed fatalities (1,793 probable but not yet confirmed)
The Township receives COVID case numbers on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and shares these numbers on Facebook.
These figures represent the cumulative number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and fatalities. For more detailed information visit www.covid19.nj.gov. The State Information Hub, updated daily, has details about contact tracing, testing sites, travel advisories, permitted openings, regulations, resources and more.
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From the Pedestrian & Bike Safety Committee |
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PEDESTRIAN & BIKE SAFETY SURVEY |
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The Committee and Cranford Recreation & Parks Department are partnering to conduct a survey on walking and biking in Cranford. Your participation will allow the Township to make more informed decisions on future investments and policies as well as prioritize potential improvements. Providing your input will also support future grant applications and other opportunities for external funding.
Walking and biking are important in keeping our Cranford community connected and healthy by incorporating physical activity into everyday life. Streets that are attractive and accessible for all promote safety, foster community vibrancy, encourage social interaction, and can even improve property values. And, of particular importance to our local businesses, customers arriving on foot or by bike are more likely to window shop, make impulse purchases, and spend more per month locally than those that drive.
We hope you take the time to complete this survey. The survey will close on Friday, November 20th. Please click the link below to take the Survey:
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HALLOWEEN SAFETY & GUIDELINES |
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The Township of Cranford, as well as the Cranford Fire Dept. and Cranford Police Dept., have put together tips, guidelines, and recommendations to keep everyone safe this Halloween. Please click on the image below to view all of the information.
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