Borough Services

Public Works Department

Road

Contact: Darren Haggerty
(973) 948-5515
Office Hours: 7 AM to 3:30 PM

Tree, Stump, Clipping Policy

When a homeowner hires a contractor to cut down trees, it is the contractor’s responsibility to remove all wood and brush from the property. Branchville’s Public Works Department will not pick up stumps or debris created by contractors.

When a homeowner cuts down trees, Branchville’s Public Works Department will pick up brush curbside, but only if it is piled near the road with the thick end facing the road. Contact Public Works if you need tree clippings removed. Brush is normally picked up in the early morning hours (after 7 AM) or when time allows. In the event of a storm, exceptions may be made to brush collection.

Please do not cut down or prune trees yourself on a Borough or County road.
Call Public Works (973) 948-5515 for assistance.

Water

Water Maintenance
Only Branchville’s Public Works Department may shut off water to your property. This requirement protects you and the Borough from a water leak. If you shut off the water and there is a break, you will be held responsible. The on/off fee is $45 per occurrence.

Water Bill Collector: Kate Leissler
(973) 948-4626 x 20
The Borough of Branchville collects interest on late water payments at the rate set in NJSA 401:31-12.

Water bills are separate from tax and sewer bills.
Please do not combine your water bill payment with your tax or sewer payment. Three (3) separate checks are required. Partial payment for taxes, sewer and water are not accepted – and partial payment checks will be returned to you.

Sewer

Contact: H. Lee Doremus
(973) 948-5439
Sewer Bill Collector: Karen Braun
(973) 948-4626 x 21

Sewer Maintenance
During heavy rainstorms that cause excess flows, it may be necessary to truck raw sewage from our treatment plant to SCMUA’s Hardyston Facility. We believe that a significant cause of the excess flows is from sump pumps discharging into the sewer system. Sump pumps remove water from foundations, basements and other sources during heavy rains or during the spring thaw. When discharged to the sewer system, sump water must be treated as raw sewage and the Borough incurs a charge for treating it.

It is a violation of Branchville ordinance to discharge sump pump water into the sewer system.

If the overflow problem continues, the Borough will bill additional fees to sewer customers. In an attempt to isolate the problem, the Borough will begin tracking inflow through each of the manholes in the system and use a camera to track actual discharges. Your assistance in checking your properties for sump pumps and ensuring that they do not discharge into the sewer is appreciated.

Snow Removal

Streets
When it snows and the streets are covered, NO vehicle can be parked on public streets in the Borough of Branchville from 10 PM to 6 AM. The snow parking ban shall remain in effect after snow has stopped falling until the streets have been sufficiently plowed and parking will not interfere with the normal flow of traffic. If you are a property owner who has tenants, please make sure they are aware of this ordinance.

Sidewalks
During the snowy winter months, please remove the snow on the sidewalks in front of your homes. If you have an elderly neighbor, please lend a hand to help them with the snow removal.

Fire Hydrants
During the winter season, please clear snow away from fire hydrants.

Municipal Court

Contact: (973) 875-7192
The Borough of Branchville has a combination court with Wantage Township.
888 NJ-23 #1, Wantage, NJ 07461

Taxes

Assessor: Kristy Lockburner
(973) 948-4626 x #22
Office Hours: Wednesday, 9 AM – 10 AM

Change of Address
Please notify the Assessor’s Office of any address change at your earliest convenience. You are liable for bills, regardless of the accuracy of your address. If the Assessor’s Office is not notified, your property may be put on tax sale due to lack of payment.

Tax Collector: Kate Leissler
(973) 948-4626 x #20

Tax Bills
Quarterly tax bills due August 1st, November 1st, February 1st, and May 1st will be mailed as quickly as possible, after the rate has been certified.

Occasionally, there is a delay in mailing tax bills because of delays in the adoption of the other municipal or state budgets. If your bill is mailed late, it will clearly indicate that payment of your taxes is due 25 days from the date of mailing. If payment is not received 25 days after the date of mailing, interest will be charged, calculated back to the beginning of the quarter.

Tax bills are separate from water and sewer bills.
Please do not combine the tax, sewer and water payment into one (1) check. Three (3) separate checks are required. Partial payment for taxes, sewer and water will not be accepted – and partial payment checks will be returned to you.

