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.

There are also public meetings for Rutgers University’s Board of Governors, and its Board of Trustees, though none are coming up this month.

Hospitals are required to host at least one public meeting per year, and New Brunswick’s two major hospitals are no exception.

 

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is hosting its “annual meeting” on November 2, providing a rare opportunity for concerned residents to learn more about the hospital and its growing role.  

Next meeting: Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at 6pm (Hospital Auditorium, One Robert Wood Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick)

 

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.

Next Meetings: Wednesday, November 2 at 6:30 pm and Wednesday, November 16 at 6:30 pm (Both are in City Hall’s Council Chambers, 78 Bayard St.)

Recent News from City Council:

 

The New Brunswick Traffic Commission is responsible for addressing traffic safety and congestion issues involving the city’s roads.

Next meeting: Thursday, November 3 at 1:30 pm (City Hall’s Council Chambers, 78 Bayard St.)

 

The Middlesex County Insurance Commission is responsible for the county’s insurance policies.

Next meeting: Thursday, November 3 at 1:30 pm (County Administrator’s Office, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 3rd Floor, 75 Bayard St.)

 

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.

Next Meetings: Thursday, November 3 at 6:00 pm (“Invoices only”), Monday, November 14 at 6:00 pm (Conference meeting), and Monday, November 14 at 7pm (All are in the “Freeholders’ Meeting Room,” Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard St.)

Recent News:

 

The Middlesex County Board of Elections is the agency responsible for administering all elections in Middlesex County.  They are the only agency that does not allow their meetings to be recorded.

Next meeting: Tuesday, November 8 at 2pm (Board offices, 11 Kennedy Blvd., East Brunswick)

 

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.

Next meeting: Wednesday, November 9 at Noon (GRMA Offices, 1 Jocama Blvd., Suite #2B, Old Bridge)

 

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: Wednesday, November 9 at 3:00 pm (Freeholders’ Meeting Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard St.)

 

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: Wednesday, November 9 at 3:30 pm (Freeholders’ Meeting Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard St.)

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, November 10 at 10am (Board offices, 181 How Lane — must check-in with security) 

 

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, November 9 at 6:00 pm (MCIA headquarters, 101 Interchange Plaza, Cranbury)

Recent news:

 

The Middlesex County County Agriculture Development Board (CADB) is responsbile 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.

Next meeting: Wednesday, November 9 at 8:00pm (Cranbury Township Municipal Building, 23A North Main Street, Cranbury)

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: Thursday, November 10, 9:00 am (Lower Level Conference Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard St.)

 

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).

Next meeting: Thursday, November 10 at 6:30 pm (Council Chambers, City Hall, 78 Bayard St.)

Recent news:

 

The New Brunswick Community Arts Council is responsible for “[establishing] and [maintaining] local, school, library and neighborhood arts programs,” according to the municipal code.

Next meeting: Friday, November 11 at 6:30pm (Henry Guest House, 58 Livingston Avenue) 

 

The Middlesex County Community College (MCCC) Board of Trustees is responsible for the county’s college.  This month, they will host their “annual” meeting, but they also host monthly meetings throughout the remainder of the year.

Next meeting: Monday, November 14 at 8:30am (Chambers Hall, Middlesex County Community College, Edison)

 

The Middlesex County Water Resources Association (WRA) is “an officially recognized Watershed Management Group,” according to the county website.  The WRA is “the designated lead agency with wastewater management planning authority for the land that officially encompasses Middlesex County.”

Next meeting: Monday, November 14 at 1:30pm (Freeholders’ Meeting Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard St.)

 

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.

Next meeting: Monday, November 14 at 7:30 pm (Council Chambers, 78 Bayard St.)

Recent news:

 

The New Brunswick Environmental Commission “shall study and develop proposals designated to improve the ecology of the community” and “is established for the protection, development or use of natural resources, including water resources, located within the territorial limits of the city of New Brunswick” (Municipal Code Section 2.36.010 (L)).

Next meeting: Tuesday, November 15, 7:00 pm (Council Chambers, City Hall, 78 Bayard St.)

 

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).

Next meeting: Tuesday, November 15 at 7:00 pm (New Brunswick High School’s Auditorium, 1000 Somerset St.)

Recent news:

 

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).

Next meetings: Tuesday, November 15 at 7:00 pm (Council Chambers, City Hall, 78 Bayard St.)

 

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 meetings: Wednesday, November 16 at 10:00 am (Prallsville Mills’ Commission Office, 33 Risler St., Stockton)

 

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, November 16 at 5:00 pm (Henry Guest House, 58 Livingston Avenue)

 

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, November 16, 6:00 pm (Commission offices, 200 Parsonage Rd., Edison)

 

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, November 16 at 6:45 pm (Community Room, Schwartz-Robeson Community Center, 7 Van Dyke Ave.)

Recent News:

 

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, November 18 at 8:30 am (Bright Beginnings Learning Center, 1660 Stelton Road, 2nd Floor, Piscataway)

 

The New Brunswick City Market Board of Directors is a “Special Improvement District” that covers most of downtown New Brunswick, and works to assist residents and business owners in this area.

Next meeting: Wednesday, November 16 at 9am (location to be decided)

 

The Middlesex County Joint Health Insurance Fund aims to “provide the best qualify 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, November 22 at 1:00 pm (Freeholders’ Meeting Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard St.)

 

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: Tuesday, November 22 at 4:00 pm (MCUA Conference Room, 2571 Main Street Extension, Sayreville)

 

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.

Next meeting: Monday, November 28 at 7:30 pm (Council Chambers, 78, Bayard St.)

 

The Middlesex County Transportation Coordinating Committee “serves as the official advisory body to the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders on transportation issues and especially on projects and programs that are federally funded,” according to the county website.

Next meeting: November 29 at 7:00 pm (Freeholders’ Meeting Room, Middlesex Co. Administration Building, 75 Bayard St.)

 

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, November 30 at 5pm (NBPA Conference Room, 106 Somerset St., 6th Floor)

Recent news: