NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—New Brunswick and Middlesex County agencies affect many aspects of New Brunswick residents’ lives, along with several other major organizations such as the non-profit hospital Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and public schools like Rutgers University.
These organizations, and many others that you might not know about, host public meetings from time to time.
If you want to attend a public meeting this month, you can look at this schedule of meetings times and locations.
All locations are in New Brunswick unless noted otherwise. All meetings are open to the public unless the board, committee, or commission goes into private session.
Here is the list of upcoming government meetings in and around New Brunswick for December 2016:
The New Brunswick Traffic Commission is responsible for addressing traffic safety and congestion issues involving the city’s roads. Free parking is available behind City Hall.
Next meeting: Thursday, December 1 at 1:30pm (Council Chambers, City Hall, 78 Bayard Street)
St. Peter’s University Hospital, one of the city’s two major hospitals, hosts its annual public meeting in December. Hospitals are required to hold one public meeting each year.
Next meeting: Thursday, December 1 at 3pm (Sister Marie de Pazzi Conference Center, St. Peter’s University Hospital, 254 Easton Avenue)
The Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders represents an important layer of government in New Jersey, commanding a more than $400 million annual budget that covers 25 municipalities. Its seven members are chosen by voters in large, countywide elections. Public comments of up to five minutes are permitted on agenda items, and another five minutes on any other topic relevant to Middlesex County. Free parking is available behind City Hall.
Next Meetings: Thursday, December 1 at 6:00 pm for a “conference meeting” followed by a 7:00 pm “regular meeting,” Thursday, December 14 at 6:00 pm for a “conference meeting” followed by a 7:00 pm “regular meeting,” (Freeholders’ Meeting Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard Street)
The Rutgers University Board of Governors oversees the state’s largest university, and one of the oldest and largest public schools in the entire country. It hires and fires the university President, and makes key decisions about the finances of the school and its $3 billion annual budget, such as how much to charge students for tuition and fees. The board only allows public comments on agenda items, and it requires individuals wishing to speak to sign up more than 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
Next meeting: Tuesday, December 6 at 1pm (Winants Hall, 7 College Avenue)
The Middlesex County Board of Ethics is responsible for investigating complaints about violations of the county’s Code of Ethics, which binds all county employees and several appointed officials.
Next meeting: Tuesday, December 6 at 3pm (Freeholder meeting room, Middlesex County Administration Building, 75 Bayard Street)
The New Brunswick City Council is “the legislative body of New Brunswick’s municipal government, the City Council is responsible for approving the annual budget, ordinances and resolutions, contracts, and appointments to boards and commissions,” according to the city website. They typically meet twice per month, but in December they also have a special end-of-year meeting which provides another chance for the public to address the Council, or ask questions. Free parking is available behind City Hall.
Next Meetings: Wednesday, December 7 at 5:30 pm, Wednesday, December 21 at 6:30 pm, and Thursday, December 29 at 5:30pm (Council Chambers, City Hall, 78 Bayard Street)
The Middlesex County Insurance Commission is responsible for the county’s insurance policies.
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 7 at 12:00 pm for a budget hearing (County Administrator’s Office, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 3rd Floor, 75 Bayard Street)
The Middlesex County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund (MCMJIF) Board of Commissioners serves as a “self-insurance” fund for the City of New Brunswick, the New Brunswick Parking Authority, the New Brunswick Board of Education, and at least twenty other government entities. As such, they are responsible for paying out claims made against those entities, and sharing the burden among the fund participants. Members of the public are allowed to speak and ask questions, as well as partake in a free lunch.
Next meetings: Wednesday, December 7 at 12:00 pm for a “Budget Hearing” and Wednesday, December 14 at 12:00pm another hearing “if needed” (GRMA Offices, 1 Jocama Blvd., Suite #2B, Old Bridge).
The Middlesex County Board of Social Services is responsible for “[administering] Federal and State public assistance programs in a competent, compassionate and efficient manner” and their goal is “to meet the needs of our clients through the prudent use of public funds.”
