Our Heartfelt Sympathy go to the Urbano Family

We are greatly saddened to learn the passing of Councilman Joseph Urbano's parents, Jeanette and Salvatore Urbano along with three other members of their family. They were in a fatal car accident this past Saturday.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Councilman Urbano's family.

Paint the Town Purple!

Paint the Town Purple!

Mark your calendar-

May 2, 2009 at 8:00am

at the Washington Engine Company Firehouse

Jackson Street

Volunteers will be gathering to Paint the Town Purple in support of Relay for Life of Matawan & Aberdeen.

The Borough of Matawan will proclaim May 1, 2009

"MAY DAY FOR RELAY"

Relay for Life will be held on June 13-14, 2009 at Matawan Regional High School.

For further information please contact:

Janis Garofalo Co-Chair at janis59@optimum.net

Joe O'Reilly Co-Chair at knightsbridge30@aol.com

Please join your neighbors and help stamp out cancer once and for all.

Matawan Borough Council Meeting 4/23 at 7:30pm

Tonight's Council meeting will include a vote for an Ordinance to prohibit elected officials from doing work for the Borough for compensation. This is a long time coming. It will be the 3rd reading of this Ordinance and will be voted on tonight. We conclude it is wrong for a member of the Borough Council to perform work for the Borough. It smacks of impropriety. We want to see this Ordinance passed. Let us see our Council "do the right thing." If you are interested in clean government you might want to attend tonight's meeting.

There are much more important items to be dealt with by this Council. For example, the Water Treatment Plant, the dams and lakes of Matawan, Transit Village coupled with Downtown Revitalization, dealing with the deficit Budget, planning for future Budgets, making our Parks handicapped accessible to name just a few.

Sorry folks due to a computer malfunction the rest of this post has been deleted. Now to work on it.

Hope to see at the meeting......

Vote today for School Budget

A reminder to vote on the Matawan Aberdeen School Budget and for School Board members.

Not going to comment on how you should vote, you don't need us to tell you what is important to you. We will stress the importance of voting for or against the Budget and for School Board members.

6th Annual Fish Fry 4-10-2009 5-8:30pm

TODAY IN MATAWAN - Tired of cooking fish on Fridays during Lent, Matawan's Bravest to the rescue. Washington Engine Company #1 at 176 Jackson Street, Matawan is hosting its 6th Annual Fish Fry on Friday, April 10, 2009 between5:00 - 8:30pm. Ticket prices are $14.00 Adults and $7.00 children 10 and under. What a great deal!

For ticket information: Call Paul Richards 732 921 2073 or Bob Ziegler 732 620 5651.Come out and support our Fire-fighters, Matawan's bravest. The price is right.

Everyone knows Fire-fiighters are the best chefs! (Keep this between us. We so enjoy the hot dogs when Matawan's Finest (Police) cook on Matawan Day.)

Workshop, Borough Council Meeting 4-7-09 at 7pm

Reconvene Workshop meeting of 3-31-09, tonight at 7pm. It will be followed by another Workshop meeting. After which the Regular Borough Council meeting will be held. A rather ambitious Agenda for one evening. Without political posturing, we look forward to seeing the Workshops move quickly and the Borough Council making progress.

Will the Council continue with the Police Dept. Budget as the Chief wasn't feeling well at the last Special Meeting? We look forward to hearing what cuts the Police Dept. could make, if any.

Workshop agenda highlights:

An ordinance introduction to exceed the Municipal Budget Appropriation limits and to establish a Cap Bank.

2009 Budget Introduction for the fiscal year.

Workshop Discussions:
Hooray! At long last Matawan will be discussing and voting on a Resolution to retain a Part Time Business Administrator. With our current Budget constraints....a good move!

Property Maintenance Ordinance - For all of the residents who maintain their property, we are assuming (hopefully not like the Bad News Bears movie) this ordinance will enforce and/or create guidelines for property owners to follow. We all are tired of property owners who let their property become storage bins for their junk/garbage.

Extension of 4 day work week

Employee Time Records

General discussion on Recreation Ordinance

Gas & Municipal Vehicles Usage

Council Meeting Agenda

Resolution to Retain Part-Time Business Administrator

Resolution Honoring our Troops and "Support our Troops Day"

Resolution for the Borough of Matawan for a Regional Feasibility Study Grant

Mill Road Sewer Extension (finally)

Bond Ordinance providing an appropriation of $200,000. for Improvements to the Water Treatment Plant. Issuance of $200,000. Bonds or Notes of the Borough for Financing Part of the Appropriation.

It appears that the Council is making progress. Can't help but wonder what Matawan could have accomplished had we not had to make up for the Budget deficits of the last few years. Oh well......

Hope to see you at the meeting......

Follow Up to Special Meeting-Matawan Borough

Let us preface this commentary by stating, "Let the Games Begin." Evidenced by the posturing of certain members of the Borough Council who will be running for office this November. Amazingly enough last year's budget brought very few questions, if any, from the very same Council members who questioned each Department Head repeatedly. The very same Council members who voted to spend, spend, spend when they had control of the Council. Oh wait, we forgot, the Press was in attendance. Election time is coming earlier and earlier each year.

The only Council member missing was Councilman Kevin Mendes. We are sorry to note, Councilman Mendes has not attended Workshop/Special Meetings of late.

Being on Council is a tough, time-consuming and sometimes thankless job. Candidates must know from the onset representing the people of Matawan to the best of your ability isn't simply a matter of two meetings a month. It is not a self-serving position, rather it is a "public service". A job where you must consider the interests of the public you serve, not your own personal agenda.

2009 Budget Discussion - Department Heads of Matawan Borough, with the exception of the Chief of Police (who wasn't feeling well) explained their Budgets. All showed concern for the Borough and discussed cuts that could be implemented to reduce the deficit.

Police Department - In the absence of the Chief, the Council discussed the request of purchasing 3 new vehicles and reducing the number to 1.

Fire Department - The Needs Assessment Report from the Fire Dept., has not to date been made public. Purchases to replace equipment, safety gear and vehicle repairs in the amount of $16, 087.62 per bill list of 3-12-09. We await the report from the Fire Dept. which was to discuss possible consolidation and ways to cut costs.

Borough Employees Health Plan - The Borough will be switching health plan coverage to New Jersey State Health Benefits Program. Mayor Buccellato acknowledged the cooperation of the Borough employees. It will take time prior to realizing the savings but they will be forthcoming. That is the bad news.... The good news is a savings will be realized.

Well boys and girls, that's it for now.....