There are still tons of roads that need to be refine/or repaired in aberdeen. Bring back fireworks. And it would be nice if Santa came down our road.

*redone

We need to attract more new businesses to Main Street.

I agree with both of the ladies. There are many roads in both towns that need repair some spots have been requested over and over and nothing has been done. (corner of 79 and 516 the huge dip in the road)
Main st is looking pretty ghetto. I think the town has done a terrible job at attracting and keeping new business.

1.) Gentrification of Main Street and the area around the Matawan train station. Bring in and retain new businesses!!! Let’s hold our elected officials accountable if no action and results are seen in the coming months and years.

2.) Stop the day laborers who stand around looking for work in local areas. This includes citizens not hiring these guys, businesses forcing them off their property, and town officials creating ordinances and laws prohibiting this passive solicitation.

3.) Do something to improve the service at the Matawan post office. I go out of my way to go to a different post office because of the poor quality of service and attitudes of workers at our post office.

4.) Stop the rude, inconsiderate commuters who insist on driving in the right lane of Matawan and Morristown Road to get like 400’ feet ahead of people but cutting them off and waiting patiently to get on the Parkway North during morning commute.

Those are my wishes for 2013 in Matawan! Support local businesses and shop local!!! Happy New Year!

Get them to finish the connection of the Henry Hudson trail. What is that bridge over the Parkway doing there except to take pedestrian/bike traffic across? Turn that rail station into a great destination spot (good move, Aby's, 'cept you need a new SIGN!)

I agree with most of the above. Finish the Hudson Trail. Bring businesses back to downtown Matawan. Bring back the fireworks. Finish the train station and glass plant projects. Find a creative solution to the day laborer issue or get the proper authorities in to shut down that market. I'd add some sort of traffic control to deal with cars coming out of the train station lots and commuters crossing Atlantic - someone's gonna get hurt.

As for cars shooting up the right lane of Morristown Road/Laurence Harbor Pkwy and cutting into the line waiting to join the northbound Parkway, the authorities dealt with a similar issue on Route 9 at the GSP by putting a solid line on the roadway and planting a cop there to issue tickets. I don't go that way too often, but it seems to have worked pretty well based on my limited experience.

I would add that we desperately need beach dune restoration at Cliffwood Beach. The water is routinely coming up from the Raritan Bay onto the roadway at high tide. Pretty soon it will be an inlet.

I would hope that the owner of that sea green hulk of a building on Cliffwood Ave near the school would fix it up or tear it down. What an eyesore! 2013 is your year to get off the dime.

I would hope we'd hear something about Matawan's plans for the 100th anniversary of the 1916 shark attacks here. Is there a strategic plan? Any organization yet? Plans for advertising, sales, accommodations?

Fix Daniel and Ned Drives in Marc Woods. Both of these roads are a disgrace. I have lived here for 30 years and nothing but patch work has been done to either road. Driving on them is like driving on a rural unpaved road and forget about trying to walk on them.

Great summation Mike! I agree with all your points, especially the gentrification of downtown.

Matawan and Aberdeen are nice towns. We are privileged to live in one of the most desirable counties in the USA. We take good care of our cute houses. We pay high property taxes. I am pleased to see the sensible ideas suggested by my neighbors in these Comments--and the Managers of Matawan and Aberdeen should support their taxpayers by implementing some of these constructive suggestions.

Here are a few suggestions of my own:

1. Christmas Decorations: Those on Main Street Matawan have reached the end of their life. I have never seen worse, even in dead old coal mining towns. If we can’t afford to replace them, it would make a better impression to have no decorations. (BTW, if we can’t afford to replace them: WHY?)

2. Train Station “Artwork” sheet metal mural: It is dated and unattractive. It needs to go. The train station is the first impression many people have of Matawan. It would make a far better impression to have no artwork. Far better.

3. Henry Hudson Trail: Finish it. It’s long over due. The completed sections of this trail are beautiful, and an asset to every town that it passes through.

4. July 4th Fireworks: Bring them back. Our towns need a little community spirit.

5. Public Library: Support it.

Let’s move forward in 2013!!

I agree with many of the comments our mayor needs to focus on rebuilding our downtown which includes fixing our post office. Our train station needs to be addressed regarding traffic control as well as cleaning up the enter area. It is the first impression people see when they come off the train. I would also like to see something done about the day laborers hanging around the Quick Check. Lastly the town needs a much needed disaster plan in place as to how it will serve and help residents if we ever have a situation like Hurricane Sandy again.