Next meeting: Thursday, December 8 at 10am (Board offices, 181 How Lane — must check-in with security)
The Middlesex County Board of Elections is responsible for running. They have previously denied members of the public the right to video record their meetings in the past, but officials have promised not to do so at their upcoming meeting.
Next meeting: Thursday, December 8 at 5pm (Board offices, 11 Kennedy Boulevard, East Brunswick)
The New Brunswick Parks and Gardens Commission “shall provide advice and recommendations to the mayor and city council regarding the use of parks, gardens and open space,” according to Municipal Code Section 2.36.010(P). Free parking is available behind City Hall.
Next meeting: Thursday, December 8 at 6:30 pm (Council Chambers, City Hall, 78 Bayard Street)
The Middlesex County Community College Retails Services Corporation is involved in purchasing supplies for the county college.
Next meeting: Monday, December 12 at 4pm (Chambers Hall Boardroom, MCCC Edison campus)
The New Brunswick Planning Board is responsible for developing the city’s master plan and making recommendations to the City Council about what areas should be declared redevelopment areas. They often are in a position to approve or deny major construction projects proposed within the city. Free parking is available behind City Hall.
Next meeting: Monday, December 12 at 7:30 pm (Council Chambers, 78 Bayard Street)
The Middlesex County Joint Health Insurance Fund aims to “provide the best quality care and benefits to our members in the most cost effective way by monitoring and finding solutions to keep the benefits as they are and the cost affordable.”
Next meeting: Tuesday, December 13 at 1:00 pm (Freeholders’ Conference Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard Street)
The Middlesex County Development Review Committee “reviews all subdivision and site plan applications and has the power to approve or reject applications which adversely affect a County road and/or County drainage facility,” according to the county website.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, December 13 at 3:00 pm (Freeholders’ Meeting Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard Street)
The Middlesex County Planning Board “is the agency for developing a countywide comprehensive master plan and to monitor the plan towards eventual implementation,” according to the county website.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, December 13 at 3:30 pm (Freeholders’ Meeting Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard Street)
The New Brunswick Community Arts Council was created ” to establish and maintain local, school, library and neighborhood arts programs.”
Next meeting: Tuesday, December 13 at 6:30pm (Henry Guest House, 58 Livingston Avenue)
The Rutgers University Board of Trustees is the larger, but less powerful companion to the Board of Governors. It technically owns the land that comprised the university prior to becoming a public university.
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 14 at 3pm (Winants Hall, 7 College Avenue)
The New Brunswick Free Public Library Board of Trustees is responsible for governing the city’s public library and its sole branch located on Livingston Avenue.
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 14 at 5:00 pm (Henry Guest House, 58 Livingston Avenue)
The Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA) Board of Commissioners “operates the County recycling program, runs four public golf courses in East Brunswick, Plainsboro and Piscataway and manages Roosevelt Care Center.” It issues bonds to finance major infrastructure projects, capital improvements and equipment purchases in the county.
It also “[performs] technical reviews and legal negotiations for the Middlesex County Open Space Trust Fund, which purchases property needed to protect our endangered woodlands and wetlands and increase the size of our parks and recreation areas… [and remediates] and [redevelops] property, particularly older, abandoned industrial sites along the riverfront.”
Next Meeting: Wednesday, December 14 at 6:00 pm (MCIA headquarters, 101 Interchange Plaza, Cranbury)
The Middlesex County Mosquito Extermination Commission is responsible for developing strategies to control the mosquito population and limiting the spread of disease.
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 14 at 6:00 pm (MCMEC offices, 200 Parsonage Rd., Edison)
The Middlesex County County Agriculture Development Board (CADB) is responsible for “[encouraging] and [facilitating] the preservation and stewardship of the County’s remaining farmland through processing landowner’s applications for admittance into the Farmland Preservation Program,” according to the county website. According to their website, they have not had a meeting since January.
