Message from Councilman Matt Adams | August 16, 2024

Municipal government faces complex challenges that require innovative solutions and a collaborative approach. From addressing a once-in-a-lifetime public health crisis, to improving infrastructure, to enhancing economic development, to supporting emergency response, the role of local government is critical.

These challenges cannot be effectively addressed in isolation. Strategic partnerships with community stakeholders— ranging from higher levels of government, to businesses and non-profits, to educational institutions and citizen groups, to faith-based organizations — are essential to fostering an inclusive and sustainable Scotch Plains.

Last month, Scotch Plains took another giant leap toward the long-awaited revitalization of our downtown central business district, securing a $2.7 million federal grant for the construction of our planned emergency services headquarters on Plainfield Avenue across from Memorial Field. 

This bipartisan response to the public safety needs of our community will allow us to house all of our first responders under one roof in a centralized, modernized location.  Our community will be safer because of it.  At the same time, the move will clear the way for long-overdue mixed-use development in the nerve center of our downtown off Park Avenue at the current site of Town Hall. 

This comes in the wake of approximately $7 million in additional state aid secured for this endeavor by our state legislative delegation in Trenton.

Strategic partnerships between our local government and stakeholders are not just about addressing immediate challenges; they are also about fostering long-term sustainable progress and the revitalization of our community. 

We need not look further than our community’s comprehensive Recreation Master Plan and our Downtown Redevelopment Plan, driven by community input and the will of the people, to see progress on display.  By working together, local government and stakeholders from all corners of town routinely create comprehensive plans that align with the community’s needs and aspirations.

At the next Township Council meeting on August 20, one stakeholder’s long-term commitment to help finance the 2021 renovations to Southside Field will once again be front and center.  The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Soccer Club will continue its annual commitment by presenting a check to help fund the major renovations that went into that facility a few years back to dramatically enhance playability.

Similarly, the Township receives annual Kids Recreation Trust Fund grants from Union County, which subsidize numerous parks and recreation improvements that you have seen around town in recent years (with more to come to a park near you).

By embracing the power of partnerships, Scotch Plains can unlock new opportunities for innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth – ultimately leading to a brighter future for all. 

I strongly encourage all community groups to step up and join the conversation.  Together, let’s keep moving Scotch Plains forward!