Here’s What the Woodbridge Council Decided Tuesday Night
Five new officers were sworn in, the township pulled back a property acquisition it authorized earlier this year, accepted a $1 million climate grant, and approved a slate of road and parks spending.
From left: Mason Scorano, Abigail Vendrell, Matthew Dzyak, Michael Tornatore, and Alexander Totin were sworn in as Woodbridge Township police officers at the June 23, 2026, Municipal Council meeting. (Credit: Woodbridge Township via Facebook)
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Chris Howell | June 24, 2026
The Top 5
1. Five New Officers Join the Woodbridge Police Department
The council opened the meeting on Tuesday by swearing in five new police officers: Alexander Totin, Michael Tornatore, Matthew Dzyak, Abigail Vendrell, and Mason Scorano. All five are graduates of the Cape May County Police Academy.
Several have deep roots in the township. Totin is a lifelong Woodbridge resident whose grandfather is a retired Newark police officer. Tornatore is from the Fords section; his great-grandfather was a New York City police officer killed in the line of duty. Dzyak, also from Fords, previously worked for the NJ Department of Transportation and volunteered with the Woodbridge Cares Organization, and attended the Woodbridge Junior Police Academy. Vendrell, 21, previously served as an auxiliary police officer for the township while working as a patient technician, and volunteered at the Junior Police Academy. Scorano is a former Marine Corps Lance Corporal who worked as a 911 telecommunicator and fire dispatcher for the township before joining the force. His father is a retired Woodbridge police sergeant.
The swearing-in was followed by a Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Public Safety, recognizing Sgt. Perry Penna, Officer Julian Valentin, Officer Matthew Murdoch, and EMS providers Anthony Mazza and Karina Suarez-Bosque. On June 4, the four responded to a welfare check on an 80-year-old woman on Hawaii Avenue in Fords, forced entry into her home, navigated an extreme hoarding situation, and revived her with CPR. McCormac said she likely would not have survived another 10 to 15 minutes without intervention.
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2. Township Walks Back Plan to Acquire Former First Aid Building
The council passed an ordinance rescinding its earlier authorization to buy or condemn the property at 77 Queen Road, the former home of the Woodbridge Township Ambulance and Rescue Squad, which closed in August 2025 after a dramatic decline in community donations left it unable to continue operations. The squad had served the township for decades and at its peak responded to more than 7,500 emergencies per year. McCormac said the township no longer needs the building because it has found alternative locations for its EMS rigs at the Menlo Park Terrace Firehouse and the Fords Firehouse.
3. Township Accepts $1 Million Climate Grant, Partners With Montclair State
The council accepted a Natural Climate Solutions Green Carbon Grant from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection worth just over $1 million. The township also signed a memorandum of understanding with Montclair State University in connection with the grant. The township has not released details on the scope of the partnership or what specific projects the funding will support.
4. Iselin Properties Flagged for Potential Redevelopment Study
The council authorized the Planning Board to investigate whether two parcels in the Iselin section of Woodbridge qualify as an Area in Need of Redevelopment. The properties — Block 356, Lots 2.02 and 2.03 — appear to be located along the Wood Avenue South corridor near the Metropark station, an area the township has been actively redeveloping for nearly a decade. The designation, if granted, would give the township additional tools to spur development on the properties. The township has not released details on what currently sits on the parcels or what kind of development is planned. The Central Jerseyan has requested additional information from the Planning Board.
5. $1.5 Million Grant Announced for New Park at Former School 14 Site
Councilman Daniel Harris announced that the Garden State Preservation Trust approved a $1.5 million grant for a new two-acre park at Ford Avenue and Main Street, the site of the former School 14. Plans call for a fully accessible playground, a walking and running track, and an outdoor fitness area. The grant still requires legislative approval before funds are released.
Honorable Mentions
Traffic Signal Coming to Barron Avenue and Freeman Street: The council hired Colliers Engineering & Design for up to $101,800 to design intersection improvements at Barron Avenue and Freeman Street, with a new traffic signal planned for the location.
Pirate Ship Playground in Sewaren Getting Rebuilt: Two separate contracts totaling roughly $114,000 were approved to replace the Pirate Ship Playground in Sewaren — one for new equipment from BCI Burke Company and one for resurfacing from Whirl Construction.
ADA Playground Equipment Approved for Various Parks: A separate BCI Burke Company contract for up to $141,966 covers ADA-accessible playground equipment for parks across the township.
New E-Ticketing System for Parking: The council approved an agreement with Gold Type Business Machine for a new electronic ticketing system for up to $30,000 per year. The system will allow officers to issue parking violations digitally rather than on paper.
New Traffic Turn Restrictions: A first-reading ordinance would add no-turn restrictions at Chain O’Hills Road, the Walgreens at 1303 Saint Georges Avenue, and Avenel Street. A public hearing is set for July 7.
$1.8 Million Bridge Rehab Grant for New Dover Road: Harris also announced that the NJ Department of Transportation awarded $1.8 million to Middlesex County to rehabilitate the concrete bridge overpass on New Dover Road in Colonia, which spans the south branch of the Rahway River.
Bass Pro Shops Hiring Event: Councilman Kyle Anderson announced that Bass Pro Shops is hiring 300 people for its new location near the Driscoll Bridge, with a hiring event scheduled for June 24 and 25 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. More information is available at basspro.com/careers.
Juneteenth Celebration June 27: The township’s Juneteenth celebration is scheduled for June 27 behind Woodbridge High School from 1 to 7 p.m. Epic Soul will perform, along with DJ Rand. The event includes activities for children, food, and music.
Also Approved Tuesday
- Easement granted to Fulton Street Urban Renewal LLC for a portion of the South Fulton Street overpass — needed for an active development project
- Stormwater ordinance from April 21 rescinded; township will adopt a new one to comply with updated state regulations
- Human Rights Commission reappointments: Denise Anderson, Donald Green, and Glenn Morgan, each for a three-year term beginning July 1
- Preliminary 2026 tax levy certified at $111,641,077
- Liquor licenses renewed for clubs, retail consumption, and retail distribution for the 2026-2027 term
- Michelle Onder hired as Clerk 1 in the Police Department ID Bureau
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car agreement for use of undercover vehicles by the Police Department
- Two dump trucks purchased for Roads and Parks — $302,604 for chassis; $263,950 for truck bodies
- One front loader purchased for Roads and Parks — $228,518 for chassis; $202,537 for loader body
- Community Center ice chiller replacement contract increased by $10,108 — total now $2,213,739
- Home improvement assistance approved for two Woodbridge households — up to $28,350 combined
- Tax exemptions approved for two 100% disabled veterans: Claude A. Allen and Alfred S. Jankowski
- Woodbridge to enter into recreational and cultural services agreements with various community organizations
The council’s next regular meeting is Monday, July 7, at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at One Main Street, Woodbridge. Items expected at that meeting include a public hearing on the new turn restriction ordinance and the handicapped parking updates.
Editor’s note: The Central Jerseyan is free to read and supported by advertising. If you value this kind of local reporting and want to help sustain it, you can become a citizen supporter on Patreon. Your contribution helps fund continued coverage of local government, schools, and community issues.