Aberdeen Economic Business Council Draws Over 160 Attendees to Second Annual Dinner

Over 160 business people, municipal, county and state officials, clergy and other interested parties attended the Aberdeen Economic Business Council’s (EBC) Second Annual Business Dinner on October 27 at the Addison Park catering hall on Rte. 35 in Aberdeen. The evening featured presentations by State Senator Joseph Kyrillos (who announced earlier that week that he would be retiring from a 30-year career in the state legislature when his current term ends in January 2018), Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone, Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini, and EBC Chairman Carmine Visone.

During his opening remarks, Visone pointed to the EBC’s work with the Aberdeen Township Council on passing ordinances for outdoor dining and business signage, as well as the group’s role in turning the annual Aberdeen Day event into a town-wide event with multiple venues. Visone also pointed to the success of several programs he and the EBC have undertaken with Matawan Regional High School, including an annual job fair that attracts hundreds of job seekers from across the county and a program launched last year that matches students with elderly and disabled residents for free snow-shoveling.

“The huge turnout here tonight, which is nearly 40% more than what we drew to last year’s dinner, testifies to the EBC’s growing strength in our community,” Visone said. “We are especially pleased that, in addition to Aberdeen businesses, this year’s event drew businesses from other towns who came here to learn what our EBC is all about and potentially launch similar programs in their own towns.”

In his ‘state of the town’ address, Tagliarini outlined the Aberdeen Township Council’s new plan to spur commercial and residential redevelopment along the Rte. 35 corridor and the adjoining Cliffwood and Cliffwood Beach sections, and discussed several major projects under way in various parts of the municipality. Elaborating on the Rte. 35 initiative, Tagliarini said that in January 2017, the Council expects to officially roll out the plan designating the corridor as “an area to be revitalized.” Under this designation, business owners and residents will be able to secure five-year tax-abatements on the value of improvements to their properties. “This will give businesses and other property owners the incentive to expand or rehabilitate their buildings, or construct new structures,” he explained.

The Mayor also told attendees about four new projects on which ground was broken this year: Somerset Development’s mixed-use The Glassworks on Cliffwood Ave.; the apartment/retail Transit Village complex at the train station by Highview Homes/BNE Development; the affordable senior and family apartments, and senior community center being constructed on Church St. by RPM Development; and the Hidden Village luxury apartments being developed by Roger Mumford Homes on Rte. 34 near the Marlboro border. “These four projects have common threads: they’re all in parts of Aberdeen that are gateways to our town and all replace unproductive eyesores,” Tagliarini explained. “Each is being built by extraordinary developers.

“Significantly, while these projects were being planned, we were also able to balance construction with the preservation of nearly 300 acres of undeveloped land with the help of Senator Kyrillos and the Monmouth County Freeholders to create Freneau Woods, which will be the newest county park,” he continued. “We also recently announced a new $2.5 million park at Cliffwood Beach that will have a spray park, athletic field and other desirable features.”

After his presentation, Tagliarini presented Kyrillos with a proclamation from the Aberdeen Township Council, thanking him for his soon-to-be 30 years of service in the legislature, bi-partisan spirit and ongoing support that was instrumental in delivering funding for the new county park and other important projects in Aberdeen. “I can’t say enough about Joe Kyrillos. He’s always been there for us and will be sorely missed,” Tagliarini summed up.

Kyrillos, who received a standing ovation from the crowd, reminisced about his many years in the State Assembly and Senate, and talked about the importance of the state’s efforts to recruit and retain major companies. These major employers, he pointed out, help small businesses in areas where they are located, whether it be through patronage of local restaurants and other service or retail establishments, or hiring local contractors for construction, ongoing maintenance and other services. The Senator added that he “was impressed” with the cooperation between the Aberdeen EBC, Township Council and local schools, calling the EBC “a model for other communities to follow.”

Arnone also praised Aberdeen’s recent strides in bringing business, government and schools together. “This is what makes Aberdeen such a success,” he said, calling the township “by far the most pro-active municipality for growth right now in Monmouth County.” As the force behind the ‘Grow Monmouth’ initiative designed to cut red tape for businesses looking to expand or stay in the county, Arnone outlined other measures that help small businesses. These include the county’s highly popular annual ‘Made in Monmouth’ showcase event that puts local manufacturers in front of consumers and other buyers; a new ‘Grown in Monmouth’ program that aims to link the county’s farmers with restaurants, delis and specialty food stores; and a Façade program that provides grants to businesses in designated areas to improve their buildings.

Later in the evening, Visone thanked the owners of Addison Park for hosting “a truly first-class event at a greatly reduced price,” and to Flowers by Gina for providing the centerpieces.

To learn more about the Aberdeen EBC, visit www.aberdeennj.org and click on the left-hand link to “Businesses/EBC.”