MATAWAN – Members of the Matawan Borough Council have taken action to encourage the revitalization of Main Street.
During a meeting on Dec. 15, council members passed a resolution which waives Construction Department fees to promote the renovation of existing non-residential vacant commercial structures/units in the section of the borough that has been designated an area in need of rehabilitation.
The current resolution waiving the fees was set to expire and municipal officials wanted to extend the provision, according to Mayor Joseph Altomonte.
“This (action) is to spark the mainstream businesses in town and we are looking to revive and restore Matawan, especially on Main Street, and that (previous resolution) was passed to help some of the empty commercial stores in town,” Altomonte said.
“We extended it for another year and (needed to) especially during COVID-19. Combining that, we waived business relicensing fees also during the pandemic to try to help businesses,” he said.
Altomonte and the council members said they recognize that government programs may be of assistance in the progress of the relationship between business and government to stabilize communities.
The mayor said there are a handful of vacant commercial structures in the section of the borough that has been designated as an area in need of rehabilitation. Most of those structures are along Main Street.
In other business, the council adopted a $2.065 million bond ordinance to fund road improvements.
The total cost of the planned improvements is $2.63 million. The work will be financed through the issuance of bonds, as well as by two grants that are expected to be received from the New Jersey Department of Transportation in the amount of $460,000, and a $105,000 down payment.
Work is expected to be completed on Overhill Road, Overbrook Lane, Edgemere Drive, Sapphire Lane and at other locations throughout Matawan.
Finally, council members announced the promotion of Sean McCabe to the rank of lieutenant, the promotion of Matthew T. O’Boyle to the rank of lieutenant, the promotion of Paul Ryba to the rank of sergeant, the hiring of Jack M. Meany as a police officer, the hiring of Mason B. Sheehan as a police officer and the appointment of Class II Special Law Enforcement Officer Shawn R. Ramcheran, all in the Matawan Police Department.