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Matawan council authorizes application for $400,000 county park grant for Gravelly Brook Park restrooms and concession shell
Summary
The Matawan Borough Council voted June 16 to apply for a $400,000 Monmouth County park improvement grant toward an $800,000 project to replace restrooms and add a concession shell at Gravelly Brook Park; councilors said final design and funding decisions would follow if the grant is awarded.
The Matawan Borough Council voted unanimously on June 16 to authorize an application to the Monmouth County Municipal Park Improvement Grants Program seeking up to $400,000 toward a roughly $800,000 Gravelly Brook Park improvement project that would replace restrooms and include a concession shell.
The council opened a public hearing on the project and heard a presentation from the staff presenter identified in the record as Rob, who described a modular building to replace a decayed structure. Rob said the total grant request is $400,000 and the total project cost is $800,000, meaning the borough would be responsible for a 50% match if the grant is awarded.
The proposal prompted questions from residents about where the borough’s 50% share would come from and who would maintain new facilities. Rob and borough staff said there is no currently budgeted local funding and that the match would be incorporated into a future budget or bonded if the grant is awarded. Staff said the borough’s Department of Public Works would incorporate bathroom maintenance into its rotation; user groups renting the field would be required to carry insurance and be responsible for cleanup after events.
Resident Abby Berg supported replacing the bathrooms but criticized building a concession component she called ‘‘unnecessary’’ and said a ramp or other access improvements might be a cheaper alternative. Berg said, "I'm all for the bathrooms. Concession stand...is a waste of money." Officials responded that the concession portion is largely a shell (counters and plugs for portable equipment) and that the principal construction cost is for bathrooms and site work; the design also includes a small storage/merchandise area.
Mayor Joseph Altomonte and staff acknowledged safety questions raised by residents about speeding and blind spots near access roads to the park and said they would ask the police department to review patrols; they also said decisions about including a concession in the final build can be made after the borough learns whether it receives the grant and during subsequent bidding and public-input steps.
On the motion to authorize the grant application (Resolution 26-06-09), the clerk called the roll and recorded unanimous approval. The council will proceed with the county application; if funded, the borough will undertake additional public meetings and bidding before construction.
Votes at a glance: the council also adopted Ordinance 26-13 (establishing a qualified purchasing agent position) and approved a slate of consent-agenda resolutions covering contract awards, bid rejections, audit certifications, insertion of a Green Communities grant revenue line, and payments of bills, all by recorded roll-call votes during the meeting.
What happens next: the borough will submit the county grant application and, should it be awarded, return to the public with more detail about final scope, funding sources and contractor selection. The council emphasized that concessions are not a settled part of the project and may be removed or modified after further cost breakdowns and public input.
