Mayor Jonathan M. Busch

Before tonight’s Council meeting, Girl Scout Daisy Troop No. 80674 visited Borough Hall to earn their Democracy Badge, where they learned a little about local government, shared thoughtful ideas for the renovation of Olmezer Park, and then opened the meeting by leading the Council Members and me in the Pledge of Allegiance. 🇺🇸 Smart, confident, and completely adorable. A wonderful reminder of what this is all about.

Great evening tonight at Duke’s Steakhouse for a thoughtful conversation on economic and workforce development with a terrific mix of leaders, including Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, as well as others from across New Jersey. Honored to be part of this group, including Executive County Superintendent and Woodbridge Councilman Kyle Anderson, Kean University President Lamont Repollet, New Brunswick Superintendent Aubrey Johnson, and NBA and ABA great, Perth Amboy’s own Brian Taylor, among others.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Metuchen ☘️ If today had a headquarters, it would be Hailey’s Harp & Pub. And whether or not you wore green, just pop in. The lighting alone will make sure you fit right in. Live music is already underway, with pipers and dancers coming and going all afternoon. Great food, cold beer, and a packed house with neighbors. St. Patrick’s Day done right. A true cornerstone of our downtown and one of Central Jersey’s great Irish pubs. Stop by, raise a glass, and enjoy. Sláinte. 🍀

It was meaningful to witness Metuchen’s own and my dear friend, Bishop Ronald Owens, offer the invocation at Governor Mikie Sherrill’s Budget Message in Trenton this afternoon. This comes as he recently shared news of his retirement at the end of this year as Senior Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, after decades of faithful leadership and service to our community.

Spent the morning at The Metuchen Preschool at Neve Shalom for Read Across America with the 3 and 4 year old classes. The kids were adorable, inquisitive, and very into “If You Give a Moose a Muffin” by Laura Numeroff, not to be confused with her other books “If You Give a Pig a Pancake” or “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.” If you know the series, you know how it goes. One small thing leads to another and another and another. The kids quickly figured out the rhythm of it, and we all seemed to agree that the moose, in this case, was… a little high maintenance. At this age, the Q and A is always the best part. You ask for questions and a bunch of hands shoot up. When called upon, some say they forgot. Others share very important information about their lives, like the fact that their dad is picking them up today or that their older sibling is faster than they are. Thank you to the wonderful teachers and students for such a fun visit and a great way to start the day.

Metuchen received a few additional inches of fresh snow overnight. DPW has dispatched salt trucks to treat our main roads. Temperatures are expected to rise into the low 40s today, which should help much of the new accumulation melt as the day progresses. Thank you to our DPW team for their continued hard work as they manage this latest event while still addressing impacts from the previous accumulation.

We know this storm left us with a ton of snow, around 20 inches actually. Shoveling out is real work, and many of you are already doing a great job clearing your sidewalks. Thank you. It truly makes a difference for pedestrians, kids walking to school, and neighbors moving safely through the Borough. A reminder that residents are required to clear the sidewalks in front of their homes. Doing so helps keep our community safe and accessible for everyone. We also recognize that some neighbors are more physically able to shovel than others. If you are able, please consider helping an elderly or disabled neighbor. That is what Metuchen does best. We look out for each other. We will give everyone until approximately 2pm tomorrow before we begin knocking on doors to remind residents of their responsibility if sidewalks have not been cleared. And one important note: this snow is heavy. Please take your time, lift smaller amounts, take breaks, and know your limits. Overexertion while shoveling can lead to serious health emergencies every year. Thank you for doing your part and for taking care of one another.

As the storm tapers off, we continue assessing conditions across the Borough. DPW crews have been working through the night to keep up with significant accumulations and will continue their efforts throughout the day. This was no typical storm, and we ask residents for continued patience as crews work methodically and safely. Approximately 250 homes remain without power, largely related to the downed tree on Rose Street. Tree removal operations are now complete, and we have been advised that PSE&G expects to restore power to most affected homes within the hour. If outages become extended, we are coordinating with school district officials should we need to open facilities for warming and charging stations. If you are still without power and have not reported it, please contact PSE&G directly through their website, mobile app, or by calling 1-800-436-7734. We will continue to provide updates as restoration progresses.

Significant snowfall continues at this hour. We have had several trees come down across the community impacting power lines. At this time, approximately 250 homes are without power throughout Metuchen, with the largest concentration in the Rose Street area. There are also outages reported on Aldrich and in a few locations along Spring. Our team is actively monitoring conditions and coordinating closely with PSE&G. Unfortunately, PSE&G has advised that crews will not be dispatched until conditions improve, which is not expected for at least a few more hours. If you experience an outage, please report it directly to PSE&G through their website, mobile app, or by calling 1-800-436-7734. Reporting outages directly helps restoration crews prioritize and respond as efficiently as possible. We will continue to provide updates as we receive them. Hang in there, Metuchen.

