Message from Councilman Matt Adams | December 22, 2022
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year -- For More Reasons Than You Think
Now is the time that many of us will gather to enjoy all the festivities that the year-end holidays bring.
Scotch Plains has been celebrating for weeks, lighting the town’s Christmas tree in the Alan Augustine Village Green, holding Small Business Saturday events to kick-off the shopping season in our downtown and, most recently, lighting the municipal menorah to mark Hanukkah.
Hundreds have turned out for our holiday celebrations; the joy of the season shows on so many faces. After a rough couple of pandemic-interrupted holiday seasons, it has been such a refreshing sight. Our town does such a great job celebrating the various traditions that come along in a community as diverse as ours; it has truly been my pleasure to participate in all of our wonderful holiday celebrations.
As the calendar turns to 2023, the Township Council and the various municipal departments are busy making plans. Chief among those tasks is creating a capital budget for the coming year to fund big picture projects that will shape the future of Scotch Plains.
It is not fiscally prudent to fund major projects solely in one budget year, while also holding municipal taxes steady. The Council has made certain capital improvements a priority over the past couple of years; we plan to do the same in 2023 as part of a steady, ongoing program to enhance all neighborhoods.
Our parks, recreation, and youth sports facilities throughout town are undergoing a renaissance. For the first time in decades, working with our professional Recreation Department, the volunteers on our Recreation Commission, and various stakeholders across our community, the Town Council is funding meaningful projects that will finally give Scotch Plains residents the quality facilities they deserve.
This Spring, you will see tangible results from the Town Council’s prioritization of parks and recreation with the anticipated launch of construction projects at Greenside Park, Green Forest Park, and Brookside Park – each of which were funded in the 2022 capital budget. When the budgetary process is complete for 2023, I anticipate we will be able to add to this growing list of projects to directly improve the quality of life of residents of all ages.
We have knocked on many, many doors over the past couple of years to share information and hear from you about your priorities for Scotch Plains. Parks and recreation has consistently been at the top of list, evident in the improvement projects we’ve already completed across town since 2020.
The Town Council is pleased with the progress. But improvements have just begun, as we continue to work with the Recreation Commission to modernize our parks and open spaces for your enjoyment.
We all have much to be thankful for this holiday season. And that includes the support from the many hard-working volunteers and staff who eagerly share their visions for a bright future for our community. The Town Council looks forward to working in 2023 with everyone, as Scotch Plains continues to move forward, together.