I would like to see trash cans placed in the residential area of Main Street. So many people thoughtlessly through away trash on Main Street that a bin may encourage people to use it and not our front yards and shrubs.

I also agree with roads needing to be fixed!!! Especially some blocks in the I section of Aberdeen. I got a flat tire on my own block. I have reported this several times and nothing was done to fix it!!!

Take notice that the day laborers for the most part have been moved away from the Quick Check and toward the train station. Not much you can do with them, unless you want a problem with outside organizations who support their rights.

Putting a disaster plan in place in case another Hurricane Sandy situation arises is most important. A traffic light where Van Brackle and Rt. 34 intersects is much needed, too many accidents there. Matawan fireworks would be a good addition to bring back.

We need a left green arrow where 516 hits 34.

I know that there are much more important things than this, but it is one of my pet peeves. There are quite a few vacant homes along Main St. and some have trees growing out of them, through the porch and ivy and picker bushes out the windows. Are the banks responsible for this unsightly mess that gives the town such a non welcoming feel.

I don't want to leave out the fact that there are always piles of phone books and old news papers all around these kinds of homes. I don't understand how the person who is delivering them does not know that someone did not pick up the last five soaked and torn apart old ones. I understand that this is just a little personal issues I have, I know that there are other more important issues. When i walk passed these homes, I try to clean it up but it is a never ending chore.

Definitely need to work on the "transit village." Fanwood and Morristown have excelled in this area and it looks great. It has brought high end rental units in and really brought people and revenue to the area.

Also, main street really needs a face lift. We need a place in this town that presents a sense of community.

Since someone already mentioned the library.. can we please become a part of the Monmouth library system. This library is far behind the rest of the world.
Lastly, we need to elect a new mayor in matawan. His response to sandy was a joke. He lied and shied away from conflict where as other mayors came out as true leaders.

- No low income housing anywhere near Main Street. The last thing I want to do is pay more in taxes for non-taxpayers' children to attend our public school system.
- There have got to be some arrangements that the Mayor and his colleagues can make (maybe a 10 year tax abatement, splitting the cost of a desperately needed Main Street and store front facelift - similar to Main Street in Freehold) with some major business chain or smaller businesses). What efforts have been made to this point? I do not know. I never hear about anything except arguments over changing zoning regulations for certain vacant lots - with no new businesses ultimately taking form there.
- I would like my street in Matawan repaved as well, but understand that it will only come at the expense of my increased taxes. I would be willing to wait on that until Main Street is up and running with legitimate profitable businesses that will contribute taxes to the township, making my street repaving affordable in a future township budget.
- The train station lots desperately need to be repaved, relined, and beautified. Guests to Matawan feel like they are driving into a demilitarized zone, post bombing. Is this attractive to new businesses and visitors? Absolutely not.
- If loitering is still a law on the books in Matawan, the day laborers waiting and adding charm to this demilitarized zone, can be further pushed out of town and therefore out of public view by the Matawan PD.

- Expand the playground behind Starbucks to make it a more appealing place for families to gather with their children. This will promote socialization among Matawan residents which may lead to a greater sense of town spirit.

Allow small businesses to post sinage.

Get rid of ridiculous permits! Why can't I have a sign of a company working on my house without a permit? Why can't I put a gazebo in My yard or why can't I change the shed without a permit.if it is me who pays taxes and it is me who pays the mortgage there shouldn't be a need for permits from the town.and if there is obviously the property is not completely mine so if the sewer pipe is broken within such as property fix it at your expense!
The garbage disposal in this town has more rules than a cars manual! Make is simpler for people, not everyone has a million dollar home where they can store and segregate garbage so The town finally picks it up.
Get rid of jcpl and get pseg here both for electric and for natural gas

How about ensuring that the Aberdeen / Matawan water supply is safe for us and our families to drink??!! It is very distressing to keep getting pamphlets in the mail saying how our water quality is not up to standard and how it has carcinogens in the water. I haven't gotten a pamphlet in awhile but the last few were not good and there was never any follow up as to if our water problems were fixed. Personally I think the guy in charge over there needs to be fired for his incompetence and negligence. I have been buying bottled water for months and I don't even like washing my dishes with the water out of the tap but I have no choice. Tonight my tap water smelled like Clorox :(
I think it's nice to have a pretty town but no will get to enjoy it if they're dead from cancer due to the poor water supply.

