Aberdeen projects ready for eco. stimulus funds

ABERDEEN — The township announced last week that it would apply for funding from the anticipated federal stimulus program to finance a number of planned infrastructure projects.

"In the spirit of President [Barack] Obama's desire to quickly put people back to work on needed projects that are 'shovel ready,'each endeavor on our list can go out to bid within 60 to 90 days," said Mayor David Sobel. "Our council and professionals will be lobbying our representatives at the federal and state levels to obtain funding for these worthy projects."

According to Township Manager Joseph Criscuolo, several projects would be submitted to the state in pursuit of N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) grant money applicable toward sanitary sewer and clean-water projects, as well as projects that will get trades people back to work.

"Basically, we are trying to look at each area where they are offering money through economic stimulus packages and apply for our projects," Criscuolo said. "When it comes to getting grant money, we just have to throw as many [projects] in the hat and hope some will get funded. They might not be awarded money the first round, but sometimes a projectwillwin in the second or third rounds, like the county road project. Sometimes it is just persistence."

According to a press release from the township, applications will be submitted for the renovation and expansion of the George Hausmann Senior Center; the relocation of a water main currently situated on a Garden State Parkway overpass, to run underground below the roadway; the construction of the Cliffwood Beach sea wall pedestrian project to augment grants that have already been awarded to facilitate the launch and completion of the project; refurbishment of two water lines that run below Route 35; and the construction of a sewage pump station and lines in the Freneau section of town, allowing for the addition of sanitary sewers to that area of the township.

The renovation of the senior center, an older building located on Noble Place, would satisfy returning local tradesmen to work, Criscuolo said.

"At the George Hausmann Senior Center, we would need roofers, electricians, plumbers and so on," he said. "It is an older building, and the township would like to fix it up and use the architectural plans we have for it. In the past, the cost of renovations has prevented the township from doing so."

Criscuolo said relocating water mains near the Garden State Parkway and replacing water lines under Route 35 would fall under DEP funding for drinking-water projects.

"We received literature from the state regarding clean-drinking-water grants, and with that money we could relocate the water mains that currently are housed on an overpass to run below the road," he said. "We could also replace the lines that run beneath Route 35."

Also on the laundry list of projects is the elusive Cliffwood sea wall.

"The Sea Walk Enhancement Project is a project that has gone on for a number of years, and we have received grant money in the past for this project, but we would like to receive funding for the completion of the project," Criscuolo said. "The project has been done in several phases and there is quite a bit of beach erosion there."

Criscuolo said revitalization is the end goal for the sea walk project.

"The sea walk runs from Cliffwood Beach to Laurence Harbor, and there actually was a pedestrian bridge to the Morgan section of Sayreville at one time," Criscuolo said. "We want to re-create what used to be there and revitalize a recreation area and walking path for residents to enjoy. On a sunny day, you can actually see all the way across the [Raritan Bay], and it offers quite a beautiful view."

According to the township's online slide presentation outlining the sea walk project, available on the Web site, the project spans a 5/8-mile portion of publicly owned bayside property, allowing for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) access at Lakeshore and Beach drives and the wall itself, and restoring foot traffic to the shoreline in Cliffwood Beach.

Cliffwood Beach, the presentation states, was a popular resort town in the early 1900s, boasting a boardwalk, saltwater pools and amusements, until 1960 when Hurricane Donna ravaged the area and destroyed the boardwalk. Along with the area's economy, the beach also began to erode.

In order to prevent further land and beach decay, the Army Corps of Engineers constructed a seawall rising approximately 20 feet above bay level that spans the entire proposed sea walk section from Lakeshore Drive to Beach Drive.

According to the presentation, access improvements to the Lakeshore Drive access point are slated to include a new gated access, allowing for increased access control and visibility into the proposed ADA-accessible asphalt parking area. Additional improvements would include the installation of a handrail system, ADA-compliant ramps, as well as striping and signage.

In order to accommodate ADA access to the sea walk from the parking area, the township would also install a soft boardwalk, consisting of "engineered plastic-wood planks joined continuously with environmentally resistant ropes that can be laid out directly on the existing sand, to provide for acceptable access requirements, and then rolled up, removed and stored when environmental conditions require such, as in winter months," the presentation explains.

The last project is installation of a pump station and sanitary sewers in the Freneau section of town, Criscuolo said.

"Freneau does not have any sewers at this time, and in accordance with the economic recovery program for the environmental trust fund, we would construct a sewer pump station and install sewer lines," Criscuolo said. "So, these grants are a good opportunity for the township to get funding to provide sewers in this portion of the town."

Aberdeen's geared efforts do not end with applying for federal and state funding.

At the Jan. 20 Township Council meeting, the council unanimously approved a resolution urging state legislators to reduce the state sales tax on the purchase of new automobiles and trucks.

"We actually introduced it about a month ago," said Councilman Fred Tagliarini, the council member who sponsored and introduced the resolution. "Our attorney looked at it and said it seemed like no [other municipality] in the state has passed a resolution similar."

According to Tagliarini, the resolution calls on Gov. Jon Corzine and the state Legislature to institute a reduction of 50 percent or better on sales tax for purchasing new automobiles.

"We are trying to think outside the box here," Tagliarini said. "Of course we want to help the residents of Aberdeen during these tough economic times, but this is a way to help the auto industry in New Jersey and state residents."

Tagliarini said the resolution is good for both the state and residents looking to purchase a new car or truck.

"The state isn't getting sales tax revenue from new car purchases, because people aren't buying and car dealerships are closing," he explained. "If the state would lower the sales tax, it would be an incentive for people to purchase new vehicles with a lower sales tax price. It is a win-win."

Criscuolo said that the resolution will be forwarded to the governor and state legislators as well as to the N.J. League of Municipalities.

"We will be sending it to the league, so hopefully other municipalities will follow suit and help residents and the auto industry in New Jersey," he said.

For more information about the Cliffwood Beach Sea Walk Enhancement Project, visit www.aberdeennj.org.