The Hazlet Township Committee has authorized an appropriation of $1.5 million for improvements to a park in Hazlet.
On July 12, committee members adopted a bond ordinance providing for the appropriation for improvements to 8th Street Park. The bond ordinance authorizes the issuance of $1 million in bonds or notes to finance part of the appropriation.
Hazlet expects to receive a Monmouth County Open Space Grant in the amount of $250,000 to help fund the improvements. The remaining costs will be covered by a down payment of $250,000, according to the ordinance.
Under municipal statute, the appropriation may only be used to acquire, preserve, maintain and improve lands for open space, conservation, recreation, farmland preservation and historic preservation, outside of paying for debt service or indebtedness resulting from these purposes, according to the ordinance.
According to the municipal website, the park is at 8th Street and Brown Avenue. The facility is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible and features a baseball/softball diamond, a basketball court and a playground.
In other business, the committee members authorized a $227,484 payment to Lucas Brothers Inc. for the 2022 road improvement program.
Committee members also passed a resolution issuing alcoholic beverage licenses for 2022-23. The licenses are effective from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.
According to the resolution, consumption licenses were issued to Grand View Manor Inc. (The Grammercy at Lakeside Manner), LM&M, LLC, (Union Liquor Plaza), and AYAN Hazlet, LLC, (Holiday Inn). Each consumption license cost $1,209.
Jai Maharaaj Inc. (Best Buy Wine and Liquor) was issued a distribution license which cost $933.
Finally, the committee members waived permit fees for a construction permits sought by the Hazlet Board of Fire Commissioners for renovations at their office on Poole Avenue and they appointed Christos Petrou as an alternate member to the Land Use Board for a term that began on June 21 and will end on Dec. 31.
Nearly $3 million in federal funding for infrastructure improvements in Monmouth County cleared a hurdle recently as the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee approved projects championed by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) as part of a congressional transportation spending bill, according to a press release from Smith’s office.
The federal funding requested by Smith includes nearly $1 million for pedestrian safety improvements along Kings Highway in Middletown.
“Because Kings Highway was first laid out nearly 400 years ago, it is ill-equipped to handle today’s modern pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular traffic,” Smith said. “These federal dollars will help create a safer and more complete sidewalk network for pedestrians accessing the Middletown train station, Middletown Village Elementary School, town hall and the Middletown Township Public Library.”
“Kings Highway is the heart of one of the oldest historic districts in New Jersey and it desperately needs these improvements to become a safer, more walkable area for our community,” Mayor Tony Perry said.
“This funding is crucial to modernize the road so residents and visitors alike can safely access important township assets such as our new town hall and train station. The proposed historic street lighting will also help Kings Highway remain aesthetically true to its past,” Perry said.
Smith said the project will take place on Kings Highway and on four other streets surrounding the train station, and involves the reconstruction/repaving of Kings Highway from Route 35 at the new town hall to New Monmouth Road.
The scope of the work to be performed also entails the excavation and remediation of deteriorated sidewalks, the creation of new sidewalks where none exist and the installation of Americans with Disabilities Act ramps, detectable warning surfaces, a modular concrete retaining wall and split-rail fencing where necessary, according to the press release.