By JACQUELINE DURETT
Correspondent
SOUTH AMBOY — Can the council change the hours for a business at a resident’s request?
It cannot, officials confirmed Sept. 21 at the City Council meeting.
There, John Ruszala of Parlin and his son, Nick, spoke during the public portion about problems they are having with the neighbor next to the house Ruszala owns on Bordentown Avenue: Krauszer’s convenience store. Nick Ruszala is a tenant in the duplex.
John Ruszala read a statement at the meeting that said noise and loitering at night is a problem. He also said delivery trucks block the house’s driveway. According to Ruszala, there has been a significant increase in traffic at the convenience store since the C-Town supermarket just a few lots away burned down.
“Both the tenants on my first and second floors can’t take it anymore. Enough is enough,” he said.
He also said there is trash accumulating on the site.
“It’s a mess,” he told the council.
Ruszala said because of all the problems his tenants are encountering, he would like Krauszer’s to close two hours earlier. He said the owner also owns the location on Broadway, and patrons could use that store from 10 p.m. to midnight.
“That would be fair to all,” he said, adding that the owner also can encourage shoppers to come to the store earlier in the day.
City Law Director John Lanza said that Krauszer’s is operating in a business zone, and the council could not impose a restriction on the business regarding its hours. He advised Ruszala to file a formal complaint in court.
However, Lanza’s answer frustrated Ruszala.
“Don’t you have any kind of say or any kind of power?” Ruszala asked.
Mayor Fred Henry pointed out that the business has the right to be open and does not have an obligation to direct patrons to a different location.
“This is not the forum for filing a complaint. You can tell us what’s going on, but from our standpoint they have the right to be open,” he said.
At the meeting, Business Administrator Camille Tooker, added, however, that the city can take action if the business has code violations. She said if the city finds evidence of trash buildup or illegal parking, the owner could be cited.
“Pretty much the only thing we can’t do is tell them they have to close at 10,” she said.
Councilwoman Zusette Dato asked if other neighbors were having a problem. However, the Ruszalas said they were not because of the layout of the parking and a nearby wall.
However, after the meeting, owner Jack Patel strongly countered the Ruszalas’ claims, and said no one who lives at the residence has ever complained to him about the issues the Ruszalas spoke about. He said he is often on site.
“Everything is neat and clean,” he stressed. Patel also said he has installed cameras at the site to increase security.
Patel also said he does not own the Krauszer’s on Broadway, so the Ruszalas’ suggestion would not be a viable one. He said closing two hours early would be a hardship.