Saturday, December 9, 2023

2022 Brings Some Changes to Township Governments

As is customary in New Jersey, weather permitting, Township Governing bodies meet on or soon after January 1st their annual Reorganization Meetings to swear in new members to their respective Township Committees, give public notice of the names / contact information for municipal officials and the forthcoming Committee meeting times and dates.

The Ridge View Echo hereby offers this useful information to keep everyone informed about who is running their towns. This information and more data is available via the Towns’ websites and is required by law to have been posted in their respective municipal buildings and Official newspapers.

Blairstown Township

The Township of Blairstown is governed by the Township form of government, registered voters directly elect members of the five-member Township Committee. The Committee selects the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, from amongst themselves, annually at the reorganization meeting held annually on January first. It is at the reorganization meeting when newly elected members of the Committee are sworn-in, committee assignments are delegated, and members of Board/Committee are appointed.

The Mayor, and the Deputy Mayor (in the absence of the Mayor), serve as the presiding officers at Township Committee meetings, administers oaths of office and execute contracts/agreements along with the Township Clerk, who serves as the Governing Body’s representative/liaison to the various departments of the Township.

The Township Committee governs through the adoption of policy ordinances (municipal legislation) and resolutions (codified actions) of the municipality.  In the Township form of government, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor do get the opportunity to vote.  In the Borough form of municipal government, the most prevalent form in the state, the Mayor can only vote in the event of a tie.   

TOWNSHIP CLERK
Kristin Shipps, RMC, CMR
(908) 362-6663 x 230clerk@blairstowntwp-nj.com

HOURS
Monday – Friday
8AM – 4PM

MUNICIPAL BUILDING
106 Route 94, Blairstown, N.J.  07825
(908) 362-6663 (OFFICE)

Committee Members

ROB MOORHEADMayor
Committee Term Expires December 31, 2024
Contact: rmoorhead@blairstowntwp-nj.com
Committee Assignments:

Deputy Police Commissioner

Water Utility (primary)
Personnel (primary)
Emergency Management (primary)
Blair Academy (primary)
Intermunicipal, County, State & Federal Liaison (primary)
Fire Department (primary)
DPW (alternate)
Finance (alternate)
Open Space (alternate)
Municipal Court (alternate)
Rescue Squad (alternate)
Blairstown Elementary (alternate)

CHARLES MAKATURA
Committee Term Expires December 31, 2024
Contact: cmakatura@blairstowntwp-nj.com
Committee Assignments

Police Commissioner
Animal Control Officer (primary)
Municipal Court (primary)
Rescue Squad (primary)
Class III Land Use Board member
Buildings & Grounds (alternate)
Water Utility (alternate)
Emergency Management (alternate)


WALTER ORCUTT- Deputy Mayor 
Committee Term Expires December 31, 2023
Contact: worcutt@blairstowntwp-nj.com

Committee Assignments: 
DPW (primary)
Finance (primary)
Open Space (primary)
Buildings & Grounds (primary)
Class I Land Use Board member
Personnel (alternate)
Blair Academy (alternate)
Intermunicipal, County, State & Federal Liaison (alternate)

Fire Department (alternate)
Paulina Dam liaison (alternate)

GIOVANNA “JOANNE” VAN VALKENBURG –
Committee Term Expires December 31, 2022
Contact: jvanvalkenburg@blairstowntwp-nj.com

Committee Assignments: 

Recreation (primary)
COAH (primary)
Main Street (primary)
North Warren Regional (primary)
Paulina Dam Liaison (primary)
Senior Citizens (alternate)
BEC (alternate)
Blairstown Historical (alternate)

DEBRA WALDRON-
Committee Term Expires December 31, 2023
Contact: dwaldron@blairstowntwp-nj.com

Committee Assignments:

Blairstown Elementary (primary)
Senior Citizens (primary)
BEC (primary)
Blairstown Historical (primary)
Recreation (alternate)
COAH (alternate)
Main Street (alternate)
North Warren Regional (alternate)

2022 Township Committee Meetings will meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month and will begin at 7:30 PM:

January 12, 2022
January 26, 2022- Cancelled
February 9, 2022
February 23, 2022
March 9, 2022
March 23, 2022
April 13, 2022
April 27, 2022
May 11, 2022
May 25, 2022
June 8, 2022
June 22, 2022
July 13, 2022
July 27, 2022
August 10, 2022
August 24, 2022
September 14, 2022
September 28, 2022October 12, 2022
October 26, 2022
November 9, 2022
November 30, 2022 (5th Wednesday due to holiday)


Frelinghuysen Township

Frelinghuysen Town Hall

Frelinghuysen Town Hall in Johnsonburg” Photo Credit: B. Barbour, 2022

Township Clerk

Donna Zilberfarb, RMC

Phone: (908) 852-4121
Fax: (908) 852-7621
Email: clerk@frelinghuysen-nj.us

Committtee Members:

Business Hours
Monday – Friday
7:30-3:30
Closed for lunch
12:00-12:30

Mayor – Keith Ramos
email: kramosftc@gmail.com

Deputy Mayor – Chris Stracco
email: cstracco@daypitney.com

Committeeman – Todd Mcpeek
email: tjmcpeek50@gmail.com

Committeeman – David Boynton
email: dcboynton@hotmail.com

Committeeman – Robert Stock
email: rhstockfc@dldunnllcgmail-com

#2022-01 SETTING MEETING DATES FOR FRELINGHUYSEN TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WHEREAS, Section 12 of the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231, P.L. 1975, requires that at least once a year, not later than January 10th of such year, every public body shall post and mail to newspapers designated by said body, a schedule of the location, time and date of each meeting of said body during the succeeding year. 

