Transcript-  Hello. I’m David Chait, a Hopewell Township Committee member, wishing you a Happy Spring and bringing you this month’s community update. 

May is a very special month and I would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to our residents as well as acknowledge that May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. AAPI Heritage month recognizes the historical and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to our community as well as the broader United States. 

Following up on last month’s update, at our April 18th Township Committee meeting our 2022 Township Budget was formally introduced.  At that meeting, we also adopted an ordinance that allows up to two licenses for adult-use cannabis retail in the Township. As a part of this ordinance, no retail establishment can be within 1000 feet of a school or school facilities and must go through Planning Board review. This is following your feedback from several community forums over the past two years including the most recent one on January 25th.  

The Hopewell Township Committee will meet on Monday, May 2nd, and Monday, May 16th. Following the adoption of new rules that support hybrid meetings, these meetings will be held both in person at the Municipal Building and via Zoom at 6:30pm. On the 16th there will also be a Board of Health meeting at 5:30pm. 

At our May 2nd meeting, we are planning a second reading and public hearing on a financial agreement with BeiGene - a leading global pharmaceutical company - for the redevelopment of 42 acres on the former BMS Campus. They will be investing over $500 Million dollars in a new state-of-the-art Clinical R&D Center and highly automated manufacturing facility in Hopewell Township after a worldwide search. The Township Committee has been working hard to redevelop this site since BMS moved, and BeiGene is a big step forward towards this goal. 

At our May 16th meeting we are planning to hold a public hearing on the budget, pending state review.  Additionally many of our citizen volunteer committees will meet throughout this month. For more details on this month’s updates and other meeting dates, please visit the Township website.  

Thanks so much for your time and have a wonderful May and Spring!