Mayor’s Update - January 26, 2021

[fyi]

Mayor’s Update - January 26, 2021

Hello Neighbors! A few quick updates on current township news:

COVID-19 Cases Update. Chief Michael Owens gets updates daily from the NJ Department of Health for Cranbury cases. He reported at last night’s Township Committee meeting that he has been notified that there have been 45 COVID-19 cases reported so far in January; for reference, there were 33 cases in December and 28 cases in November. Sadly, there were two COVID-19 deaths in Cranbury this month. Chief Owens shared this New York Times article (“Underselling the Vaccine”) that highlights the balanced path forward. The Cranbury Police members have all been given the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and we thank them for their flexible service.

COVID-19 information and vaccine. You can find more information at the Middlesex County COVID-19 information page. You can sign up for the vaccine here.

Coronavirus Fatigue – Fight It! As we enter our eleventh month of this pandemic, please do continue to follow CDC guidelines on preventing transmission of COVID-19 --- wash hands regularly, adhere to social distancing guidelines, and wear masks when distancing is not possible.

Economic Development Advisory Committee. At last night’s Township Committee, the TC members voted unanimously to enshrine the new Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) in an ordinance. The EDAC was initiated via a resolution in June and has spent the last six months establishing a baseline of the current state of Cranbury’s businesses. Next, they will explore ways that the township can stimulate sustainable economic growth. They completed a community-wide survey and received 117 suggestion to stimulate our community, and then held sessions to prioritize these suggestions. The members of the new EDAC will be formally appointed at the next TC meeting and will continue to work on the plan throughout 2021. Thanks to all the volunteers, and thanks to Matt Scott for steering the EDAC from idea to implementation over the past eight months.

Sustainability Sub-Committee. Barbara Rogers is working with the Environmental Commission and Green Team to work toward Silver Certification. Only about 10% of New Jersey townships achieved Silver Certification in 2019. More information is at https://www.sustainablejersey.com/.

Cranbury Public Library building is moving forward. The project will be going out for bid on January 28, with bids due March 4, and a goal of breaking ground at 30 Park Place West in the spring. In the meantime, you can find their “pocket library” at 30 North Main Street and many services are virtual via: www.cranburypubliclibrary.org

2021 Township Budget Meeting. This Saturday, January 30, the Township Committee will hold a public meeting where we will review the items for the 2021 budget. You are welcome to join us via Zoom and can find details here.

Spring is coming!

Michael Ferrante, Mayor
Cranbury Township Committee

https://www.cranburytownship.org/home/news/mayor%E2%80%99s-update-january-26-2021%C2%A0