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Frelinghuysen Township Committee that the regular public meetings of the Frelinghuysen Township Committee will be held on the third Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 210 Main Street, Johnsonburg, New Jersey. The full regular meeting schedule is as follows: 

Regular Meeting Dates for 2022:

January 19, 2022
February 16, 2022
March 16, 2022
April 20, 2022
May 18, 2022
June 15, 2022
July 20, 2022
August 17, 2022
September 21, 2022
October 19, 2022
*November 9, 2022
December 21, 2022

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the following dates during the calendar year of 2022 are hereby designated as the workshop meetings of the Mayor and Committee of the Township of Frelinghuysen, to be held on an as needed basis. 

Workshop Meeting Dates for 2022:

January 12, 2022
February 9, 2022
March 9, 2022
April 13, 2022
May 11, 2022
June 8, 2022
July 13, 2022
August 10, 2022
September 14, 2022
October 12, 2022
*November 21, 2022
December 14, 2022

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that unless otherwise specified, all workshop meetings will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 210 Main Street, Johnsonburg, New Jersey. Work meetings may be subject to cancellation. Formal action may be taken at any regular or workshop meeting. Executive sessions may be conducted by the governing body at these meetings. *Denotes change in meeting dates due to the League of Municipalities Conference.

Hardwick Township

*Kristin Shipps, Township Clerk, RMC

Email:  clerk@hardwick-nj.us
General Information:  908-362-6528 X 8
Office Hours: 

Hardwick Office Hours: Thursday 10:00 am to 2 pm

Blairstown Office Hours: Monday – Wednesday and Friday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Hardwick Township Commitee

"Hardwick Township Mayor Chris Jacksic being sworn in by NJ State Senator Steven V. Oroho at the Reorganization Meeting." Photo Credit: C. Jacksic, 2022
“Hardwick Township Mayor Chris Jacksic being sworn in by NJ State Senator Steven V. Oroho at the Reorganization Meeting.”  Photo Credit: C. Jacksic, 2022

The Township Committee is comprised of three Committee members who are elected at large for staggered terms of office. Each year voters elect one of the members to a three (3) year term on the Township Committee. In January, the Committee reorganizes selecting one of its members to serve as the Mayor and a second member to serve as the Deputy Mayor. The title of Mayor is a largely ceremonial position responsible for chairing meetings, acting as the Committee president and representing Hardwick’s interests at regional and state functions. The Township Committee adopts an annual budget, approves contracts and authorizes the payment of bills. The Committee further appoints the professional staff, consultants and members of various advisory committees and boards. The Township Committee is responsible for the adoption of local ordinances governing such diverse issues as land use and general nuisances.

Committee Members:

CHRIS JACKSIC – 2022 Mayor
Mayor’s Term expires December 31, 2022 (Committee Term expires December 31, 2024)

cjacksic@hardwick-nj.us

908 362-6018  
973 477-9111 Cell

Committee and Department Liaison Assignments: Mayor, Municipal Attorney, Municipal Clerk, Animal Control & Licensing Clerk, Public Safety/Court, Emergency Management, 9-1-1, Police, Fire, EMS, Board of Health 

JOHN LOVELL – 2021 Deputy Mayor (Committee Term expires December 31, 2023)

jlovell@hardwick-nj.us

908 362-1485
201 230-4005 Cell

Committee and Department Liaison Assignments: Deputy Mayor, Engineering Department, Insurance, Public Works, Road Department, Building/Grounds, Finance Department, Auditor & CFO, Tax Collector, Tax Assessor, Open Space Committee 

KEVIN DUFFY – Committee Member (Committee Term expires December 31, 2022

kduffy@hardwick-nj.u 

#908 625-7450 Cell

Committee and Department Liaison Assignments: Committee Member, Agriculture Comm., Zoning Code, Enforcement, Land Use Board, Environmental Comm., Affordable Housing, Hardwick Seniors

Knowlton Township

Paulins Kill Viaduct

“Paulins Kill Viaduct – Knowlton’s spectacular landmark”

Photo Credit: P. St. Andre

Info @ a glance:

Municipal Building
628 Route 94
Columbia, NJ 07832
908-496-4816, FAX: 908-496-8144

www.knowlton-nj.com

MAYOR – Adele Starrs,
908-496-0055

Email: adelestarrs@gmail.com

Knowlton Township Committee Members & Meeting Dates:

Name

Phone #

Email

Term Exp

Adele Starrs, Mayor

908-496-0055

12/2022

Debra Shipps , Deputy Mayor

908-217-0836

12/2023

Kathy Cuntala

908-496-4193

12/2021

James Mazza

570-396-8043

12/2023

Frank Van Horn

908-475-5664

12/2022

Meeting: 2nd Monday of each month and 4th Thursday of each month at 7 p.m.

* (Meetings, unless otherwise noted, are held at the Municipal Building.)

Municipal Clerk – 

908-496-4816 ext. 6

clerk@knowlton-nj.com