Advanced Knee Pain Treatment in Sayreville, NJ

Sayreville Bombers team of staff participating in the Seaside Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, Feb. 24.Photo Credit: Sayreville Public Schools

Sayreville Bombers team of staff participating in the Seaside Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, Feb. 24.Photo Credit: Sayreville Public Schools

Sayreville Bombers team of staff participating in the Seaside Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, Feb. 24.Photo Credit: Sayreville Public Schools

Sayreville Bombers team of staff participating in the Seaside Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, Feb. 24.Photo Credit: Sayreville Public Schools

Sayreville Bombers team of staff participating in the Seaside Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, Feb. 24.Photo Credit: Sayreville Public Schools

Sayreville Bombers team of staff participating in the Seaside Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, Feb. 24.Photo Credit: Sayreville Public Schools

By TAPinto Raritan Bay Staff

PublishedMarch 6, 2024 at 9:00 AM

SAYREVILLE, NJ -- Sayreville War Memorial High School staff members participated in the Seaside Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, Feb. 24.

Led by Cheryl Araneo, a former Sayreville BOE member who raised the highest total ($687), the group collectively raised $2,677, which all went to Special Olympics of New Jersey, which Special Olympics is New Jersey's largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities.

The mission of Special Olympics of New Jersey is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

TAPinto Raritan Bay is a free online newspaper serving Sayreville, South Amboy, and other communities along the Raritan Bay in Middlesex County, NJ. Like our Facebook page, visit www.tapinto.net/towns/raritan-bay, and sign up for the daily eNewsletter to get the latest hyperlocal news.

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Voters in three Middlesex County towns will face ballot questions in November's general election.

Sayreville is asking voters if the borough's Open Space Trust fund should be used to fund passive recreation projects on Blue Acres properties.

In South River, the Board of Education is asking voters to approve a $5.5 million bond ordinance for a new Denny Stadium with an artificial turf field and other improvements, which comes with an average tax rate of $127.56 per year or $10.63 per month.

In addition, South River voters will be asked if the retail sale of adult recreational use marijuana should be permitted in the borough.

Perth Amboy voters will be asked whether to switch from nonpartisan to partisan elections.

Sayreville

Residents will be asked if the Borough’s Open Space funds should be used for Blue Acres projects in addition to the purposes currently authorized.

The Borough Council approved a resolution at its July 17 meeting authorizing the non-binding referendum on the Nov. 7 ballot.

"The referendum would allow us to use portions of the Open Space Fund to make improvements to Blue Acres properties to make them useful for passive recreation," Councilman Dan Balka said in late July. "There will be zero impact on the tax rate if this is approved."

There is currently $8.8 million in the fund, Balka said.

The borough collects $450,000 every year from taxpayers for its Open Space Trust Fund, the questions says.

Sayreville was among the Central Jersey communities hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy when it barreled into the Garden State in 2012.

NJ's 2023 election FAQ:Voter registration, ballot deadlines, vote-by-mail and more

The state's Blue Acres Buyout Program, through the Department of Environmental Protection, purchased homes from volunteer sellers in the Weber Avenue area and the Old Bridge section of Sayreville at pre-Sandy market values in an effort to move residents out of harm’s way and create natural buffer areas to handle future stormwaters.

Properties purchased under the buyout program are owned by the state, but each municipality is responsible for maintaining those areas for preservation and passive recreation.

Plans for the Blue Acres properties include walking trails, flood control measures and removal of invasive plant species, Balka said, adding that once completed, the project will also provide a better habitat for the wildlife.

“The borough is always on the lookout for substantial tracts of vacant land that could be purchased by the borough and preserved, but those opportunities don't come along very often," Borough Business Administrator Glenn Skarzynski said.

Last year, the Legislature made a slight change to state law to enable municipalities to leverage these funds, with voter approval, toward Blue Acres projects, he said.

Many borough residents want to see something useful done with Blue Acres property, Skarzynski said.

"We have an opportunity here instead of doing a big recreation project piecemeal, we have the opportunity to do it in one fell swoop," he said.

South River

The Board of Education is asking voters to support a $5.5 bond ordinance for South River High School’s Denny Stadium, which includes a new stadium and synthetic turf field.

The district will bond for over 10 years for the project.

"Our community treasures the history and tradition represented by Denny Stadium. But the old structure is in significant disrepair," according to a referendum Q&A on the district's website. "Recent inspections indicate the stadium ‘is at the end of its lifespan.’ The stadium also can't safely accommodate people with disabilities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. A new stadium is needed and, for our student-athletes, is well deserved."

The stadium project calls for new bleachers, an updated press box, repairs and expansion of the existing concession stands and new, fully accessible restrooms. The stadium would accommodate 1,000 fans. All aspects of the new stadium would be ADA-compliant as per federal law, the district says.

