May 2023
WELCOME TO HAZLET, NOCHES DE COLOMBIA
The township was on hand for the ribbon cutting of Hazlet's newest restaurant, Noches de Colombia in the Chelsea Plaza at 3253 Route 35 North. This is the company's first location in Monmouth County. The restaurant offers authentic Colombian and Lantin fare throughout the day. There are tables for dining, online ordering, delivery, pick-up and drive-through service.
MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE
Memorial Day is Monday, May 29. Veterans Park Memorial Garden is once again decorated with banners honoring Hazlet residents who died in service to our country.
Hazlet Township will host its annual outdoor service to Remember and Honor at 10 a.m. in the Memorial Garden next to Town Hall. Please be aware there will be limited seating available and you may bring your own lawn chairs. All are invited.
The half-hour ceremony will be include participation from Hazlet VFW Post 4303 and the Hazlet Police Honor Guard and Chaplain. Wreaths will be laid by Hazlet Fire Companies, Police, First Aid, Township Committee, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Special Olympics Team.
Music will be provided by the Hazlet Pops community band and Honor Guard bagpipers. The ceremony will conclude with a 21-Gun Salute and the playing of Taps.
Light refreshments will follow in the James J. Cullen Center.
Closed on Memorial Day
Hazlet Town Hall, the James J. Cullen Center and the DPW Recycling Yard on Leocadia Court will be closed in observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 29, 2023.
UPDATED OFFICE HOURS START TUESDAY
Hazlet Town Hall
- Starting Tuesday, May 30, the day after Memorial Day, Hazlet's Town Hall offices will stay open longer Monday through Thursday, until 4:45 p.m.. On Fridays, Town Hall will close at noon.
- On September 5, the day after Labor Day, Town Hall office hours will revert back to the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekday schedule.
James J. Cullen Center
The Senior Center at the James J. Cullen Center will remain on the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekday schedule and will not change.
Public Works
- The hours of the Public Works Department Recycling Yard, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, will be weekdays 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturdays 8:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
- The hours of the Public Works Department Offices at Leocadia Court will be weekdays, 7:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and then 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- After September 4, Recycling Yard will be open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Saturdays 8:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Holiday Closures
Town Hall will be closed:
- May 29 (Monday) for Memorial Day
- June 16 (Friday) for Juneteenth
- July 4 (Tuesday) Independence Day
- September 4 (Monday)
BUDGET ADOPTED
The Township Committee approved the municipal budget on May 23. The 2023 Municipal Budget call for no municipal tax increase and the average home will see an 8 cent reduction in the tax rate. View a presentation (PDF) of the township spending plan and priorities.
2023 ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
Work is underway to improve streets off Hazlet Avenue by contractor S. Brothers, as part of the township's 2023 Roadway Improvement Program. The roads are those from Section K1 as outlined in the updated 5 Year Improvement Plan.
NEW PARKING LOT IN THE WORKS
Visitors to the municipal complex will notice the area next to the James J. Cullen Center is currently under construction. A new parking lot with additional ADA spots is being installed. The adjacent parking lot area will also be reconfigured for improved safety and more parking spaces.
NOTE HOURS OF OPERATION MAY 30 - SEPT. 1, 2023
Hazlet Town Hall
- Starting Tuesday, May 30, the day after Memorial Day, Hazlet's Town Hall offices will stay open longer Monday through Thursday, until 4:45 p.m.. On Fridays, Town Hall will close at noon.
- On September 5, the day after Labor Day, Town Hall office hours will revert back to the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekday schedule.
James J. Cullen Center
The Senior Center at the James J. Cullen Center will remain on the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekday schedule and will not change.
Public Works
- The hours of the Public Works Department Recycling Yard, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, will be weekdays 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturdays 8:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
- The hours of the Public Works Department Offices at Leocadia Court will be weekdays, 7:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and then 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- After September 4, Recycling Yard will be open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Saturdays 8:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Holiday Closures
Town Hall will be closed
- May 29 (Monday) for Memorial Day
- June 16 (Friday) for Juneteenth
- July 4 (Tuesday) Independence Day
- September 4 (Monday)
Spring Tea Party and Bingo - May 12, 2023
NEW: LATIN GROOVE CLASS
Instructor Oscar Diaz will lead a Latin Dance Class at the Hazlet Senior Center.
The class will be held Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. from May 24 to June 28.
Registration is open to residents and nonresidents and costs $30.
Please call to register at 732-217-8683.
VIEW THE PROPOSED MUNICIPAL BUDGET
The final adoption of the municipal budget will be held at the Township Committee meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23. View a presentation (PDF) or the proposed municipal budget, introduced March 28.
Police Week May 14-20
CHECK OUT THE PICKLEBALL COURTS
Players, get excited! The township is reconfiguring the tennis courts in the municipal complex to allow for six pickle ball courts and two tennis courts. The six courts will be located on the side closest to Green Acres Drive. Work begins in coming days. Courts will be ready for play, pending weather, mid-summer.
MUNICIPAL BUDGET
The final adoption of the municipal budget will be held at the Township Committee meeting at 7 p.m. on May 23. View a presentation (PDF)
FREE HEALTH FAIR MAY 17
Residents are invited to take part in a free Health Fair at the James J. Cullen Center on Wednesday, May 17.
There will be giveaways, information and free screenings for blood pressure, pulse, body mass index, total cholesterol, glucose and stroke risk assessment. Fasting is not required. All are invited! Contact Denise Bucciero at the Senior Center with any questions: 732-217-8683.
