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HindSight
...a message from the Mayor
Mayor Eric Hinds
June 2016
As summer arrives, celebrations and outdoor ceremonies begin. It was great to see so many
attend the Memorial Day ceremony. The weather didn’t cooperate however the Recreation
Department was ready and prepared a wonderful ceremony inside the Senior/Community Center.
Master of Ceremonies Art Davey presented the Memorial wreaths and their sponsors were all in
attendance. The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts waved their Memorial flags and we honored those
who fought for our independence. I was proud to speak again at this moving ceremony. The
Holmdel High School Band entertained us and were terrific.
After the ceremony, we lead everyone out to the parking lot to unveil the first of hopefully many
Wounded Warrior designated parking spots. Look for the sign around town and thank the
service person who parks in this spot.
Summer also means our Holmdel Swim Club is back in action. Lead by Bob Ward, his team
opened the club for weekends starting Memorial weekend and thanks to great weather, it has
been well attended every weekend thus far. Daily opening begins Saturday June 25th.
We are happy to host the 2nd annual Daddy Daughter campout on June 17th where there will be
many father daughter races, talent show, cookout and s’more! I’m really looking forward to this
event! We had a great time last year and I expect this year will be even better! Following this
event I will be “camping out” at Project Graduation, spending a memorable evening with our
new graduates as a chaperone. Congratulations to all!
There are many things to tell you about including some important announcements from Bell
Works, JCP&L, our Holmdel Police Department and more. Read all about it here in my monthly
Newsletter.
New Parking privilege!
There are an estimated 1.8 million Purple Heart recipients,
combat wounded service members who have transitioned
back into civilian life. They have made great sacrifices to
ensure our freedoms but often go unrecognized.
Wounded Warriors Family Support’s founder, Colonel John
Folsom, decided to change that. Wounded Warriors Family
Support offers Combat Wounded Parking Signs, free of
charge, to establishments as a way of honoring and
recognizing these veterans. Holmdel Township has what
will hopefully be the first of many “Combat Wounded
Parking” spots. The first one unveiled at the Memorial Day
Ceremony is in the Senior Center/Post Office parking lot..
Keep an eye out for these signs:
COMMUNICATION
Don’t forget to sign up for township information on
our website www.holmdeltownship-nj.com .
Formerly Code Red and now Civic Ready
registrations are building. Please sign up today if
you haven’t. This is an important way to keep
informed in emergency situations.
Register for Civic Ready alerts here:
www.holmdelpolice.org
Did ya’ Know?
You can contact our Holmdel Police Department and request a house
check if you are going to be away from your home for a period of
time? Officers patrolling your neighborhood will check your home each
day and alert you if they discover any problems. Good to know in
summer months of vacation. More info at holmdelpolice.org
Visit our Holmdel Township website:
http://www.holmdeltownship-nj.com/
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns:
Mayor Eric Hinds: [email protected]
JCP&L NEWS
As many of you are aware JCP&L is attempting to install a 230,000 volt transmission line project along the New Jersey Transit’s
Jersey Coast Lines railroad tracks. This is a project that will have an impact on many Holmdel Residents. Many of you have
already expressed your concern about the project.
We share many of those concerns. The Republican lead Holmdel Township Committee has taken action to protect the interests
of our residents. Mayor Hinds has met with all the Mayors in the Bayshore area. The Holmdel Township Committee and the
Holmdel Republican Party is opposed to the plan in its present form. While there may be a need to enhance the reliability of
service, especially with storms like Sandy, the plan in its current form leaves far too many important questions unanswered.
It is important to note that Holmdel Township and her officials have no legal standing in this matter. No approvals are needed
from Holmdel in order for the project to proceed. With so many concerns and questions it is important that you contact your
state officials. Let them know your concerns and questions.
Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (732) 383-7820
Governors office (609) 292-6000
JCP&L 855-277-9332
NJ Transit (973) 275-5555
BPU (board of public utilities) (609) 777-3300
NJ environmental protection agency 866-337-5669
We will continue our vigilance and we will continue to seek answers.
NETWORK @ BELL WORKS DAY
for HOLMDEL GRADUATES
Over 45 New Jersey employers, including Vonage, Merrill Lynch, and the New Jersey Devils, to name a few
participated in our 1st “Network @ Bell Works” Career Fair on Wednesday, May 25 at the historic Bell Works on
Crawfords Corner Road. Over 400 Holmdel High School seniors, college students, and recent college grads were
there to take advantage of this awesome opportunity.
