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Audubon commissioners approve permits, appointments and grants; $150,000 Green Acres award announced for inclusive playground
Summary
The Borough of Audubon approved a slate of permits, appointments and budget insertions on June 16, 2026, and Commissioner Andrea Wendell announced a $150,000 Green Acres grant (with an optional $350,000 loan) to help build an inclusive playground at Audubon Family Park. Officials also approved social affairs permits and several grant insertions into the municipal budget.
Audubon Borough officials on June 16 approved multiple permits, appointments and budget insertions and heard a public comment about neighborhood trespassing.
Commissioner Andrea Wendell announced the borough won a Green Acres grant of $150,000 with an optional $350,000 loan to support an inclusive play area at Audubon Family Park. “We were awarded the grant that we submitted for Green Acres, and we were awarded $150,000 with the optional $350,000 loan for our inclusive play for the playground at Audubon Family Park,” Wendell said. She credited a grant-writing consultant and borough staff for helping secure the award.
The meeting included several formal votes. The commissioners approved the payment of bills for June (Resolution 2026-132), authorized a social affairs permit for the Audubon Volunteer Fire Department for July 4 (Resolution 2026-133), and authorized the borough engineer to apply for a New Jersey Department of Transportation grant to reconstruct South Davis Avenue — Phase III (Resolution 2026-134). The council also approved appointments to the Joint Land Use Board for terms beginning July 1, 2026 (Resolution 2026-135).
Votes at a glance: 2026-132 (payment of bills) — approved (motion by Commissioner David F. Alemi; second Commissioner Andrea Wendell; unanimous roll call). 2026-133 (social affairs permit — Audubon Volunteer Fire Department, July 4) — approved (motion by Commissioner Wendell; second Commissioner Alemi; voice vote). 2026-134 (NJDOT grant application — South Davis Ave reconstruction) — approved (motion by Commissioner Wendell; second Commissioner Alemi; voice vote). 2026-135 (Joint Land Use Board appointments — Rosell, Kindya, Gaspari) — approved (motion by Mayor Jakubowski; second Commissioner Wendell; voice vote). 2026-136 (Farm Truck Brewing LLC off-premises events) — approved (motion by Commissioner Wendell; second Commissioner Alemi; voice vote). 2026-137 (social affairs permit — Audubon Fathers Association, Sept. 26) — approved (motion by Commissioner Wendell; second Commissioner Alemi; Mayor Jakubowski abstained). 2026-138 (insert NJ DCA Local Recreational Improvement Grant of $80,000 into 2026 budget) — approved (unanimous roll call). 2026-139 (insert Camden County recreation grant — all-access playground equipment) — approved (unanimous roll call). 2026-140 (move to closed session for litigation) — approved; council entered closed session and later returned.
During the public-comment period, resident John Poliero of 47 Beloit said neighbors were trespassing on his property and asked about obtaining a permit for a fire pit. "I would prefer that the neighbors parent their children," Poliero said, describing ongoing disputes. The solicitor and the police chief recommended mediation and indicated the borough could not take further action based on the facts he described.
Mayor Robert A. Jakubowski and Commissioner Alemi offered ceremonial and program updates. Jakubowski noted a historical talk at the senior center on June 30 and a Sustainable Audubon garden tour on June 20, and said he donated a limited-edition 250th-anniversary flag for borough display. Wendell said the Audubon Honors American 250 memorial will have a ribbon cutting on July 2 and a short ceremony July 4 after the parade.
The meeting moved to a closed session for litigation (Resolution 2026-140) at 7:23 p.m.; the council returned from closed session at 8:43 p.m. and adjourned at 8:44 p.m.