A new synthetic turf field would meet the growing demands of multiple sports and teams throughout the community, according to the district. Synthetic turf fields provide improved safety, durability and playability and would also allow the district to be environmentally conscious by eliminating the need for fertilizers and irrigation that are required for grassy fields, while reducing ongoing maintenance costs, the district says.

The typical lifespan of a turf field ranges between 8 to 10 years. Afterward, refurbishment costs are considerably less than the initial installation, the district says.

A multi-purpose turf field can be used throughout multiple seasons and sports, benefitting programs offered around town.

Other benefits of the project are that smart, energy-efficient construction design and maintenance results in lower ongoing costs and the project will enhance community access to modern, safe athletic fields.

Borough voters also will be asked if they want new cannabis licenses for businesses involved in the retail sale of adult recreational use cannabis issued.

The Borough Council in April unanimously approved an ordinance that placed the non-binding referendum on the ballot.

"We're giving the opportunity to the residents of South River to make a choice," Councilman Peter Guindi said.

"It is basically to take a poll," Mayor John Krenzel said.

The borough can issue five licenses for all classes of cannabis operations, except retail. To date, four businesses have been approved to operate in the borough. Noble 1 LLC was approved to operate a Tier III Class cannabis cultivation facility on Martin Street. Cedar Fairmont Health Cultivator and Green Alchemy were approved for manufacture on Russell Avenue. Canna Caviar was approved to open a cannabis manufacturing facility on William Street.

Perth Amboy

Voters in the waterfront city will be asked whether they want to change city elections from nonpartisan to partisan.

The question on the ballot asks whether the city's charter, governed by the mayor-council form of government under the Faulkner Act, should be amended to change city elections from a regular municipal election held in November to general elections held in November, and changed from nonpartisan to partisan.

Perth Amboy is largely a Democratic community. For years Perth Amboy candidates for mayor and City Council have run under slogans or banners, rather than as members a political party. If the ballot question is approved, candidates for municipal office would appear on the ballot as a representative of a political party or as an independent. If the question is rejected, the current election process would remain unchanged.

"The ballot question to change Perth Amboy's elections from nonpartisan to partisan was initiated by a strong desire among residents for a more partisan electoral process," Lisett Lebron, Mayor Helmin Caba's chief of staff, said in a statement. " The administration and council recognize the importance of allowing residents to have the final say on this matter, and this ballot question ensures that the decision ultimately rests with the voters of Perth Amboy. It's a testament to the democratic process that residents will have the opportunity to shape the future of their local elections through their votes."

Contributing: Staff Writer Suzanne Russell

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

SAYREVILLE – Your ride over the Driscoll Bridge will never be the same: Amboy Cinemas is finally coming down.

Demolition work is underway at the shuttered theater on Routes 9 & 35, visible from the Garden State Parkway, which has been a vacant eyesore for nearly two decades.

"We're gratified that the property owner is removing this eyesore, and we're hopeful that a project to showcase the gateway to our municipality will come to reality in the upcoming years," said Sayreville Business Administrator Glenn Skarzynski. "The developer has not yet approached the borough about any projects they may have planned for the site."

The Borough Council approved an ordinance last fall establishing a redevelopment plan for the site, also known as the National Amusement Theater, which proposes a variety of retail, hotel, recreation, office and professional uses.

The 19.5-acre parcel in the northeast section of the borough contains three properties, about 1,200 feet south of the Raritan River. The area, north of the Melrose residential neighborhood, is immediately east of the base of the Driscoll Bridge with frontage on Route 9 to the west and Route 35 to the east.

Amboy Cinemas opened at the site in December 1979, replacing a drive-in theater, and closed in 2005 due to the settling of the lobby floor.

The property was owned by National Amusements Inc. and was sold to Dice Real Estate LLC for $6.75 million in 2020.

The redevelopment plan establishes permitted land uses, bulk and area requirements and design standards for any proposed development.

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"It is envisioned that this redevelopment area will fit into and be compatible with the commercial, residential and waterfront uses of the development of the former National Lead site and the existing highway commercial character of the surrounding area," the plan says.

Under the redevelopment plan, permitted uses at the site include office, retail, grocery store, education, medical, assisted living, hotel, gym, restaurant, entertainment, park-and-ride and open space.

Prohibited used include warehouse, industrial, auto and trailer storage, single- and multi-family housing, freestanding automated bank teller and outdoor storage of goods and materials.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

SAYREVILLE – The redeveloper of a 77.87-acre site in the Hercules Redevelopment Area is suing the borough alleging the Borough Council did not follow state law in rejecting a long-term tax exemption on the warehouse project.

