SCOTCH PLAINS — The township council on Tuesday introduced a $34.6-million operating budget that will result in an increase this year of about $179 for the average assessed home.Calling the spending plan a “very, very good” budget, Township Manager Al Mirabella noted that municipal budgets had been ...

SCOTCH PLAINS — This year’s capital bond ordinance includes funding for a variety of activities, among them road improvements, the acquisition of computer technology, police and fire department purchases, park upgrades, new vehicles and improvements at the public works facility. The $5.386-million b...

SCOTCH PLAINS — The planning board’s agenda for its meeting on Monday evening consisted of memorializing its approval last month of a minor subdivision application on Westfield Avenue. Beyond that, the board’s master plan subcommittee will soon get to work on updating the township’s master plan, whi...

WESTFIELD — An ordinance that would have removed most of Westfield’s last remaining solarpanel restrictions was returned to the Code Review and Town Property Committee on Tuesday following a public hearing and several weeks of discussion between council members, the planning board and residents.“It ...

MOUNTAINSIDE — In Mountainside, there is a new recreational soccer program that is in need of an extra field. During Tuesday’s board of education meeting, President and Founder of Mountainside F. C., Michaela Whelan, spoke to the board about the importance of having new soccer fields for children wh...

WESTFIELD — Big changes may be coming to a tiny lot on South Elmer Street after ongoing negotiations at Monday’s board of adjustment meeting, where five families from around Westfield also received approval for home expansions. Mark Lipton joined the board for his first meeting as its second alterna...

WESTFIELD — The Westfield Board of Education announced Tuesday that it has significantly decreased the amount of funding it will ask taxpayers to approve on the Tuesday, April 15 ballot, thanks to an unexpected boost in state aid. The district received an increase of 6 percent in aid, totaling nearl...

FANWOOD — After remaining flat last year, borough sewer fees are set to increase this year, with precise numbers yet to be finalized.At Monday’s borough council meeting, Chief Financial Officer Patricia Celardo said Borough Engineer Antonios Panagopoulos currently is examining reports from the water...

GARWOOD — During Wednesday night’s regular meeting of the Garwood Planning Board, Kathleen Villaggio and Bill Nierstedt presented changes Chapter 106 of the land use ordinance in the general, central, and business district zones to allow more types of businesses to open up in Garwood.Mrs. Villaggio ...

CLARK — Last year, the Humane Pet Store Bill was introduced by state senators to prohibit the retail sale of cats, dogs and rabbits in New Jersey. This bill aims to end the practice of stores sourcing their animals from harmful puppy mills. During Monday night’s council workshop meeting, advocate La...