I was grateful to assemble a dedicated volunteer task force of residents including parents, officials, school
administrators, and professionals who answered my call, worked diligently to create a meaningful and wide-ranging
event to benefit our young adults seeking to make their mark on the world.
Guest speakers Rich Russo and Sally Ann Mosey shared their knowledge, experiences, and gave advice. Our
goal was to connect area companies with Holmdel’s elite students at the prestigious former Bell Labs, which many
cite as the birthplace of modern technology. Bell Labs garnered eight Nobel Prizes in its storied past. What better
place for students and recent alumni from one of New Jersey’s premier school systems to forge their futures?
I’m very excited to see this important event finally come together and can’t wait to hear the follow up
stories and feedback from all!
Many worked hard to make this happen and I’d like to give special thanks to those who lead the planning
including Vanessa Granata, Brian Teevan, Darlene Kiss and Debbie Brew.
BELL WORKS UPDATE:
EDA offers two companies combined $40M to move to
Bell Works
By Joshua Burd, June 14, 2016 at 1:36 PM
Bell Works, the former Bell Labs building in Holmdel, is attracting technology companies. - (AARON HOUSTON)
Another 370,000 square feet could soon be leased at the former Bell Labs building in Holmdel, thanks to more than $40 million in state tax credits
that have been awarded to two companies.
The larger of the two, the Matawan-based recruiting software provider iCIMS Inc., was approved Tuesday for a 10-year, $38 million tax credit by the
state Economic Development Authority. If it accepts the award under the Grow New Jersey program, the fast-growing company would relocate to
about 339,000 square feet at what is now Bell Works.
ICIMS currently employs 552 people between two sites in New Jersey and anticipates hiring another 390 in the near term, according to the EDA.
The 16-year-old company is also considering a facility in Phoenix as an alternate location for those jobs, but state officials say keeping iCIMS in the
state would have a net benefit of $170.7 million over 20 years.
The EDA on Tuesday also offered a 10-year, $4 million tax credit to Manhattan Telecommunications Corp. to locate 100 jobs and lease 30,000
square feet at Bell Works, which is being redeveloped by Somerset Development. The New York-based company, which services corporate clients,
is considering an alternate location in Salt Lake City.
Bringing the firm to New Jersey would have a 20-year net benefit of $26 million, the EDA said.
The awards come a month after the EDA approved a $15.7 million tax credit for WorkWave LLC, a software solutions provider, to relocate to Bell
Works. The company announced soon thereafter that it was leasing 72,000 square feet in the building and has the option to double that space
.More on Bell Works
Software solutions firm will keep growing with move to Bell Works
If iCIMS and Manhattan Telecommunications accept the awards, they would join a growing roster of tech firms that are repopulating
the iconic, 2 million-square-foot complex in Holmdel. Somerset Development is leading an effort to reincarnate the building as a
dynamic, mixed-use destination and has leased about 170,000 square feet to date to startups and other tech firms.
“For decades, the former Bell Laboratories site was at the global forefront of innovation,” Melissa Orsen, CEO of the authority, said
in a prepared statement. “We are hopeful that these companies will choose to locate their operations at the Holmdel site and bring
hundreds of high-paying jobs back to the region.”
EDA officials noted Tuesday that iCIMS was approved for a $13 million Grow New Jersey award in March 2015, but said its “unprecedented growth”
since that time has made it necessary for the company to increase hiring and find an even larger facility.
From Holmdel Police Department:
This past weekend one of our own, Ptl.
Michael Dowens, walked (non-stop) from
the Vietnam Memorial in Holmdel to the
Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC. His
goal was to raise awareness of those who
suffer with PTSD, and to raise money to
help those in need of treatment. Mike
accomplished his goals and, I think, even
surpassed his own expectations. His
actions were honorable, and he did
something that inspired many, and for which
we should all be proud. Mike asked that we
forward his own words to all of you, please
read below…
“The Holmdel PD presence on social
media this past week meant more
than words can express! On behalf
of Christine, Greyson, and I, we
couldn't feel more admiration and
respect for the bond shared among
this Department. I'm fortunate to
work with such generous men and
women.... it's like a second family.
Every kind word, donation, and
share of the posts on social media
has helped us turn dark times into a
good experience that we can pay
forward. I won't take for granted all
the help and support you've all given
me, and I'm proud to have you all as
friends. Thank you for seeing us
through an amazing experience!
