Freehold Township Committee moves easement ordinance to public hearing, approves $2.91 million bills list and consent agenda

Freehold Township Committee members on May 12, 2026 voted to carry an ordinance on easements to public hearing, approved a $2,911,406.74 consolidated bills list and adopted a multi-item consent agenda after an executive session that had addressed personnel, affordable housing and other attorney-client matters.

Committeeman Cook moved — and Committeeman Walker seconded — a motion to go into executive session at 7:00 p.m.; the motion passed unanimously. Committeeman Cook then read the closed-session resolution citing N.J.S.A. 10:4-13 and N.J.S.A. 10:4-12(b), listing subjects including personnel (a Planning Board interview), affordable housing, redevelopment, litigation, contracts, shared services, fire districts, open space and collective bargaining; the committee returned to public session at about 8:05 p.m.

After reconvening, Committeeman Ammiano moved to carry Ordinance O-26-20 (accepting a landscape and buffer easement and a pedestrian access easement for Block 80, New Lot 38, 3479 Route 9) to the Township Committee public hearing on May 26, 2026; Committeeman Cook seconded and the motion passed on a unanimous vote of Committeeman Ammiano, Committeeman Cook, Committeewoman Fasano, Committeeman Walker and Mayor Preston.

Committeeman Walker read Resolution R-26-96, the consolidated bills list, showing $2,911,406.74 in payments. He moved for adoption; the full committee voted unanimously to approve the bills list.

Earlier in the meeting Committeeman Cook moved and Committeeman Walker seconded a motion to table two Consent Agenda items, R-26-100 and R-26-101 (authorizing non-fair-and-open contracts for special legal services and for claim asset manager services); the motion to table was adopted unanimously.

The committee then adopted the remaining Consent Agenda items by a single motion. The consent package included: R-26-97 (accepting a Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for 34 Topanemus Lane), R-26-98 (renewal of a shared-services agreement with the Western Monmouth Active Shooter Training Group), R-26-99 (shared-services agreement with the Freehold Township Board of Education for Special Law Enforcement Officers II and III), R-26-102 (approval for overnight play at iPlay America), R-26-103 (cancellation of various grant receivable and appropriation reserve balances), and budget amendments inserting grant revenues and appropriations for the National Opioid Settlement, the HDSRF award for 34 Topanemus Lane, and NEHA-FDA funding (R-26-104 through R-26-106). Committeeman Cook moved adoption of the consent slate and Committeeman Walker seconded; the vote was unanimous.

Township Clerk Sanabel Abouzeina read a Social Affairs Permit report for the Olde Freehold Day Town Festival at Lake Topanemus Park scheduled Aug. 1, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; she stated the permit was in order and approved by the Chief of Police. Mayor Preston congratulated Chief of Police George Bauman for a recent recognition by the Vin Gopal Civic Association and reminded attendees about the Municipal Alliance to Prevent Drug Abuse golf outing on May 18, 2026. The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

The committee is scheduled to hold its next Township Committee meeting and the public hearing on May 26, 2026.