Residents press Sayreville council over attorney conflict and waterfront pollution claims during public comment

A trio of public commenters pressed the Sayreville Mayor and Borough Council on Nov. 24, 2025, about the borough attorney’s role in an affordable-housing settlement conference and about alleged pollution and selective enforcement at a waterfront property.

Sharon, speaking for the Cultural Arts Council, asked why a cultural-arts item had been removed from the agenda and was told the program will move under the recreation department and needs additional work, Mayor said. "It was worded something about three people would be appointed," Sharon said; the mayor advised her to follow up with the recreation director for details.

A resident who identified himself as Jim raised the largest concern, asking who represented the borough at a settlement conference with the Fair Share Coalition. He said he had previously been told the borough attorney would recuse from matters involving a 40-acre parcel owned by a private landowner at the center of the town’s affordable-housing plan and accused the attorney’s office of breaking that commitment. "We were told there would be a recusal. We were lied to," Jim said. He added that the land parcel is “central to our affordable housing plan” and urged transparency about representation.

A representative of the borough attorney’s office responded to the question during the public-comment period. The attorney’s office said it "did not believe there was a conflict of interest," but added, "however, to avoid the appearance of impropriety, we will recuse ourselves from any dealings involving the MCO property." The office did not provide further detail about which firm appeared at the settlement conference or whether alternative counsel would handle ongoing affordable-housing matters.

Another commenter, Vinnie of Garden State Accountability, urged the council to drop a trespassing charge against a YouTuber named Matthew (channel Two Feet Outdoors) and to investigate a waterfront property he said had been polluting local waterways. Vinnie told the council that no "no-trespassing" signs were present when the video evidence was recorded and said signs appeared only after charges were filed. "His case is scheduled for trial on December 18th at 10 a.m.," Vinnie said, and asked the borough to investigate a vessel he described as "leaking fluids into the South River." Council staff agreed to follow up and asked the commenter to file a complaint so officials could inspect the site.

The council did not take formal action at the meeting on the allegations about the attorney’s representation or on the pollution claims. Council officials said the trespassing case will follow normal court procedures and that borough staff would investigate the reported boat at the waterfront and follow up with the speaker in the days after the meeting.

The council closed the public-comment period after additional remarks and then moved on to other agenda items.