WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) recently announced that his office has submitted 15 Community Project Funding requests to the House Appropriations Committee for funding consideration ahead of thefiscal year 2025 congressional appropriations process.
All six counties in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District are represented, Kean said.
“Community Project Funding requests are an important way to send much needed federal dollars back home to New Jersey,” Kean said. “From supporting our police to improving aging infrastructure, I am excited to share the 15 community projects selected for consideration in the FY2025 appropriations process. I will continue to fight in Congress to get this funding across the finish line, so we can improve lives in the Garden State.”
Community Project Funding is a process that allows Members of Congress to request direct funding for projects that benefit the communities they represent. Each member may submit up to fifteen (15) projects. This process includes robust eligibility, ethics, and transparency guidelines and is only available to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as some non-profits. Additionally, only projects with evidence of strong support from the community will be considered, and evidence of this support and community need is required as part of the submission.
Below are the 15 Community Project Funding requests the Office of Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. Submitted to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration for FY2025:
1) Warren Community College Agricultural Education and Training Center in Warren County, New Jersey
- Subcommittee: Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies
- Amount: $978,625
- Recipient: Warren Community College
- Location: 218 Mt. Pisgah Ave., Oxford, New Jersey 07863
- Justification: The funding would be used for improvements to the existing Agricultural Education and Training Center’s facilities to serve as a location for training students on vocational agriculture and culinary studies.
2) Washington Township, New Jersey Police Department Building Renovation
- Subcommittee: Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies
- Amount: $560,000
- Recipient: Washington Township, New Jersey
- Location: 1 East Springtown Road, Long Valley, New Jersey 07853
- Justification: The project would be used for replacing, repairing, and renovating certain features of the Washington Township Police Department Building, such as roof replacement, HVAC air handler and condenser replacement, and parking lot replacement.
3) Memorial Pond Stormwater Dredging in Borough of Mount Arlington, New Jersey
- Subcommittee: Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Amount: $560,000
- Recipient: Borough of Mount Arlington, New Jersey
- Location: N Glen Ave., Mount Arlington, New Jersey 07856
- Justification: The funding will be used for data collection and analysis of the sediment, surveying, engineering, regulatory requirements, and dredging of Memorial Pond. The dredging involves pumping the sediment through a pipeline into geotubes.
4) City of Summit, New Jersey Glenside Avenue Sidewalk Improvements
- Subcommittee: Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies
- Amount: $530,274.60
- Recipient: City of Sumit, New Jersey
- Location: Glenside Avenue, Summit, New Jersey 07901
- Justification: The funding would be used for critical upgrades to Glenside Avenue, including new ADA-complaint sidewalks on a corridor that suffers from higher traffic than other routes.
5) Borough of Hopatcong, New Jersey Lead Service Line Replacements
- Subcommittee: Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Amount: $1,456,796
- Recipient: Borough of Hopatcong, New Jersey
- Location: 111 River Styx Road, Hopatcong, New Jersey 07843
- Justification: The funding would be used for completing the initial phase of lead service line replacements along various roadways in the jurisdiction, mainly near low-income households.
6) Phillipsburg, New Jersey Riverfront Park Revitalization
- Subcommittee: Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies
- Amount: $2,400,000
- Recipient: Town of Phillipsburg, New jersey
- Location: Howard Street, Phillipsburg, New Jersey, 08865
- Justification: The funding would be used for revitalizing the existing Delaware River Park to be reused for recreational purposes.
7) Hunterdon County, New Jersey Senior Center Expansion and Renovation
- Subcommittee: Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies
- Amount: $2,000,000
- Recipient: Hunterdon County, New Jersey
- Location: 4 Gauntt Place, Flemington, New Jersey 08822
- Justification: The funding would be used for assisting Hunterdon County with expanding its senior center which services the entirety of the County and houses a number of programs that benefit low- and moderate- income senior citizens.
8) Bernards Township, New Jersey Police Department Communications Upgrade
- Subcommittee: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Amount: $1,626,100
- Recipient: Bernards Township, New Jersey
- Location: 1 Collyer Lane, Bernards Township, New Jersey 07920
- Justification: The funding would be used for improving the communications capabilities of the Township Police Department and partner emergency response agencies within the Township, which provide for direct radio contact and allow the police to more effectively communicate and facilitate deployment.