I agree with more new businesses on Main Street. I also think the closed 7-11 should be turned into a park with picnic tables, benches or a swing, posisble paddle boats so people can enjoy the beauty and nature of Lake Matawan. Maybe add more fish too. I also think the beautiful, historic buildings on Main Street need to be preserved.

I HAVE ALWAYS TOLD THE STORY ABOUT "Glenn Pike' putting a new roof on the travel agent's building (courner of main & little street) They wouldn't let him take down
the roof sign for one day-to do the roof. That was 28 years ago and "historical" said
it would change the look of Matawan-P.S.He had to go around the sign

Agree with many of the comments. Main street needs a face lift and businesses that attract customers. How about a nice new welcome to matawan sign or taking down the old faded out signs that you can't even read. Papa Ganache was a great addition and it's nice to see a store that takes pride in it's appearance. It would be nice to finish the Henry Hudson Trail finally. What's the hold up there? Also agree with tearing down that 7-11 and putting a park there. We have a lake right in the middle of main street with no access to it. It's a complete waste. A little park with some benches would be a big upgrade and would improve the look and feel of the town. Fixing up Burrows mansion and painting it would be nice as well. All of these things would improve the look and feel of main street and the town overall.

Pretty soon well be the new "Perth Amboy"I'm a licensed contractor & I refuse to pick up a "day Labor" worker-How can I walk into someones house with a worker that not covered by law-Great workers for the money-The old days of a young man wanting to work are long gone-It's still good to be old fashioned.

fixing the road during high tide on ambiy ave/w front st in keyort. spraying more for mosquitos off of Prospect ave in cliffwood beach, the mosquitos are terrible for us who live here by the bay/marsh. yodating the park on Prospect ave in Cliffwood Beach. We pay enough taxes that our town should include recycling & garbage cans like Middlesex county residents for the trucks to pick up & dump into the trucks. Fix Cliffwood ave & Rt 35 so it doesn't flood. Get Laurence Harbor bridge done already.

spelling corrected- Amboy ave and Updating the park

Finally put a traffic light at Mill St/Route 34. Second ; Finally do something about the laughingstock of Route 35 by County Road so it no longer collects water when it rains. One day News 12 set up there to laugh at us and our little problem.

The only way these things will ever become reality is to remove all the useless politicians in both towns. These idiotic people still vote in the same politicians on every election. The changes will never happen until you change the players. Wake up Matawan and Aberdeen.

Repair the road on Little Street and Maiden Lane off Main Street in Matawan! This also applies to Jackson Street. Pothole city. Part of the sadly shabby downtown. I wish I knew what the answer was to revitalizing downtown, but it really needs to happen. Matawan has a lot of potential, especially with the train station.

Lets save the taxpayers money by combining the Matawan and Aberdeen township, the police force , firefighters. Lets build a new library with a tennis court like Old Bridge Library. No permits, tax incentives. for new businesses coming to Main St. Matawan or Aberdeen on 34. Restaurants with outdoor seating area like Freehold by the train station, on Main St. and Hwy 34. The park near Starbuck, Matawan needs dome, new swings, new everything its time. Gas generators put into our gasoline stations. .

Did anyone on the patch watch the mayors video? Enough with patting everyone on the back in office it's your job? Barack Obama and Chris Christie don't do this every chance they get. Stop talking about the meetings you are going to have. They need to dig in and do there jobs show us a laid out plan what you are going to do what did they do last year? Again all I heard was zoning meetings and salaries. No solid plan of any of the above issues just that they are looking into it. They have been looking for years FIND it already.

Some of these ideas are good and some, not so much. The primary isues that should be addressed are ones that would improve our property values and our quality of life. Fireworks and new christmas decorations dont really seem all that important. Improving Main Street and the train station I think are the 2 biggest and most worthwhile projects that these towns can do. Having a charming main street and attractive train station would most certainly have an impact on our home values. Property taxes should not be viewed as fees that we are required to pay to live in a town. They should be viewed as investments and we as the investors should see some sort of positive return. Roads shouldnt even be discussed on this discussion board. That is something that should be fixed without anyone asking and its sad that our roads have gotten this bad. I agree that the day laborers hanging out like that isnt all that attractive but at the end of the day, they are just looking for work to support their families and in this economy, I am not going to go out of my way to prevent them from doing so. I also agree with posters who are displeased with the dilapidated state of some of the houses on main street. They may be vacant but someone owns them and they should be forced to keep up their property for the sake of their neighbors. I can't argue with parks either. They add value and beauty and having recreation space like that certainly improves our quality of life.