The Hopewell Township Committee meeting opened on Monday with a presentation from the Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT), which is seeking to improve pedestrian safety near the Elm Ridge Park neighborhood. The discussion centered on Pennington-Rocky Hill Road and Titus Mill Road, where there is increased pedestrian traffic from people crossing from the Elm Ridge neighborhoods to the LHT.
Jeremy Turner, a licensed engineer, presented several options on behalf of the LHT including a roundabout, high-visibility crosswalks, narrowing road entrances, adding signage, and reducing speed limits — all aimed at making it safer for pedestrians and cyclists to cross Pennington Rocky Hill Road.
Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning and the Township confirmed that Pennington-Rocky Hill Road is under Township jurisdiction, not Mercer County’s, which simplifies potential improvements. She also acknowledged the importance of discussing both long-term and short-term solutions.
“We should talk about the shorter-term solutions immediately,” Peters-Manning said, noting the area has long been a concern. “I’ve had that [concern] myself many times.”
The short-term solutions involve increasing visibility and adding better crosswalks which could be done while the Township investigates other solutions that would be more expensive.
Committee members largely supported the proposal. Committee Member Uma Purandare, who serves as the liaison to LHT, emphasized the project’s alignment with broader community goals.
“We need to do something right away,” Purandare said. “The whole principle of the LHT is reducing car use and connecting communities — and your proposal does that.”
Committee Member Michael Ruger asked about lighting and sight lines, and suggested flashing beacons could offer added visibility without being disruptive to nearby homes.
In response to concerns about cost, Turner cited the Rosedale Road roundabout project in Princeton as a potential comparison, estimating that similar infrastructure could be built for under $1 million depending on design and permitting.
Peters-Manning said next steps could include a Township-initiated traffic study or collaboration with the County on speed limits and jurisdictional issues.
“They’ve been great partners in traffic safety before,” she said, referencing earlier coordination on Scotch Road.
No action was taken, but the Committee directed staff to explore feasibility and funding options with the LHT and County partners.
Committee Designates Two Historic Homes as Landmarks
Two centuries-old Hopewell Township homes—each tied to the region’s earliest families and Revolutionary War history—were formally designated as historic landmarks at Monday’s Township Committee meeting.
One ordinance recognizes theBurrowes/Smith/Mershon House, also known locally as the “Oldis House,” located at 218 Washington Crossing–Pennington Road (Block 93, Lot 3.03). The home includes a circa-1700 kitchen wing, a circa-1830 Federal-style main wing, and a 1914 Colonial Revival addition. With original fireplaces, doors, windows, and flooring still intact, the home is considered one of the township’s earliest and most historically significant structures.
The property was built on land purchased in 1697 by Thomas Burrowes, one of several Long Island families—along with the Hart, Titus, Hunt, and Smith families—who migrated to the area. The home has ties to John Hart, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and oral histories suggest it was occupied by British soldiers in December 1776. The home is also associated with Stephen Burrowes Jr., who helped guide Washington’s troops to Trenton and once made a saddle for Thomas Jefferson.
The second ordinance designates the Furman Larison House, also known as theLarrison/Dean/Hill House, as a historic landmark. Located at Block 33, Lot 1.021, the house is part of a once larger farmstead in the historic hamlet once called Furman’s Corner and later Marshall’s Corner.
Built by the Furman brothers in 1722, the home contains an 18th-century stone wing, a Federal-style wood-framed section, and early structural elements including a cooking fireplace and winder stair. Historical records show the Continental Army halted in the area on June 23, 1788, and that the house may have witnessed encampments and councils during the American Revolution. William Marshall, a later owner, served as a state legislator and justice of the peace, and his nephew, James Marshall—born at the home—is credited with helping discover gold in California.
Both landmark designations were recommended by the Hopewell Township Historic Preservation Commission and adopted unanimously by the Township Committee.
Ordinance Sets 2025 Salaries, Boosts Pay for Mayor and Committee
The Committee on Monday adopted Ordinance 25-1851, amending the Township’s comprehensive salary and wage plan to update salary ranges and positions across departments — and increasing elected officials’ compensation for the first time in several years.
The ordinance sets 2025 pay for elected officials at:
- Mayor: $16,000
- Deputy Mayor: $12,000
- Township Committee members: $10,000 each
The ordinance also adjusts salary ranges for numerous department heads and administrative positions, including the Chief of Police, Deputy Administrator, Township Engineer, Municipal Clerk, and others. A newly created foreman position in the Department of Public Works was also added.
During the meeting, Committee Member Kevin Kuchinski addressed both operational and compensation updates:
“We are consciously, as we look to better serve township residents, [including] provisions for the new foreman position,” he said. “We have also been looking at the issue of complexity relative to the salaries of Township Committee members, the Mayor, and the Deputy Mayor.”
Kuchinski noted that the Committee conducted benchmarking with neighboring municipalities.
“We’ve looked at East Windsor, Lawrence Township, Princeton — municipalities we use as comparisons when it comes to schools [and] complexity,” he said. “Our finance team highlighted some issues, and this ordinance is expected to better balance [them].”
“The mayor’s not kidding when she says she’s working 20 to 30 hours a week. And so this is still essentially a combination of salary and also donated time.”
No members of the public commented during the hearing. The ordinance passed unanimously.
Three New Public Works Vehicles Approved
The Committee also adopted resolutions authorizing the purchase of three new public works vehicles:
- Atractor to replace one that recently died after twenty years.
- A small dump truck that also had snow removal capabilities to work on some of the smaller streets.
- Another truck that has the ability to serve many duties including as a leaf vacuum to help streamline fall leaf collection and improve street cleaning efficiency.
Committee members specifically praised the inclusion of a vacuum system on the new truck because it will allow the truck to be used for multiple purposes.
Permanent Hybrid Meeting Equipment Coming to Municipal Building
The Committee approved the installation of new hybrid meeting equipment that will be permanently installed in the Township’s main meeting room. The system is intended to improve accessibility for residents and support ongoing participation via Zoom as a core part of government transparency.
Public Comment and Questions around Titus Mill Road
The only public comment at the meeting was asking about fixes to Titus Mill Road and the drainage issues under the railroad bridge and in another location where the storm drain is failing. Peters Manning said that work is progressing on getting that project underway and one of the issues has been the need to detour traffic onto Route 31 while the repairs are being done.
