Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Sayreville public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues
Old Firehouse Repair
A remediation contractor damaged the historic firehouse and is now on the hook for repairs. Permits are being expedited and work should start within a week, with a top masonry expert advising on preserving the brickwork.
Optimum Cable Service Complaints
Comcast wants to build out cable and internet service in the part of town that has only one provider. A public information session is planned for August; the Council signaled support for a right-of-way agreement.
Cheesequake Road Property Preservation
Councilwoman Novak wants to open talks about acquiring and preserving Peter Marco's 40 acres; the mayor agreed to have the business administrator gauge the owner's interest.
Fire District Budget Question
The council agreed to pursue a voter referendum to raise pension (LOSAP) contributions for volunteer firefighters and first aid squad members to the full amount — a recruitment and retention move after four firefighter deaths were memorialized this year.
Capital Budget and Road Funding
Two road paving contracts totaling about $2.18 million were awarded — Phase III of the 2023 program and Phase I of the 2025 program.
Willow Street Sewer Force Main Work
Well maintenance contract ($586,055 to A.C. Schultes), air filtration at the Eugene Pump Station, and Crossman pump station equipment replacement.
Canal Road flooding after pipe replacement
Since a new drainage pipe was installed under MacArthur Avenue, heavy rains leave Canal Street flooded for long periods; the council asked the engineer to investigate.
1909 town hall / President Park firehouse repair delays
A motion to declare the old firehouse historic failed 3-3. Supporters want the designation to unlock preservation grants; opponents, including the mayor, say the $3 million office renovation should proceed without the constraints of historic status.
Senior center pole barn parking loss
A pole barn to shelter senior-center buses, funded with surplus CDBG money, will remove seven parking spaces at the senior center. Councilwoman Novak and residents are upset; the administration says county meal-program vehicles will relocate to an auxiliary lot to offset the loss.
Data Center Moratorium
Councilman Blemur pushed to make data centers a prohibited use in Sayreville, but the council split 3-3. Mayor O'Brien wouldn't break the tie and wants SERA to weigh in, so the issue will come back.
Dispensary ban reconsideration
A resident asked the council to revisit its 2021 ban on cannabis dispensaries, arguing residents are spending tax dollars in neighboring towns.
Flock license plate cameras
A resident criticized the delay in the promised public forum on Flock cameras, calling them an easily-hackable mass surveillance system tied to a national database. Councilman Rios also pressed for safeguards, saying asking questions about data collection isn't anti-public-safety.
Remote participation (Zoom) in council meetings
A proposal to let the public and council members join meetings by Zoom failed 3-4, with Mayor O'Brien breaking the tie. Supporters called it a democracy and accessibility issue; opponents cited costs, moderation problems, and abuse clerks faced during remote meetings.
Main Street downtown parking and speeding
Residents warned the new bus depot plus Bass Pro traffic will jam Main Street, and demanded actual enforcement of the 25 mph speed limit. Zebrowski asked police to restore officer traffic posts at school arrival and dismissal times.
CDBG grant plan concerns
Councilwoman Novak admitted she voted for the CDBG plan without seeing the attached written plan, and questioned whether the borough's CDBG committee even exists. A resident warned putting a phantom committee in the resolution risks HUD fraud accusations.
Volunteer firefighter LOSAP increase
Voters will decide in November whether to increase the Borough's LOSAP contribution for volunteer firefighters and EMS members — the first increase since the 1990s beyond inflation adjustments.
Sewer fee shortfall and MCUA costs
Councilwoman Novak says the town can't wait any longer on water and sewer rate decisions and wants sewer rates, water rates and connection fees examined separately, noting connection fees haven't been adjusted in years.
Jernee Mill Road/Bordentown Avenue intersection safety
Residents near Kenneth Avenue fear the proposed double roundabouts will displace longtime homeowners and make the intersection more dangerous, not safer. The council unanimously backed a resolution telling NJDOT to go back to the drawing board; the attorney will draft formal language for next meeting.
Nor'easter storm response
Multiple council members praised public works, police, OEM, fire and first aid crews for their storm preparation and response, noting no reported power failures despite the second-highest coastal water level since Sandy.
Hercules Redevelopment Plan II — Sunshine Biscuit site
The public hearing on the amended redevelopment plan for the former Sunshine Biscuit site was pushed to April 13 so the planner and redeveloper can answer council and public questions.
Cultural Arts Committee leadership dispute
After years of operating without legal footing, the Cultural Arts Council is now formally established by ordinance and has nine appointed members. Residents clashed over whether it should sit under the Recreation Advisory Board or be fully independent, and members are pushing for a bigger 2026 budget, especially for teen programs.
'Make Polluters Pay' Resolution
Food & Water Watch asked the council to back a state bill making polluters fund cleanup, potentially $50 billion over 20 years. The mayor referred it to the Environmental Commission for a recommendation.
Bailey Park contamination concerns
Resident Tom Biesiada detailed decades of Hercules and DuPont chemical dumping and warned against park plans on contaminated ground. The business administrator said an environmental assessment is underway before any construction.
Melrose Pump Station flood-resilience rebuild
Sayreville locked in $2.86 million in Hurricane Ida recovery money to reconstruct and upgrade the Melrose Pump Station so it can better handle flooding and coastal storms.
