Mayor’s Address – Jan 7, 2025
Happy New Year! As 2025 begins, I again want to thank EVERY Volunteer and EVERY Employee, all of whom have worked so hard to make Rumson the special community it is. I especially want to thank the Rumson Police Department, the Rumson Fire Department, the Rumson First Aid Squad and the Rumson Department of Public Works for their hard work, untiring dedication, and, most importantly, for the risks they take every day to protect the quality of life we cherish in Rumson. I am sincerely hopeful that 2025 will be a great year, starting with peace and good health for everyone.
And now, the following is a report of The Borough events and activities of 2024 and a brief look forward to the New Year and 2025.
The Borough Council
The Borough Council Members have met the year’s challenges with diplomacy and with the dignity that would be expected from such an experienced group. I applaud each of you for the contributions you have made on behalf of all the residents of Rumson, and I extend my heartfelt thanks for your support and assistance throughout the past year.
In November, returning Councilmembers John J. Conklin III and Sarah Pomphrey were each elected to a three-year Council term. On behalf of all Council members, it is our honor and privilege to serve our community as your volunteer elected representatives.
Major Community Events
Rumson is a small, close-knit town with a lot of pride and spirit. Each year, there are numerous community events that bring our residents together for fun and, often, to benefit a good cause. Some are sponsored by The Borough and others by independent entities, but all add to the feeling of community and togetherness long enjoyed by our residents. The partnership with our local school district grows stronger each year and we enjoy including our students in Borough events. If you have never attended, or if it has been a while since you came out to a community event, we encourage you to join us in 2025.
Rumson EMS
The Rumson First Aid Squad has dozens of volunteer members, many of whom have completed the rigorous 250-hour Emergency Medical Technician course. In 2024, the Squad responded to hundreds of calls in Rumson and assisted in many calls in our neighboring communities. The residents of Rumson should take pride and comfort in knowing their First Aid Squad is ready, 24-hours per day, to respond to every type of medical emergency. We want to thank Captain Doug Rossbach for his service to our residents. We also wish to thank all of the volunteer officers and membership that continue to support our Volunteer First Aid Squad.
Rumson Fire Department
The Rumson Fire Department members participate in more than 250 hours of training, in addition to annual training every year.
The Rumson Fire Department responds to hundreds of fire calls in The Borough and in surrounding towns each year. The Department is staffed solely by trained volunteer members. The Department was led by Fire Chief Robert Eyerkuss and Assistant Fire Chief Kevin McCarthy. We also wish to thank all of the volunteer officers and members that continue to support our Volunteer Fire Department.
Volunteers are always needed for both EMS and the Fire Department and Borough residents are encouraged to apply and learn about how they can assist with the Borough’s First Aid and Fire Protection.
Rumson Police Department
The Rumson Police Department is available 24 hours a day 365 days a year to serve the residents of the Borough of Rumson. All officers of the Rumson Police Department each complete approximately 100 hours of training, annually, to sharpen their skills and stay up-to-date on the latest law enforcement tactics.
I want to begin by thanking Chief Robert Boyer. Bob took over as Rumson Police Chief in March 2024 and has done an incredible job. On behalf of the Rumson Borough Council, to the officers of the Rumson police Department: Thank You. In a year that has presented new challenges and dangers, you answered each and every call with professionalism. To support the efforts of our police department we wish to again remind our residents to remove your car keys and to lock your cars.
Department of Public Works
The Department of Public Works does a fantastic job keeping our streets clear, our sewers flowing and our parks looking their best. They handle all kinds of work in all sorts of weather conditions. The team works hard year-round to address all different types of issues helping to keep Rumson looking its best.
The Borough’s often forgotten, but vital sanitary sewer system, requires around the clock care, service and maintenance. The Borough has approximately 75 miles of sewer pipe that sends household sewage to one of the eleven pumping stations in the Borough and then eventually to Monmouth Beach, where approximately 550 million gallons of Rumson sewage is processed annually.
The work of the Department of Public Works was on full display this spring with frequent and intense rains. Due to the record setting rainfall, wastewater system operators throughout the State of New Jersey experienced sewer flows significantly higher than anything recorded in the past. During this period, The Borough of Rumson was experiencing three times its normal daily flow of sewage. Despite this trying time, The Department of Public Works worked tirelessly, in collaboration with the NJDEP, to overcome the challenges brought about by the excessive wet weather.
The Department of Public Works Toy Drive in early December was a great success. The Toy Drive brought in 600 toys, which were distributed to Family and Children’s Services and the Salvation Army in Red Bank and will benefit many local children in need. Thanks to everyone for your generous gifts, and to our Public Works employees who donated their time each year for this worthy cause.
Department of Public Work Superintendent Daryl Kochel has done an incredible job leading the department and navigating the challenges faced throughout the year. Thank you Daryl for all you and your department do!