9) Township of Warren, New Jersey Public Safety Communications Equipment Upgrade
- Subcommittee: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Amount: $900,000
- Recipient: Township of Warren, New Jersey
- Location: 44 Mountain Blvd., Warren, New Jersey 07059
- Justification: The funding would be used for communication technology upgrades for emergency operations of the police department to allow the agency to meet the growing needs of the community. The equipment upgrade is a valuable lifeline to all emergency services for the township.
10) School Resource Officer Vehicle and Equipment for Greenwich Township, New Jersey Police Department
- Subcommittee: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Amount: $89,243.50
- Recipient: Township of Greenwich
- Location: 321 Greenwich Street, Stewartsville, New Jersey 08886
- Justification: The funding would be used for the purchase of a single police vehicle to be utilized by the Township’s school resource officer dedicated to ensuring a safe, secure, and supportive environment for students, staff, and residents.
11) Modernizing the Holland Township Police Department Headquarters in Holland Township, New Jersey
- Subcommittee: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Amount: $555,000
- Recipient: Holland Township Department of Police and Public Safety
- Location: 61 Church Road, Milford, New Jersey 08848
- Justification: Holland Township’s Police Department Headquarters was first constructed in 1976. The current space lacks sufficient office space, locker facility, and processing areas, hindering officers’ ability to work effectively, coordinate resources, and serve the community. Both the interior and exterior need to be brought up to modern standards. The project includes the addition of a processing area and sallyport with heightened security measures to facilitate efficient operations. Additionally, the modernized police headquarters can serve as a hub for community engagement and outreach initiatives. The renovated facility can provide space for community meetings, educational programs, and events to foster positive relationships between law enforcement and the community.
12) Township of Readington Police Department Expansion and Modernization in Readington, New Jersey
- Subcommittee: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Amount: $ 3,000,000
- Recipient: Readington Township Police Department
- Location: 509 Route 523, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey 08889
- Justification: The expansion and modernization initiative for the Readington Township Police Department aims to enhance the operational capacity, efficiency, and community engagement of the department through strategic upgrades and expansion efforts. This comprehensive project encompasses the modernization of infrastructure, technology, and resources to ensure the department is equipped to meet the evolving needs of the community while fostering trust and collaboration between law enforcement and residents.
13) Borough of Mountainside, New Jersey Security Improvements at Borough Hall and Police and Fire Departments Building
- Subcommittee: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Amount: $ 63,250
- Recipient: Borough of Mountainside
- Location: 1385 Route 22 East, Mountainside, New Jersey 07092
- Justification: Mountainside’s Borough Hall contains its police department, senior center, recreation department, building and construction office, tax office, clerk’s office, and court. Additionally, there is minimal security to enter certain offices in the building. This funding will allow the Borough to purchase and install new security cameras at the Borough Hall and the fire department, as well as a computerized badged locking system. The locking system would allow the Borough to grant access to certain offices based on employee function. This funding will allow the Borough to install an intercom system at the main entrance to allow police dispatchers to communicate with visitors after hours.
14) Byram Township, New Jersey Municipal Site Improvements
- Subcommittee: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Amount: $1,237,500
- Recipient: Byram Township
- Location: 10 Mansfield Drive, Byram Township, New Jersey 07874
- Justification: The Township is in dire need of a new police department headquarters, currently operating out of a set of mobile construction trailers from the 1970s.This funding will allow the police department to move into an existing 4,500 square foot office building and renovate it to be suitable to house their police headquarters.
15) Upper Passaic River general Investigation Feasibility Study – US Army Corps of Engineers
- Subcommittee: Energy and Water Development
- Amount: $500,000
- Recipient: New Providence, Berkley Heights, Summit, USACE
- Location: 360 Elkwood Avenue, New Providence, New Jersey 07974
- Justification: The project involves a General Investigation Study by the US Army Corps of Engineers related to the Upper Passaic River. Flooding from the Upper Passaic River affects several communities, notably New Providence, Berkeley Heights, and Summit. These communities have been negatively affected by riverine flooding from the Upper Passaic River and its tributaries during storm/flood events, which have affected homes and property and caused significant erosion of land. The scope of work involves a feasibility study – already authorized by Congress – to be conducted by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The study would address flood risk management related to the Upper Passaic River and its tributaries, to consider and compare alternative plans, identify favorable and unfavorable characteristics of those plans, and assess the costs and benefits of alternative plans and recommend a course of action.
To view the Community Project Funding on the Congressman’s website, click here.
