SARA approves new easements and 2025 administrative resolutions; bills paid

The Sayreville Economic Redevelopment Agency on Jan. 9 approved a series of resolutions covering utility easements, agency officers, salaries and calendar scheduling, and voted to refer the former JCP&L power-plant site on River Road to the planning board.

The agency voted unanimously to terminate a 1958 sanitary-sewer easement and to establish a new sanitary-sewer easement for Block 25601 Lot 24 (formerly part of Block 257 Lot 3.04) under resolution 2025-0101. Commissioners carried the motion after discussion earlier in the meeting about corrected lot and block exhibits that had been updated by the developer and the agency’s engineer.

In separate votes the agency: - Approved resolution establishing agency officers for calendar year 2025 (nomination and election of John Zabrowski as chairman and the vice chair for 2025). - Adopted resolution 2025-0103 setting employees’ salaries for calendar year 2025. - Adopted resolution 2025-0104 establishing the meeting schedule for calendar year 2025, including dates for regular and working meetings. - Referred the River Road former JCP&L power-plant site to the planning board for an ‘‘area in need of redevelopment’’ study under resolution 2025-0106. Staff provided a mapped area and the resolution to commissioners at the meeting. - Approved resolution 2025-0107 authorizing a utility easement to replace a collapsed storm sewer line and to construct an adjoining headwall, with retained rights to modify the structure in the future for roadway construction.

The agency also authorized payment of bills with a total of $41,227.60: $29,458.10 charged to operating and $11,769.50 charged to escrow; commissioners approved that authorization by roll call.

All listed resolutions were moved, seconded and approved by roll call. No votes against or formal recorded abstentions appear in the final roll calls for these items.

Why it matters: The easement and utility approvals allow immediate repairs and replacement of critical storm- and sanitary-sewer infrastructure that developers and municipal engineers said must proceed quickly; the referral of the former power-plant site begins a formal redevelopment review that could enable cleanup and reuse of a large River Road parcel.

What happened at the meeting: The attorney and the agency engineer presented legal descriptions and updated exhibits for the sanitary-sewer easement replacement, noting corrected lot-and-block listings from CME engineers and a developer revision. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about language reserving an agency right to modify headwall structures should future roadway construction (for example a Main Street bypass) require changes to the easement’s improvements.

Votes at a glance (key roll-call outcomes): - Resolution 2025-0101 (terminate 1958 easement / establish new sanitary-sewer easement for Block 25601 Lot 24): approved (roll call: Mr. Davis — yes; Mr. DeWise — yes; Ms. Fisher — yes; Mr. Grillo — yes; Mr. Parikh — yes; Councilwoman Roberts — yes; Mr. Scott — yes; Chairman John Zabrowski — yes). - Resolution establishing agency officers for 2025 (nomination of John Zabrowski as chairman; vice chair nominated and approved): approved (roll call recorded as unanimous). - Resolution 2025-0103 (establish employees’ salaries for 2025): approved (roll call recorded as unanimous). - Resolution 2025-0104 (meeting schedule for calendar year 2025): approved (roll call recorded as unanimous). - Resolution 2025-0106 (refer former JCP&L power-plant site to planning board for area-in-need study): approved (roll call recorded as unanimous). - Resolution 2025-0107 (utility easement authorizing replacement of collapsed storm sewer line and construction of headwall; retained modification rights): approved (roll call recorded as unanimous). - Authorization to pay bills (total $41,227.60; Operating $29,458.10; Escrow $11,769.50): approved by roll call.

What the approvals do not do: The referral (2025-0106) sends the matter to the planning board for study; it does not itself adopt redevelopment designation or exercise eminent-domain powers. Commissioners and staff explicitly described the referral and subsequent planning-board review as the next step. The resolutions authorizing easements include language (as discussed) that reserves the agency’s ability to modify the headwall should future roadway construction require alteration; the agency did not adopt any construction contract beyond approving the easement authorization.

Looking ahead: Staff said some items on tonight’s agenda were added late because engineers provided updated exhibits the same day and developers asked for expedited action so repairs and permit work could proceed.