Christine read to me ALL the
thoughts, prayers, kind words, checkins, and donation postings as I did
my walk. We were floored with all
the media attention, because we had
no idea this many people would be in
support - $26,000 and still growing!!
Thank you, and I'll leave some lunch
for you Tuesday and Wednesday
next week at HQ to show my
appreciation.”
 Mike Dowens
Holmdel Police celebrate
50 years of service !
In 1966 under the leadership of Chief
Joseph Phillips, the Holmdel Police
Department was founded.
On November 4, 2016, the Holmdel Police
Department will host its 50th Anniversary
Ball at the Grand Marquis in Old Bridge, NJ.
Please save the date as this is truly a
community celebration.
We are grateful to have an extraordinary
police force lead today by Chief John
Mioduszewski. Let’s join in the celebration.
There are 50th anniversary sweatshirts,
mugs, t-shirts and more available for sale.
For information on purchasing these items
and tickets, please see flyer attached to this
newsletter and get your tickets today!
Special Olympics Torch Run
th
On June 10 , Holmdel Police participated as they do
every year in the Special Olympics Torch Run. They were
handed the torch by Middletown Police Department on
Hwy 35 and ran carrying it until the handoff to Hazlet
Police Department. They were escorted by Holmdel First
Aid and Fire & Rescue Company #2 and cheered on by
their fan club! We are so proud of our police department
and the efforts they make supporting Special Olympics!
MEMORIAL DAY SPEECH BY MAYOR ERIC HINDS
(read at Memorial Day Ceremony 5/30/16)
Today is the day we remember our fallen heroes. Today is not about the long weekend, the barbecues, or
the beach. Memorial Day is about the ultimate sacrifice. It is a day to give thanks for the bravery of our
soldiers who sacrificed their lives in order to give us our freedom.
I was thinking just this morning that all across our country, people just like us will be joining in their
town parades and celebrations. As we join together, let's bear in mind that this is not a time for
celebrating, but rather a time of remembrance.
Today, we pray that no more American heroes will ever have to die for us again. These heroes may have
come from different places and backgrounds, but no matter how different these men and women were,
there is one bond that we all share...We all love America! Our fallen heroes are the reason we live in this
privileged nation. They are the reason we can sleep soundly at night. They are the reason that our children
can go to school without fear of the unknown.
Plato once said, "Only the dead have seen the end of war."
Well, today I pray that those words will be proven untrue and that there will be peace as well as an end to
our heroes' sacrifices.
Because the reality is there is a war going on. We have been engaged in the longest war in our country’s
history and young men and women continue to sacrifice their lives. There is not a week that goes by that
2 soldiers do not arrive at a house with the news for a family that their son, their daughter, their husband
or their wife has given the ultimate sacrifice. We must remember that this is not our grandfather’s war but
Memorial Day is also about those who have given of themselves for us and our country right now.
I pray today, along with the rest of our fellow Americans, for the safety of our nation and the safety of the
world.
As we enjoy our time with families and friends, let's say a prayer for those valiant heroes who have lost
their lives in order for us to enjoy these abundant privileges.
Let's stand together as one community, one nation, one America.
God bless us all and God bless America.
Our young residents making NJ News!
Angelina Wang (4th grade, Indian Hill
School) won 2 New Jersey art contests
this spring.
In the Aviation Art Contest, she won 2nd,
Group I for 6-9 year olds, New
Jersey. Her name, hometown of Holmdel
and the picture of her drawing is listed in
NJ DOT webpage.
Here is the link to the New Jersey
announcements of winners.
http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/airw
ater/aviation/2016statewinners.shtm
She also won third place in the Federal
Junior Duck Stamp Contest, New Jersey,
Group II for 4th - 6th grades. The winning
artworks will be on travel display all over
New Jersey from 6/1/2016 to 4/30/2017.
HFEE 5K & FUN RUN
On June 5, Holmdel Foundation for Educational
Excellence hosted their 2nd annual run around Bell
Works property. Over 300 participated and it was
another successful event that will benefit our Holmdel
students. I was honored to present medals to the
winning children fun runners and was excited to start
off the 5K.
I love seeing the community out at events like this
participating, cheering on and supporting our town
together! Thank you Lauren Podesta for chairing!
Our own Township Committeeman, Mike Nikolis lead
the run carrying the American Flag and never put it
down. Great day!
We are so very proud of Angelina and our
schools! Go Holmdel!