In 2021, Parlin Section I Urban Renewal LLC, of West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, and the Sayreville Economic Redevelopment Agency (SERA) agreed on a plan to develop three commercial warehouses at the intersection of South Minisink Avenue and Cheesequake Road, according to the lawsuit filed Nov. 21, 2023 in Middlesex County Superior Court.

On May 3, 2022, Parlin Section I Urban Renewal submitted to the borough an application for a long-term tax exemption for a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement. In a PILOT, redevelopers pay a fixed sum to a municipality for a period of years instead of property taxes as a financial incentive to redevelop distressed properties and obtain financing for the project.

After negotiations, Parlin Section I Urban Renewal reached a PILOT agreement with the borough's financial consultants, Phoenix Advisors, the lawsuit claims.

In August 2023, Parlin Section I Urban Renewal finalized the agreement with a request the Borough Council place the PILOT application on its next available agenda for a vote.

That's when the process went awry, the lawsuit charges.

According to the lawsuit, the Borough Council did not place the PILOT application on the agenda for its next meeting.

Instead, a month before the election, the Borough Council rejected the PILOT agreement at its Oct. 10, 2023 meeting without the issue on the agenda.

That, the lawsuit charges, did not give either Parlin Section I Urban renewal or the public an opportunity to give input on the issue.

The Council did bring up the PILOT during the general discussion at the meeting and voted to deny it, according to the lawsuit.

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The lawsuit claims that the borough did not follow procedures in the state Long Term Tax Exemption Law (LTTEL) for handling the PILOT application.

The lawsuit says that, according to LTTEL, the PILOT application should be submitted to the mayor or other chief executive officer, who would then forward it within 60 days, with recommendations, to the governing body for a vote.

"The borough did not follow this procedure and, to (Parlin Section 1 Urban Renewal's) knowledge, the Mayor of Sayreville (Victoria Kilpatrick) never submitted the application to the Council for consideration, nor did the Mayor provide a recommendation with respect to the application," the suit alleges.

The lawsuit further alleges that the Borough Council did not follow state law by not adopting a resolution denying the application, but only took action by a voice vote.

In addition, the lawsuit contends, state law requires that in the event of a rejection, changes may be suggested to secure approval, but the Borough Council did not notify Parlin Section 1 Urban Renewal of any recommended changes.

The borough's denial of the PILOT application was "arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable," Parlin Section I Urban Renewal claims in the suit.

"The borough did not follow the statutory procedure in the LTTEL for processing of the PILOT application," the lawsuit says. "Prior to any denial, plaintiff should have been provided with notice and an opportunity to be heard."

The borough declined to comment due to the litigation.

Parlin Section I Urban Renewal LLC is seeking to have the denial vacated.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Brian VanDongen, Sayreville Recreation Director, and Rich Poplowski, Sayreville Parks Supervisor, testing out the new pickleball courts at Kennedy Park.Photo Credit: Sayreville Recreation (Facebook)

New pickleball courts at Kennedy Park in Sayreville.Photo Credit: Sayreville Recreation (Facebook)

New pickleball courts at Kennedy Park in Sayreville.Photo Credit: Sayreville Recreation (Facebook)

New pickleball courts at Kennedy Park in Sayreville.Photo Credit: Sayreville Recreation (Facebook)

Example of finished Pickleball courts at Kennedy Park in SayrevillePhoto Credit: Sayreville Recreation (Facebook)

Brian VanDongen, Sayreville Recreation Director, and Rich Poplowski, Sayreville Parks Supervisor, testing out the new pickleball courts at Kennedy Park.Photo Credit: Sayreville Recreation (Facebook)

By Charlie Cangialosi III

PublishedNovember 20, 2023 at 12:45 PM

SAYREVILLE, NJ - The new pickleball courts at Kennedy Park in Sayreville are now open for play, the Sayreville Recreation Department confirmed via Facebook on Nov. 17.

This project includes six new pickleball courts at Kennedy Park, was partially funded by a New Jersey Local Recreation Improvement Grant, and had Halecon Inc. as the contractor.

"Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, 48.3 million adults (19% of the adult population) in the country have played at least one game of Pickleball in the past 12 months," said Brian VanDongen, Director of Recreation in Sayreville. "We have received numerous inquiries about the addition of pickleball courts as an offering of our robust park amenities to our community."

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These courts are currently temporarily lined, but are safe and open for play. Due to the temperatures required for the color paint to dry, the colored portion of the courts will not be completed until the spring.

The courts are open from 8:00 a.m. to sunset daily as conditions permit.

TAPinto Raritan Bay is a free online newspaper serving Sayreville, South Amboy, and other communities along the Raritan Bay in Middlesex County, NJ. Like our Facebook page, visit www.tapinto.net/towns/raritan-bay, and sign up for the daily eNewsletter to get the latest hyperlocal news.