New softball field contract awarded
BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer

MATAWAN - The Borough Council passed a resolution awarding a contract to build a girls softball field by a 5-1 vote at the March 4 Borough Council meeting.

Antuofermo Landscaping of Old Bridge was awarded the contract to build the softball field that will be located adjacent to the existing baseball field at Jeremiah E. Hourihan Field on Broad Street.

According to the resolution, the cost for the project is not to exceed $21,475. The Aberdeen-Matawan Girls Softball League agreed to pay half of the cost, making the borough responsible for $10,737.50 toward the project.

The field will back up to the YMCA day-care facility on Church Street and will be used by children between the ages of pre-K to third grade.

Councilman Joseph "Bud" Mullaney, who cast the lone vote against the resolution, initially made a motion to require Borough Engineer Bill White, of Maser Consulting, to do additional studies of the proposed site.

Councilman Robert Bunyon, liaison to the recreation commission, seconded the motion.

The other four council members voted down the motion.

When asked if he would vote yes to award the contract, Mullaney responded, "Absolutely not. If one child is injured …"

His complete response was drowned out by shouts of "vote" from the residents in the audience.

Parents and officials from both the Matawan-Aberdeen Babe Ruth League and theAberdeen-Matawan Girls Softball League were in attendance and made their presence known.

James Carney, of Washington Avenue, an official with the softball league, said he wished the council members would just vote on the issue.

"We have so much stuff to do in the leagues that I wish you guys would just make a decision on this," he said. "We really need to get started, our season starts in April."

MaryMullaney, wife of the councilman and a member of the recreation commission, maintained that the proximity of the proposed softball field to the existing baseball field was "not fair to the girls."

She also raised the concern that the field would be too close to the day-care pod and playground.

"We [the recreation commission] don't think the distance between the boys and girls is fair," Mary Mullaney said.

She went on to cite various outside engineers and contractors who all deemed the area too small for an adequate field.

Mayor Paul Buccellato, who had been quiet during the exchange, responded to Mary Mullaney's comments regarding safety.

"I have two boys who have played baseball," he said. "I've known the people fromMatawan baseball for some time and I've never seen them put the safety of the children second."

CouncilmanMike Cannon, who said he is a certified umpire having served with the league for the past six years, offered his opinion as well.

"I have never seen a 7- or 8-year-old hit a ball 180 feet; if they can, they are going to the Olympics" he said. "What this comes down to is that a few individuals on the recreation commission feel that they want the baseball to give up their fields. My boys have played on those fields for 16 years, nobody's going to tell me these fields are unsafe."

The vote passed to a loud round of cheers from the audience.

However, not all in attendance agreed with the time spent on the matter.

"This has been going on for three weeks," said Anthony Lopez, of Union Avenue. "I've been in town for 40 years and my taxes are going sky high.We need to talk about more important things."