Franklin considers domestic violence response team

FRANKLIN — The Franklin Borough Council on Tuesday said it would consider whether to form a Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) for the borough in collaboration with DASI.
In a presentation to the council, DASI representative Jessica Minnick said the team would be made up of volunteers from Franklin and the surrounding area. After being summoned by police during domestic violence calls, team members make themselves available at the station to discuss safety planning and options — including filing for restraining orders — with victims. Meetings between volunteers and victims usually last between 30 and 60 minutes, Minnick said.
According to Minnick, DASI current has 32 volunteers in Sussex County staffing four teams that work with the state police and departments in Vernon, Newton, Andover and Stanhope. So far in 2016, the teams have handled 111 calls, including 40 from the state police, 32 in Newton, 38 in Vernon and one in Andover.
Minnick said there are already several DVRT volunteers who live in or near Franklin, which would help facilitate the speedy launch of a borough team.
The cost of a DVRT to the borough would be minimal, Minnick said, and would include 40 hours of training for a police liaison and a filing cabinet for team supplies such as forms, pens, notepads and tissues.
“I think it's a great thing for our town to have,” Mayor Nicholas Giordano said. “In the past, the past people that were mayor and administrator thought that there was a stigma with having a DASI team that would work in Franklin … is there a stigma? No, absolutely not. We want to be proactive and try to address the issue.”
The council consented to consider a resolution to form a borough DVRT at its next meeting.
Fresh from the recent League of Municipalities conference, the council also discussed joining Sustainable Jersey, an initiative that support municipal efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental quality.
Councilman Michael Rathbun said 88 percent of municipalities in the state are a part of the program, but only four towns in Sussex County are members. Rathbun suggested the borough consider joining to become more of a green town. While Rathbun said it doesn't cost anything to join, Borough Administrator Alison Littell McHose cautioned that participation in the program could affect borough expenses by requiring the use of certain more expensive building materials. That should be taken into the concil's consideration when discussing whether or not to join, she said.
Rathbun also encouraged locals to attend the borough's annual tree lighting ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 5 p.m.