Zoning

Contact: George Boesze
(570) 992-3686
Office Hours: 1 PM to 3 PM on the third Monday of the month.

Construction Services

Contact: Rich Bizik richbizikbranchvillenj@gmail.com
(973) 948-4626 x #24
Office Hours: Tuesday and Friday 3:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.

Call ahead before digging
Excavation work, including digging or plowing around a home or business, is the most common cause of natural gas emergencies.

At least three business days before digging around your property, New Jersey state law requires contractors and property owners (whomever is excavating) to call:
New Jersey One Call: 811 or 1-800-272-1000, to have your utility lines professionally marked. Projects include outdoor construction, planting, landscaping and digging.

After calling, you must wait until your local utilities, like Elizabethtown Gas, arrives. They will locate and mark (free of charge) underground utility lines, each with a different color paint or flag. Once that happens, you can dig with confidence, because you’ll know how to avoid any damage to the underground utility lines, which might interrupt or hinder your services and potentially damage your property.

For additional information, visit New Jersey One Call: www.nj1-call.org

Emergency Services

Office of Emergency Services (OEM)
Contact: Jeff Lewis
(973) 479-7203

Power Outages

To report a power outage, please call JCP&L / First Energy at: 1-800-544-4877 or go to www.FirstEnergyCorp.com

To report a streetlight outage, please call JCP&L / First Energy at: 1-800-662-3115 or go to www.FirstEnergyCorp.com

When reporting either of these outages online, click on “Contact Us” within the FirstEnergyCorp.com website and fill in the appropriate information. Please have your account number for reference.

Special Needs in an Emergency

The Branchville Office of Emergency Management continues to compile a list of residents who have special needs such as oxygen/respiratory equipment or other vital types of health support systems. The list will enable the department to work with the Blue Ridge Rescue Squad, the Branchville Fire Department, and any other necessary agencies in the times of power outages or other emergencies. To be placed on the list, please contact Jeff Lewis (973) 479-7203.

The New Jersey Special Needs Registry
A special emergency program is available to assist anyone who has special needs due to a physical or cognitive limitation, a language barrier, or a lack of transportation. The New Jersey Special Needs Registry is designed to help emergency responders locate and safely evacuate people who could find it difficult to help themselves in the event of a major disaster.

To learn more about The New Jersey Special Needs Registry dial 211 (toll-free).
Go to www.RegisterReady.nj.gov or complete a form available at the Branchville Borough Municipal Office.

Preparedness
Emergencies can happen at any time of the year. To be prepared for an emergency, please review www.state.nj.us/njoem

Trash and Recycling

Contact: Kate Leissler
(973) 948-4626 x #20
Office Hours: 9 AM to 1 PM Monday through Friday, except holidays.

Trash Collection

Every Thursday for regular curbside garbage pick-up.
Do not put recyclables out with your trash.

Recycling Collection

2nd and 4th Friday of every month.

Holiday trash and recycling schedule

Go to www.wm.com
Scroll down, click on ‘View Holiday Schedule’ on the right side of the page
Enter address
The holiday schedule will appear

Recycling Guidelines
Single stream recycling permits all recyclables (glass, plastic and metal containers, cartons, cardboard, newspaper and paper items, including Styrofoam) to be mixed together all in one container.

Liquids, bundles, plastic bags and mixed recyclables should not be put in the recycling collection.
Do not put recycling materials in garbage bags.

SCMUA
Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority (SCMUA) in Lafayette allows the following items to be dropped off at their facility at any time: old clothing, dry cell batteries, used motor oil, consumer electronics, household hazardous waste, tires.

Electronics and Hazardous Waste Recycling
Construction material, wood, tires, televisions, air conditioners, refrigerators, water coolers and electronics, etc. are accepted at SCMUA on one of their electronics recycling days (see Calendar).
There is a $10 surcharge for Freon removal.

Recycling App
Download the “Recycle Coach” free app (available thru iTunes and Google Play) for SCMUA recycling programs and to set up automatic recycling event reminders on websites and smart-phones for Sussex County residents and businesses.

Leaf Collection

Second and fourth Saturdays in April, May, October and November.
Place leaves in brown paper recycling leaf bags only.

Inclement Weather/ Holiday Schedule
All pickups are made on a next day schedule.