Storm Water Seminar May 8
HEALTH FAIR
Residents are invited to take part in a free Health Fair at the James J. Cullen Center on Wednesday, May 17.
There will be giveaways, information and free screenings for blood pressure, pulse, body mass index, total cholesterol, glucose and stroke risk assessment. Fasting is not required. All are invited!
STORM WATER SEMINAR
The Hazlet Township Environmental Commission invites you to join our Storm Water Management Seminar taking place on Monday, Мау 8, 2023 - 6:00 РМ - 9 РМ at Town Hall located at 1766 Union Ave., Hazlet, NJ.
The Hazlet Environmental Commission, in conjunction with the Hazlet Township Municipal Administrator, Rutgers University Cooperative Extension and the NJ Association for Floodplain Management are pleased to provide this seminar to our residents and neighboring communities. More about the speakers.
MVC MOBILE UNIT
Thank you to the friendly people at the NJ Motor Vehicle Mobile Unit who visited Hazlet Township on May 2 and provided a range of services for the public! Convenient and quick.
HAZLET ROCKS RETURNS
Hazlet resident Rich Pyburn continues to delight visitors to Veterans Park with the Hazlet Rocks scavenger hunt, which he created with the township's approval during the pandemic days. By Sunday 10 a.m., a new crop of 200 painted rocks will be hidden in the park for you to find. There are rules to the game, so please visit the HazletRocks Facebook Group and read about the Event. Pyburn urges more creative artists to join in the activity by painting and hiding a few rocks, and sharing the photos.
HAZLET POLICE UPDATES
The following announcements were posted this week on Facebook.com/HazletPolice.
New Traffic Signal Pattern at Highway 35 & Bethany/Poole
Due to the high volume of traffic accidents at this location over many years, Traffic Safety Officer Patrick Wood appealed to the NJ DOT to change the light pattern at Highway 35 and Bethany Road/ Poole Ave.
Today, the NJ Dept. of Transportation made the change to the light pattern. Beginning now, the light at Poole Ave (heading south on the roadway) and Highway 35 will have the first green cycle. Then, the opposite, Bethany Road (heading north on the roadway) and Highway 35 will have the green light and right of way.
We hope this helps limit the numerous violations and accidents that occur at this location, making our town safer for motorists.
Salute to Retiring OfficerWe salute Officer Thomas Enright on his retirement. Family, friends and police officers from neighboring Bayshore towns joined us in celebrating Officer Enright’s last call and Department Walkout this morning.
Officer Enright started his law enforcement career with Keansburg Police Department before joining our Police Department, where he faithfully served the residents of Hazlet for the last 22 years. During that time he has touched many lives in a positive way.
Please help us in congratulating Officer Enright on his retirement. We wish him and his family the very best during his next chapter!
Stolen Vehicle
Up until recently Hazlet had been, for the most part, lucky to skirt the stolen high-end car epidemic plaquing numerous municipalities throughout the State. Yes, we have a had a few stolen cars the last couple of years, however we are now seeing recent attempts and successful thefts within our borders on a larger scale. A few days ago, we had two residences in Raritan Valley report that unknown actors entered their backyards and attempted to pry the one residents window but were unsuccessful. In the most recent attempt, last night, unknown actors pried open a window of a residence near the post office, entered the residence and stole a key fob. They then drove away with the resident’s high-end car that was blocked in by another car in the driveway. This resident had taken several precautions and was still victimized. They blocked their high-end car in the driveway with another vehicle, they locked their car doors, they brought their keys in the house, and they locked their house windows but unfortunately these thieves have become more extraordinarily brazen.
We ask that you continue to be vigilant and continue to make sure your cars and homes are secure. While most all of these types of crimes are perpetrated towards owners of high-end cars, we ask that everyone takes these universal precautions because sometimes they will take any make or model car when the opportunity arises.
In addition to taking the previously prescribed preventative measures you can take these following steps to help deter these criminals:
- Add motion activated lighting to the sides and rear of your residence
- Make sure that any windows that are accessible to the ground level are thoroughly secure and will withstand prying attempts
- Make sure that side garage access doors are secure and doors leading from the garage into the home are always secure
- Routinely secure the lock for the access gate entering your backyard. If you do not have one, one should be installed
- If you hear noises or suspect something isn’t right, at any time, please call the police so we can respond
Faith & Blue Gardening Event
Thankfully the weather forecast is looking beautiful for our Faith and Blue event this Saturday!
Come to the Cullen Center at 1776 Union Ave to plant flowers donated by the The Home Depot around the Memorial grounds outside of the Cullen Center and in the empty flower beds adorning the building.
Pastor Barry Mulligan (our Hazlet PD Chaplain) and members of his congregation at the Hazlet Bible Church will be joining Officers from the Hazlet Police Department and you are invited too! Refreshments will be served!
PRIMARY ELECTION
There are three ways to cast a vote in the June 6 Primary Election
- In-person voting by machine at any of the Monmouth County Early Voting Centers, including Hazlet Library, is available Friday, June 2 at 10 a.m. through Sunday, June 4 at 6 p.m. Hours during that week will be as follows: Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. More information.
- Vote by mail started April 22. Ballots must be received by the County Clerk's Office by May 30. The list of drop box locations included Airport Plaza.
- Voting on Election Day: In-person voting on a machine will be available at the voter’s designated polling place on Election Day, June 6, 2023.
Visit MonmouthCountyVotes.com for all voting information