Rutherford Borough Council Approves $5 Million Makeover for Memorial Park Amid Residents’ Concerns

In a recent Rutherford Borough Council meeting, attendees discussed a wide range of public concerns, focusing on the announcement of a $5 million appropriation from the state budget to modernize Memorial Park. The upgrade is expected to take at least a year, but council members, including the mayor and the borough administrator, insisted on ensuring local sports programs’ continuity during the project’s execution.

Addressing infrastructure needs, Brian Zindola, the Borough’s engineer, provided updates on restoration works by PSNG, DOT grants, ADA bathroom construction at Tamlin Field, and a ramp installation at Borough Hall. The Council President lauded Brian and Bob for their efforts to enhance the Borough Hall’s accessibility.

Despite these advances, the meeting was not without its share of criticisms. A recurring theme was the ongoing flooding issue in the borough, most notably emphasized by resident Bob Shaffer. He described how his property had been swamped with over 150,000 gallons of water during Hurricane Ida and urged the council to make use of available FEMA funds for infrastructural improvements. In response, the council is reportedly exploring FEMA funding opportunities and working with the borough administrator and borough engineer to access this money.

Another focal point was the matter of affordable housing and Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements. Residents like Catherine Marshall and Rod Cain voiced concerns about parking spaces being lost due to the Agnew development, the off-siting of affordable housing, and potential PILOT agreements favoring developers at taxpayers’ expense. Resident Adam Zora echoed these sentiments, questioning the legality of the variance in salaries among board and commission secretaries.

The council also approved a redevelopment agreement involving the Kipp Avenue project, which involves a $275,000 contribution from the borough’s trust fund towards seven affordable housing units. This move is part of a broader initiative to support affordable housing and foster inclusivity within the borough, with a specific focus on differently-abled residents, seniors, and veterans.

The meeting concluded with a promise to address the borough’s parking woes in the next agenda, a commitment to maintaining open communication with residents, and an assurance to look into improving handicapped parking and walking paths on Park Avenue. Council President McGowan surprised attendees by reversing her previous decision to resign due to a move out of state, announcing her decision to stay and serve the Rutherford community.

Among other topics discussed, a resolution was proposed to rename a portion of Crane Avenue to honor Alonzo Sisco Jr., the first black councilman in Rutherford, and a respected public servant. The council also unanimously passed several ordinances on their first reading, most notably amending construction site fencing and facade treatments. Despite some objections from the public, the council approved an amendment to the Theater District Redevelopment Plan Area A.

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.
Not avaliable:

City Council Officials:

Receive debriefs about local meetings in your inbox weekly:

Trending meetings
across the country:

Meeting Date
Filter by bodytypes
Agricultural Advisory Committee
Airport Advisory Board
Art and Culture Board
Beach Committee
Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Board of Elections
Board of Health
Borough Council
Building Committee
Cannabis Control Board
Cemetery Commission
Charter Revision Commission
Child and Family Services Board
City Council
City Identity Committee
Code Enforcement Board
College Board of Trustees
Community Appearance Board
Community Preservation Committee
Community Redevelopment Agency
County Council
Disability Advisory Committee
Economic Development Board
Elderly Affairs Board
Electric Advisory Board
Environmental Commission
Financial Oversight Board
Historic Preservation Commission
Housing Authority
Human Relations Committee
Human Resources Committee
Insurance Fund
Land Use Board
Library Board
Licensing Board
Mental Health Commission
Municipal Alliance
Open Space Commission
Oversight and Review Committee
Parent Advisory Board
Parking Authority
Parks and Gardens Commission
Parks Commission
Pension Board
Planning Board
Police Review Board
Port Authority
Property Assessment Board
Public Safety Committee
Recreation Commission
Redevelopment Agency
Rent Control Board
Rent Leveling Board
School Board
Sewerage Authority
Shade Tree Commission
Special Magistrate
Taxation & Revenue Advisory Committee
Tourism Board
Trails Committee
Transportation Board
Utility Board
Value Adjustment Board
Veterans Committee
Water Control Board
Women's Advisory Committee
Youth Advisory Committee
Zoning Board
Filter by County
FL
Bay County
Bradford County
Brevard County
Broward County
Clay County
Duval County
Escambia County
Gulf County
Hendry County
Highlands County
Hillsborough County
Indian River County
Lake County
Lee County
Leon County
Levy County
Liberty County
Manatee County
Marion County
Martin County
Miami-Dade County
Monroe County
Okaloosa County
Orange County
Osceola County
Palm Beach County
Pasco County
Pinellas County
Polk County
Putnam County
Santa Rosa County
Sarasota County
Seminole County
St. Johns County
Taylor County
Volusia County
Walton County
MA
Barnstable County
Berkshire County
Bristol County
Essex County
Franklin County
Hampden County
Hampshire County
Middlesex County
Norfolk County
Plymouth County
Suffolk County
Worcester County
MN
Anoka County
Becker County
Beltrami County
Benton County
Blue Earth County
Brown County
Carver County
Cass County
Chippewa County
Chisago County
Clay County
Cook County
Crow Wing County
Dakota County
Freeborn County
Goodhue County
Grant County
Hennepin County
Isanti County
Itasca County
Kanabec County
Kandiyohi County
Koochiching County
Lac Qui Parle County
Lyon County
Mcleod County
Morrison County
Mower County
Nicollet County
Olmsted County
Pipestone County
Polk County
Ramsey County
Rice County
Scott County
Sherburne County
Sibley County
St Louis County
Stearns County
Steele County
Waseca County
Washington County
Wright County
NJ
Atlantic County
Bergen County
Burlington County
Camden County
Cape May County
Cumberland County
Essex County
Gloucester County
Hudson County
Hunterdon County
Mercer County
Middlesex County
Monmouth County
Morris County
Ocean County
Passaic County
Somerset County
Sussex County
Union County
Warren County
NY
Bronx County
Kings County
New York County
Queens County
Richmond County
TN
Shelby County
Filter by sourcetypes
Minutes
Recording