Parks & Recreation
Rumson Recreation, led by Charlie Hoffman, offers over 35 programs annually enjoyed by more than 3,500 residents of all ages. Activities include a variety of recreational youth sports and non-sports programming, summer camps, as well as featured family events and holiday parades. We continue to look for new programming and for ways to improve our recreational processes.
Rumson Rec utilizes over 300 volunteer coaches each year and provides volunteer opportunities for local teens and seniors. The Council and I would like to thank all our devoted volunteer Recreation Commission Members for their time and devotion to the benefit of our children and our community. We would also like to thank our parents and participants for their support.
Maintaining the highest quality parks and recreational spaces is a high priority for the Borough. As such, grass playing fields are periodically closed for rest and maintenance and The Department of Public Works is regularly checking our facilities to ensure maximum safety.
Affordable Housing
In 2024, the Borough continued to meet its Affordable Housing Round 3 obligation. The addition of the property at 49 W River Road was approved by the Court and construction drawings are now underway for a new project, with construction starting late this year. Other Affordable Housing projects are already underway and affirmative marketing is taking place to fill those units.
We are now focused on planning for Round 4 and the Borough’s required development obligation.
We will be sharing information about the Borough’s Round 4 Plan with you in the coming months and have every intention to meet the State’s timeline to continue the Borough’s full compliance with the State’s regulations.
Construction & Engineering
The Borough of Rumson’s Construction and Engineering Offices are two of the best in Monmouth County. With the skilled full and part time staff, the Construction Office, led by Nick Fabiano, oversees all the building projects within our Borough as well as in Little Silver and Fair Haven through a multi-town shared service agreement.
The Borough’s Engineering Office, led by Engineer David Marks, designs and manages infrastructure projects such as roadway improvements, sidewalk and curb improvements, sanitary sewer and drainage upgrades and park projects. He is also the Borough’s representative for many Monmouth County projects, including but not limited to, the Rumson – Sea Bright Bridge currently under construction and the future Oceanic Bridge Replacement.
Brett Hunger is our Project Manager to oversee borough construction projects and support our engineering initiatives and fulfil the roles of Code Enforcement Officer and Tree Conservation Officer. Having the Engineering Office as part of the Borough staff has significantly reduced the cost and reliance on outside consulting firms.
The DPW and The Borough Engineer continue to outline key steps the Borough is taking to address groundwater infiltration, the importance of eliminating illicit connections and rehabilitating the entire Rumson sanitary sewer system. Through subsequent discussions and inspections with the NJDEP following the record breaking wet weather this past spring, our local NJDEP agents expressed satisfaction with the Borough’s proactive approach to operating our system.
Residents are once again reminded that sump pumps, yard drains and roof leaders are illegal connections into sanitary sewer lines. These types of illicit connections must be disconnected to reduce wastewater flow as they significantly contributed to the high flows that the Borough experienced in April.
The Borough is in the process overseeing a major parking and playground and exercise equipment replacement project at Meadow Ridge Park. This project will expand the existing western parking lot to nearly double the available parking and greatly improve vehicular circulation and pedestrian safety. The existing play and fitness equipment will also be replaced along with new and supplemental landscaping to update the park. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to make this incredible space even better for our residents.
Infrastructure Improvements
The Borough will seek to continue the robust Infrastructure Improvement Program in 2025 with a primary focus on street paving, park upgrades and sanitary sewer system rehabilitation and upgrades. As always, we strive to leverage outside agency grant funds to offset our local tax dollar contribution. In recent years, the Borough has secured over $2,000,000.00 in competitive grant awards for various road, park, drainage, and sewer projects throughout the town. The reinvestment in the Borough’s aging infrastructure promotes system reliability and maintains the community’s value for generations after us.
Borough Staff & Commission Volunteer Updates
We appreciate our Borough’s municipal staff, including the Borough Hall Staff, Department of Public Works and Police Department, which all continue to provide the best and most courteous service to our residents. Our Borough employees provide the high level of services our residents expect, as they work within the budget and regulatory constraints set forth by the State of New Jersey.
Personally, I would like to extend a special thank you to the Chairs and Members of all the various Committees, Commissions and Boards. Each of these volunteers gives a considerable amount of time to reviewing issues that are important to our community. Their personal commitment and volunteerism is one of Rumson's most valuable assets and is greatly appreciated. Any resident interested in volunteering to help run our wonderful community should reach out at any time. We welcome your involvement.
Once again, our Police Department, Department of Public Works and our volunteer Fire Department and First Aid Squad are to be commended for their unconditional commitment to the safety and welfare of our residents, addressing every emergency with courtesy and respect. We appreciate your service, thank you all.
On behalf of all our Council Members and myself, I want to wish everyone a Happy, Healthy, and Peaceful New Year. May God Bless us all and God Bless America.
Sincerely, Joseph K. Hemphill Mayor
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