Fines
Please do not transport trash or litter from outside our community into the Borough of Branchville.
Branchville Borough Code, 81-8 states: “No person shall bring any trash or litter from outside the borough limits, into the borough for the purpose of disposing thereof without the express consent of the Borough Council. All trash collected in Branchville must be created in the Borough.”

We do our best to control garbage amounts because it affects future contract prices. A fine of $500 or a jail term of up to 90 days, or both could be imposed for violation of this provision

Animal Control

Wantage Animal Control:
(973) 875-7192
Dog licensing: Kate Leissler-Karen Braun
(973) 948-4626 x #21

Dog Bites
Please remember to report all dog bites to the Sussex County Board of Health at (973) 579-0370.Kate Leissler-Karen Braun

Fire Department

Contact: Fire Dept: Chief Jon Frato
(973) 600-3398
Branchville Hose Company No. 1
P.O. Box 2425
Branchville, NJ 07826

The Branchville Hose Company No. 1 is located at One Railroad Avenue. The Hose Company was established in 1910.

Children, accompanied by parents, are welcome to stop by to see the firehouse and trucks.

The Hose Company is very grateful for the support they receive from residents and businesses throughout the year. Even though the Hose Company receives financial support from the Borough, they would not be able to operate without the assistance and support of Branchville’s residents. Donations may be mailed to the address above.

Fire Prevention

Fire Hydrants: Keep clear in the winter months.
Chimneys: Keep clean to prevent fires.

Smoke Detectors:

Maintain properly working smoke detectors to alert you to a fire and give you time to escape, even if you are sleeping.
Install smoke detectors on every level of your home, including the basement, and in every sleeping area.
Test smoke detectors every month, following the manufacturer’s directions.
Replace the batteries once each year, or whenever a detector “chirps” to signal low battery power.
Never “borrow” a smoke detector battery for another use – a disabled detector cannot save your life!
Most importantly, be sure to replace your smoke detector if it is more than 10 years old.

Smoke Detector Inspections

Before any one- and two-family or attached single family structure is sold, leased, or otherwise made subject to a change of occupancy for residential purposes, the owner shall obtain a certificate of smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm, and portable fire extinguisher compliance from the Sussex County Fire Marshall. Inspection days are Monday through Friday, 7AM to 3PM. Please call Sue at 973-579-0380 ext. 2205 to schedule your smoke certification inspection.

Smoke Certificate Inspection Application Fees:

$45 if more than 10 business days from the closing date
$90 if between 4 and 10 business days
$161 if 4 days or less

Checks can be made payable to “County Treasurer” and should be given to the inspector at the time of inspection.

Fee payment can also be made online. Click here to pay online. Note: there will be additional $4.50 online processing fee charged per transaction in addition to the inspection fees noted above.

Historical Society

Contact: Debbie Anderson
(973) 948-6932

Branchville Borough Historical Society meetings are held at the Branchville Borough Hall at 34 Wantage Avenue.

Notices of the meetings are mailed to all members, posted in the Branchville Post Office, and announced in the New Jersey Herald on Sunday the week before the meeting and again on Sunday of the week of the meeting.

To donate or loan any items to the museum, please contact Debbie Anderson to arrange for drop off. Please do not leave items with anyone at the Branchville Borough Hall.

The Historical Society Museum is open on the third Sunday of each month from 1 PM to 3 PM. The Annual Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by the Historical Society, is held on Good Friday.

Cemetery Association

Branchville Cemetery Association
P.O. Box 2692
Branchville, NJ 07826

Plots are available for purchase
For information, please contact the address above.

Flower and Beautification Fund
The Cemetery Association has established a flower and beautification fund and is seeking donations to enhance and beautify the cemetery. We need volunteers to help with general maintenance and to water flowers in the cemetery.

Cemetery Plots Data
The trustees are updating and recording all data about the cemetery plots. If you have copies of cemetery deeds and any related information dated prior to 1990, please mail copies to the address abo

Chamber of Commerce

Contact: 973-579-1811
Branchville Borough welcomes new businesses to town. We are happy you have established your business here and want to assist you in ensuring many years of success.

Senior Citizen Club

Contact: Maureen McHale
(973) 383-4973
The Branchville Senior Citizens Club welcomes anyone 55 and older who is interested in joining.

Branchville Rotary

Contact: Doug Hull
(973) 948-4380
The Rotary is always looking for new members.