Hey Metuchen! ❄️ At this point, forecasts are calling for approximately 18 to 22 inches of snow, with some models slightly lower and others higher. Our DPW crews will begin salting and plowing operations early this evening and will run rotating shifts through the night and into tomorrow. We ask residents to be patient as crews work methodically and safely. We will get to you. If you have not already done so, please remove your vehicles from the roadway and avoid unnecessary travel once conditions deteriorate so plows can do their work. With heavy snow and strong wind gusts expected, we are particularly concerned about power outages. If you lose power, please report it directly to PSE&G through their website or mobile app, or by calling 1-800-436-7734. If you see downed wires, assume they are live and call 911 immediately. We will continue to provide updates as the storm progresses. Stay safe!

In case you’re looking for a spirited way to welcome the snowstorm from home. ❄️🏒 USA 🇺🇸 vs Canada 🇨🇦 in the men’s hockey gold medal game at 8:10am, featuring the New Jersey Devils’ own Jack Hughes. 🥇 If we’re going to wake up to a possibly record breaking snowstorm, bringing home America’s first gold since 1980 would certainly make things more tolerable. USA! USA! USA!

As the storm approaches, please move your cars off Borough streets and into driveways or designated public parking lots. Cars left on the road prevent curb to curb plowing. Last storm, many areas could not be fully cleared and some vehicles ended up stuck in snowbanks for weeks. Let’s avoid a repeat. If the car stays, the snow stays. Thank you for helping us get streets open quickly and safely for everyone.

We are monitoring what could become one of the most significant snowstorms our area has seen in years, potentially even larger than the late January storm. Snow is expected to begin Sunday morning and continue into early Monday. Unlike the last event, this storm is forecast to bring heavier, wetter snow due to higher temperatures, along with wind gusts that could approach 40 mph. That combination increases the risk of downed branches and power outages. Because most homes rely on electricity for heat, outages would have a serious impact. We are coordinating closely with our Office of Emergency Management in case we need to open a warming/charging center. Now is a good time to prepare and check on neighbors who may need assistance. We will continue to share updates, as they become necessary.

Proud to join current and former Board of Education members and administrators in cutting the ribbon on Metuchen High School’s beautiful new gymnasium ahead of tonight’s basketball games. This facility truly needs to be seen to be believed. State of the art, with two full size side courts, seating for more than 1,000, three locker rooms, a projection system for school and community events, expanded parking, and its own exterior entrance, it dramatically strengthens our community school concept. We are incredibly proud to see this addition come to life, adding much needed indoor space for students and residents and complementing our growing network of outdoor recreational spaces we have enhanced across Metuchen, in partnership with our school district, in recent years.

Spent time at the Senior Center luncheon today and took plenty of questions about what’s happening around the Borough. Thoughtful, direct, and very engaged as always.

A little distance can sometimes change how we see familiar things, including home. I’ve been fortunate to take in a few U.S. men’s hockey games at the Olympics in Milan this week. There is something clarifying about being abroad and watching these extraordinary American athletes compete. It is always easy to root for them. They are exceptional at their craft, disciplined, focused, and committed to excellence in front of the world. They represent the very best of effort, preparation, and seriousness of purpose. Being here offers perspective, and with it reflection. Loving America has never meant believing we are perfect. It has meant believing deeply in the ideals that give the country its meaning, fairness, dignity, restraint, and the idea that power should be exercised responsibly. Much of America’s strength has never come from volume or spectacle. It comes from trust, the belief, both at home and abroad, that beneath all our noise there is seriousness in how we govern ourselves and how we treat people. Those values are not abstract. They allow people to place confidence in institutions, to show up in good faith, and to believe that participation matters. Pride and accountability are not opposites. They belong together. Real patriotism is not blind affirmation. It is loyalty to the idea that the country can and should live up to the standards it asks of others. Cheering for our athletes this week with genuine pride, and holding onto the hope that America remains strongest when it carries its power with dignity and responsibility. 🇺🇸

For the first time since 2011, the Borough’s two high schools will meet on the basketball court today in the GMC Quarterfinals. The Metuchen High School Bulldogs visit the St. Joseph High School Falcons with a 1:00 tip off in the St. Joe’s gym. Go Bulldogs! 🐾

Overnight, a structure fire in Redfield Village displaced 10 residents across four units. All residents were able to get out safely. Thanks to the quick response of the Metuchen Fire Department and the Metuchen Police Department, the fire was contained before spreading to additional homes. Borough officials worked with the Red Cross to assist residents and arrange temporary accommodations. We are coordinating with It Takes a Borough in the event there is a way for our community to help our neighbors further. Thinking of our neighbors this morning and grateful to all who responded.