Somerset Union Soil Conservation District

The meeting addressed old business items, including the current balance in the Trust Account and the ongoing status of a complex OPRA request for Duke Farms property tax data dating back to 1895. New business covered monthly reassessment progress reports and the status of upcoming revaluations for Raritan (2027), North Plainfield (2027), Montgomery (2028), and South Bound Brook (2028). The date for the 2025 Added/Omitted appeal hearings was set for December 18, 2025. Administrator Eader received the annual Assessors' Associate Award at an AMANJ meeting. Additionally, County Tax Board Commissioner Gail Rosen's resignation, effective December 12, 2025, was noted.

The Somerset County Local Safety Action Plan establishes a framework to achieve Zero Deaths and Serious Injuries on County and Municipal Roads by 2050. The plan focuses on identifying and prioritizing road safety improvements, addressing common crash types such as aggressive driving, distracted driving, impaired driving, lane departure, and those involving pedestrians and bicyclists. It outlines data-driven strategies, community engagement, and policy changes across the Safe System Approach elements: safe people, safe roads, safe vehicles, safe speed, and post-crash care.

The Land Development Committee reviewed several items, including first-time submissions from May 2021. Key discussions involved the Hamilton Street Development, LLC application for a three-story apartment building in Franklin Township, focusing on County right-of-way dedication requirements versus proposed building setbacks, and the need to ascertain the project's status at the local level. The Committee also reviewed the Liv Devco, LLC application for a three-story building with 15 apartments and 28 parking spaces, also proposing zero setback along Hamilton Street. First-time submissions for May 2021 totaled 28 reviews, proposing 107 new lots, 2,136 square feet of non-residential building space, and 245 multi-family units.

Key discussions included the finalization of Bernards Township exempt status, where the SUSCD assumed full enforcement of SESC certifications effective November 1, 2025. The Board approved certified and completed projects for the period between October 15 and November 18, 2025, with several members recusing themselves from specific files. A Stop Work Order was reported for a site in Warren, NJ. The Board approved a request for $1,000 in financial support for the Somerset County 4H Greenhouse and Herb Project. Furthermore, details for the December 2025 meeting and holiday luncheon were confirmed, and the Board processed the FY26 1st Quarter RFA Reimbursement invoice. Personnel matters involved conducting annual performance evaluations and approving a motion to cover the entirety of the drastic increase in medical contributions for 2026, along with granting all staff a 4% increase based on performance and cost of living.

Key discussions included staffing updates, specifically the hiring of a full-time reviewer/inspector and an upcoming advertisement for an Administrative Assistant following a promotion. The Board approved plans for certified and completed projects within a specified date range, with one member recusing himself from consideration for a specific file. The conference schedule for the NJACD/SSCC Annual Partnership Conference was noted, and the location for the December meeting was set. Discussion regarding the annual budget was tabled to ensure a full Board attendance. A payment of $501.00 for a silver membership to the NACD for the 2024 Fiscal Year was approved. In reports, the new District Conservationist from NRCS introduced himself and discussed his background. Additionally, a proposal to remove a vegetable garden and replace it with mulch and plantings at the rented office space was discussed, with a suggestion to involve the Somerset County 4H Association in maintenance.