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 21 at 8:00 pm (Cranbury Township Municipal Building, 23A North Main Street, Cranbury)
The Middlesex County Community College (MCCC) Board of Trustees is responsible for the county’s college, which has a main campus in Edison, and satellite locations in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy.
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 14 at 8:30 am for the agenda session and 9:00 am for the regular meeting (Chambers Hall, Middlesex CCC Edison campus)
The Educational Services Commission of New Jersey is a provider of shared services to may school districts, including New Brunswick’s, as well as other government entities throughout the state.
Next meeting: Friday, December 16 at 8:30 am (Bright Beginnings Learning Center, 1660 Stelton Road, 2nd Floor, Piscataway)
The Middlesex County Board of Taxation is “primary responsibility is the certification of property tax assessments. Other functions of the Board of Taxation are the annual production of abstract of ratables, the equalization of assessments for the purpose of county taxes, the supervision of each of the municipal Tax Assessors, the certification of municipal tax rates, and other various tasks and reports,” according to the County website.
Next Meeting: Friday, December 16 at 9:00 am for “Added/Omitted Hearings” and Tuesday, December 20, 9:00 am for “Board Ratification” on the prior hearings (Lower Level Conference Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard Street)
The New Brunswick Zoning Board of Adjustment is responsible for hearing applications for “variances” from the existing master plan, in which the city is divided up into various zones for purposes of land use. Many different construction projects require variances from the board. Free parking is available behind City Hall.
Next meeting: Monday, December 19 at 7:30 pm (Council Chambers, City Hall, 78 Bayard Street)
The New Brunswick Board of Education is responsible for the local public school system, which serves about 10,000 children from Pre-K through the 12th Grade, and they also operate a school for adults to earn their graduation equivalency diploma (GED). The public is given just one chance to speak during the meeting for up to five minutes. It is the only board in the area that offers equipment to allow for live translation of the meeting for those who prefer Spanish.
Next meeting: Tuesday, December 20 at 7:00 pm (Auditorium, New Brunswick High School, 1000 Somerset Street)
D&R Canal Commission has three main responsibilities: permitting in the State in the Canal Park, “planning for the development of the Canal Park” and regulating land use to protect the park.
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 21 at 10:00 am (Prallsville Mills’ Commission Office, 33 Risler Street, Stockton)
The New Brunswick Parking Authority (NBPA) Board of Commissioners “[constructs], [improves], [maintains] and [operates] off-street parking facilities, to promote traffic improvements and the free flow of traffic through city streets and to improve conditions affecting public safety and welfare.
The Authority is also responsible for the management and operation of on-street parking by the use of parking meters and residential permitted parking,” according to the agency’s website.
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 21 at 5:00 pm (NBPA Conference Room, 106 Somerset Street, 6th Floor)
The New Brunswick Housing Authority (NBHA) Board of Commissioners aims “to assist eligible families by providing decent, affordable housing as they move to achieve self-sufficiency,” according to the NBHA website. It also serves as the city’s powerful redevelopment authority, approving or denying all proposals to build in designated redevelopment areas.
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 21 at 6:45 pm (Community Room, Schwartz-Robeson Community Center, 7 Van Dyke Ave.)
The Middlesex County Utilities Authority (MCUA) Board of Commissioners is responsible for running the Middlesex County landfill, and the sewer systems that span most of Middlesex County, as well as portions of Somerset and Union Counties.
Next meeting: Thursday, December 22 at 4:00 pm (MCUA Conference Room, 2571 Main Street Extension, Sayreville)
The New Brunswick Rent Control Board “shall have the power to hear and decide all applications for rental increases, complaints of wrongful increases, and such other relief as is otherwise set forth in [the Rent Control ordinance]” (Municipal Code 5.80.020). Free parking is available behind City Hall.
Next meeting: Wednesday, December 28 at 7:00 pm (Council Chambers, City Hall, 78 Bayard Street)