Youth sports and scouting fee assistance
Scoutmaster Jim McCracken asked the borough to cover scouting registration fees like it does for youth sports. The mayor liked the idea but the budget's already passed — he wants numbers from all troops by way of the business administrator.
BOE Bus Depot Litigation Settlement
Behind closed doors, the Council authorized the borough attorney to begin settling the bus depot lawsuit with the school board; the settlement resolution will be public at the next meeting.
Kennedy Park Improvements
A $1 million state grant will fund Fielek Park improvements; a resident naturalist urged the Borough to protect the park's wildlife, pond and native plants while upgrading it.
2026 Municipal Budget introduction
The borough's 2026 budget failed to get adopted because no council member would second the adoption motion. The Mayor told the council to go back and rework it, and wants the DCA to advise on how to move forward. This could affect services and next year's tax bills if it stays unresolved.
Scott Avenue structure fire response
Fire and mutual aid companies saved all occupants and neighboring homes in a structure fire on Scott Avenue — a house Councilman Blemur once lived in. Blemur urged working smoke and CO detectors.
$800,000 Sewer Fee Shortfall
Sewer fees came up $800,000 short this year — a shortfall now being made up through taxes. Novak said a fee ordinance is coming before year's end to shift costs off homeowners.
Library security and improvements
Steel doors, keypad locks and new office furniture for the library — roughly $77,000 combined through co-op contracts.
Affordable Housing Ordinance Update (Ordinance #08-26)
The council reaffirmed its commitment to adopt everything needed to implement its court-approved affordable housing plan — 194 present-need and 240 prospective-need units.
Public Employee Health Care Cost Reform (Resolution 2026-160)
The council unanimously voted to have a resolution prepared demanding reform of health benefits — a cost issue that hits the borough budget and taxpayers.
GoNetSpeed Fiber Broadband Coming
The borough approved a rights-of-way agreement with GoNetSpeed, opening the door to new fiber-optic internet service and more competition for residents.
Non-Lethal Goose Management
Animal Protection League advocates returned to push non-lethal solutions to the town's goose problem — no-feeding rules, habitat changes, and deterrents — after their key borough contact retired.
2026 Municipal Budget and Tax Increase
The borough's 2026 budget failed to get adopted because no council member would second the adoption motion. The Mayor told the council to go back and rework it, and wants the DCA to advise on how to move forward. This could affect services and next year's tax bills if it stays unresolved.
Waterfront Parcel J senior housing amendment
The adopted amendment allows up to 105 age-restricted rental units, including 16 special-needs units, on Parcel J near the existing Gillette Towers complex, helping meet the borough's Fourth Round affordable housing obligation.
Unpaid JCP&L streetlight bill
The borough hasn't paid JCP&L in ten months over a dispute about streetlight outage credits, but the CFO said there's no data to calculate a fair withholding. The issue was moved to the budget workshop.
E-bike and e-scooter safety
Councilman Synarski blasted unsupervised kids riding electric bikes, including one under 10 with an unfastened helmet. New state rules kick in in July, and the borough may ban e-bikes from parks.
Proposed Jupiter Power Battery Storage Facility
SERA named Jupiter Power conditional developer for the old power plant site on River Road; a community information session is set for March 26. A resident warned the council to check how the facility could affect the town's insurance ratings.
Traffic Safety on Pine Tree Drive
A resident complained about speeding on Pine Tree Drive; the Public Works committee is suggesting a speed feedback sign as a proven deterrent.
Port Authority Use of the Borough Gun Range
The council split 3-3 on whether to even negotiate with the Port Authority over sharing the borough's police firing range. Supporters point to Port Authority money for sound barriers and mandatory suppressors that have cut noise; opponents say the range was promised to Sayreville police only and worry about noise for residents near Laurel Park.
Aging Water Infrastructure
The borough is planning a $19 million overhaul of its sewer system, including replacing the South River sewer line and pump station. State low-interest loans would cover the cost without new debt service, protecting taxpayers.
Towing and storage rate increases
Towing fees are jumping — light-duty tows from $100 to $150, heavy-duty from $450 to $650, and daily storage rates roughly doubling. If your car is ever towed, it'll cost more.
Winding Woods traffic safety
Forty-four accidents in three years near the Winding Woods exit have prompted a county study of a possible traffic light there.
Paid EMT service and EMS billing
A resident pushed for a paid, round-the-clock EMT department, citing 40-minute ambulance waits and being billed improperly by Hackensack Meridian despite insurance. The borough administrator offered to help residents with EMS billing disputes.
JCP&L power outages and infrastructure reliability
Repeated outages — including one that forced a warming center opening during a February cold snap — have residents and council members furious. The BPU has ignored letters from the mayor and council, and residents are demanding escalation to state legislators and possible regulatory action.
Senior property tax relief programs
The mayor shared that his household's $10,000 property tax bill was effectively halved by the ANCHOR and state NJ benefits, and urged eligible residents — 65 and over or disabled — to apply for the Stay NJ program.
Volunteer first responder recruitment and retention
Fire, first aid, police and OEM need volunteers badly. Council President Zebrowski is pushing for higher LOSAP and clothing allowance contributions in the next budget to recruit and retain them.
Community Aquatic and Fitness Facility
A $3.65 million aquatic and fitness center is planned at the former Rose Street pool site, funded by roughly $2.1 million in state grants and loans, with a partnership giving the school district access for programs.