HOLMDEL RECREATION SUMMER PROGRAMS
We are very fortunate to offer many wonderful summer camp opportunities through our Recreation
Department. Our Summer Recreation Camp for campers who have completed Kindergarten through 6 th
grade is always a popular program. It runs from July 5th – August 12 .
If you haven’t registered, do it today!
There are many other programs available. They include sports, archery, various pony camps, yoga,
karate, cooking, tennis and more! Check them all out at holmdelrec.com and register today!
UNIFIED GAMES AND SPORTS EXPO
I was thrilled to once again be a part of the beautiful day our Holmdel School
District Special Services department along with Special Olympics organizes
and hosts at our Cross Farm Park. Over 350 special needs and general
education students participated in multiple sports together and smiles were
everywhere. Many towns within Monmouth County were invited and
enjoyed this special day.
The shirts our students wore said it all,
“Teamwork is a beautiful thing.”
GOLDMAN SACHS BEAUTIFYING BAYONET
Some time ago, Goldman Sachs reached out to me asking if they could participate in a
community service clean up effort. I knew there were some areas that could use help
at Bayonet Farms so I spoke to our DPW and Bob Ward, our Parks and Rec Director,
and we worked it out. On June 10th, 25 volunteers from Goldman Sachs came out to
help clean up Bayonet Farms and they did an amazing job in just a few hours. As they
say, many hands make light work. Thank you all!
ENGINEER’S CORNER
Township Engineer Edward G. Broberg, P.E. provided the following information concerning engineering,
development, and construction activity.
Bell Works Site Improvements Substantial improvements are being installed at the Bell Works site on
Crawford’s Corner Road. Utility improvements, lighting, pavement repairs, and pavement resurfacing
are progressing according to schedule.
Cross Farm Landscaping Improvements Several local businesses recently contributed approximately 100
shade trees and various plantings for the southern portion of Cross Farm Park. The trees are being
installed and watered by the Public Works Department and will improve the overall appearance of the
park.
2015 Road Program Continues
The 2015 Road Program was started last fall and will be completed this summer. Work was recently
completed on Line Road, Cambridge Drive, Winchester Lane and several smaller streets. Crawfords
Corner Road between Longbridge Road and Falcon’s Ridge Circle will be paved at night late in July.
Night paving is being utilized to minimize the impact on local residents.
2016 Road Program Underway
Plans for the 2016 Road Program are nearing completion and the project will be advertised in July.
Construction is expected to start in September and will continue into November or December,
depending on weather conditions. The project will be completed in the spring of 2017. The project
includes work on Deer Path, The Wildhedge Subdivision Part 1, Jockey Hollow Court, Ashley Drive, South
Beers Street Part 1, Stillwell Road, Van Brakle Road, Crawfords Corner Road and Middletown Road.
Palmer Avenue Improvements
The Township of Holmdel will enter into an agreement with the County of Monmouth for certain
improvements on Palmer Avenue that are intended to alleviate the flooding conditions that are
affecting both Middletown and Holmdel residents. The construction is expected to take place sometime
in 2017.
Laurel Avenue Closing
New Jersey Transit has scheduled minor improvements to the rail road bridge that crosses Laurel
Avenue south of Rt. 35. The project will require the closing of Laurel Avenue sometime this summer.
The duration of the closing and the schedule of work has yet to be determined. More information will
follow on the Township’s website and appropriate agencies will be notified.
Sewer Improvements
Bids were recently received for improvements to the oldest sections of the Township’s sewer system.
The improvements are intended to reduce groundwater infiltration into the system and ultimately
reduce treatment charges from the Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority.
Regency Townhomes Work is progressing on the infrastructure for the construction of 185 agerestricted townhomes by Toll Brothers. The project is located on the Bell Works Site.
The Reserve Subdivision Site work is progressing on the Reserve Subdivision on the Bell Works Site. This
project consists of 40 large lot single-family homes and is being built by Toll Brothers.
Holmdel Fields Holmdel Fields is a 19 lot subdivision that lies of Holmdel Road, just south of Roberts
Road. It consists of 19 large lot single-family homes. Infrastructure work is on-going and two homes are
under construction.
Chipotle Grill Site Plan The Chipotle Grill Site Plan lies at the intersection of Route 35 and Union Avenue.
The parking lot is paved and substantial progress is being made on the building.
Edward G. Broberg, P.E.
Holmdel Township Engineer Revised June 9, 2016