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Mayor lays out 2026 priorities: road and sewer projects, pool and senior-center upgrades, hiring and accreditation goals
Summary
In a lengthy address the mayor highlighted 2025 accomplishments — multiple state grants, DPW service statistics, library and senior-center investments — and outlined 2026 capital priorities including a $1 million NJ DOT grant for Oak Tree Avenue, a $448,271 sewer lining grant, and a $600,000 DCA recreational-grant-funded pool upgrade.
The borough mayor outlined projects and priorities for 2026 during the Jan. 6 reorganization meeting, emphasizing grant-funded infrastructure work, continued public-safety investments and expanded recreation and senior services.
Among the mayor's highlights, the borough received a $1 million New Jersey Department of Transportation local infrastructure grant to partially fund improvements to Oak Tree Avenue and associated streets, and a $414,747 NJ municipal aid grant for additional roadwork. The mayor said five miles of borough roadway were resurfaced during 2025.
On public works and services, the mayor reported 2,487 bulk pickups totaling more than 755 tons of waste and 543 senior-resident pickups during the prior year. The mayor credited DPW, engineering and finance departments with maintaining facilities, parks and a municipal vehicle fleet of nearly 100 vehicles.
The mayor also listed grant-supported facility improvements: a New Jersey Department of Community Affairs legislative grant of $500,000 that funded a borough-hall roof and upgrades and a $1 million DCA grant to help complete the police fuel station. A $91,000 DCA recreational improvement grant helped senior-center parking-lot resurfacing and ADA upgrades, and the mayor said a $600,000 recreational improvement grant will help fund community pool upgrades, new courts and a pavilion in 2026.
Public-safety investments were emphasized: the police department hired four officers and two full-time dispatchers and is pursuing accreditation for the first time in more than 20 years. The mayor noted leadership training partnerships and community-engagement programs such as National Night Out and youth-oriented initiatives.
Capital projects planned for 2026 include a Hadley Road sanitary sewer lining project to rehabilitate approximately 1,450 ft of sanitary sewer (supported by a $448,271 NJOT municipal-aid grant) along with road improvements on Kennedy Road, Snider Road and Pompeo Avenue. The mayor framed these projects as part of a broader focus on balancing capital investments while keeping municipal property taxes in check.
The mayor closed by announcing a yearlong centennial celebration for South Planefield in 2026, including a reenactment of the borough's first council meeting, the unveiling of Centennial Square, and a time capsule to be placed at the municipal building.
Representative quote from the mayor: "As we close out 2025, we reflect on our accomplishments and prepare to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the borough." The mayor's full remarks summarized accomplishments across departments and outlined capital projects and grant-funded priorities for the coming year.
Sources: mayor's address to the council, submitted and read on the record during the Jan. 6 meeting. Dollar figures, program counts and project descriptions were read aloud by the mayor during the speech and are reported here as stated on the record.
