A New Generation of Leadership for New Jersey!
Before even taking office, Adam S. Armahizer worked with Somerset County Commissioner Melonie Marano and Raritan Borough Councilman Pablo Orozco to Honorably Rename Mainstreet of Raritan as Basilone Boulevard. Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone was a Raritan Borough native who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. Armahizer credits Basilone with having inspired him (and many other young men and women from Raritan) to join and serve in the United States Marine Corps. Completed in September of 2022, Armahizer advocated for five blocks of West Somerset Street to be dedicated as "Basilone Boulevard" in honor of Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone. Read Full Article
Throughout 2023, Armahizer worked with the rest of Raritan Borough's Governing Body to approve the $1,490,000 Acquisition of a New Municipal Complex on Raritan Borough's Main Street. In February of 2023, Raritan Borough's Governing Body began looking into the former PNC Bank property as a potential future location for the Borough's Administrative offices. On April 4th, 2023, Armahizer approved the introduction of Ordinance No. 2023-07, authorizing the Borough of Raritan to purchase the property identified on Raritan Borough tax map as 9 West Somerset Street, Block 107 Lot 3. On April 18th of 2023, Armahizer again approved the Ordinance after its second reading & public hearing. After a bidding series that required nearly a dozen public and special meetings, Raritan Borough finalized the properties acquisition in the summer of 2023. On July 18th of 2023, Armahizer and the rest of Raritan Borough's Governing body approved Resolution No. 2023-07-123 - authorizing the execution of purchase documents for 9 West Somerset Street. Read Full Article
Between June of 2023 and June of 2024, Armahizer worked with Raritan Borough's Department of Public Works and DPW Director Vincent LoMedico to Replace 100+ faded and outdated Municipal Streets Signs throughout the Borough of Raritan. Many of the municipal street signs throughout Raritan had not been replaced in 20+, 30+, 40+ years and (as a result of sun-aging and/or rusting) had fallen behind on maintenance standards and eligibility. The old street signs were later gifted towards Raritan Borough's Historical & Cultural Committee to be preserved and reused for historical purposes. Read Full Article
Between October of 2023 and July of 2024, Armahizer worked with the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration to Recover the document that ended the United States involvement in World War I (The Knox-Porter Joint Resolution - after 103 years of being stored in our nations archival vaults). The U.S. Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and 1920 due to concerns over the League of Nations and perceived constraints on U.S. sovereignty. Since the U.S. never ratified the Treaty of Versailles, The Knox-Porter Joint Resolution was created to formally end the United States involvement in World War I. The Knox-Porter Joint Resolution formally terminated the state of war between the Imperial German Government and the United States of America and between the Imperial and Royal Austro-Hungarian Government and the United States of America. The documents were signed by President Warren G. Harding as well as Vice President Calvin Coolidge on the estate of U.S. Senator Joseph Frelinghuysen Sr. in Raritan Borough on July 2nd, 1921. Raritan Borough residents gathered on the 103rd anniversary of the signing of the Knox-Porter Joint Resolution (AKA Treaty of Raritan) for the first ever private viewing at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Read Full Article
Armahizer Brought to light and Corrected the John Basilone Statue after 76 years of displaying the incorrect Medal of Honor. In Februrary of 2024, Armahizer noticed that the original stone base of the John Basilone statue in Raritan depicted an Army Medal of Honor design. John Basilone was awarded the Naval Medal of Honor while serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Battle of Guadacanal in 1942. Being a Marine Corps infantry veteran himself, Armahizer knew that there were three different variants to the Medal of Honor- The Army Medal of Honor, the Naval Medal of Honor, and the Air Force Medal of Honor. In July of 2024, the John Basilone Statue in Raritan was given the correct Naval Medal of Honor design for the first time in 76 years. The new plaque was donated and installed by Jim Gano of Crown Trophy in Flemington, and the Basilone Memorial Foundation organized the unveiling, with Chaplin Larry Coyne offering a blessing over the statue. Read Full Article
Presented in August and finalized in January of 2025, Armahizer advocated for the Establishment of Raritan Borough's Military and Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee in order to make on-site U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) / New Jersey Department of Military and Veteran Affairs (NJDMAVA) resources and information more accessible to military veterans throughout the Borough of Raritan. On September 24th of 2024, Raritan Borough's Governing body approved Ordinance No. 2024-24, amending Chapter 5 of the Borough Code to create Article VII known as Veterans Advisory Comittee. On October 8th of 2024, Raritan Borough's Governing body again approved the ordinance after its second reading and public hearing. Read Full Article
Armahizer collaborated with Raritan Borough's Environmental Commission to Develop Community Clean-up Program through the utilization of NJDEPs Clean Communities Grant. The NJDEP Clean Communities grant provides local government with critical funding for litter removal projects- allowing them to organize volunteer cleanups, purchase cleanup equiptment and trash/recycling receptacles for public spaces, promote litter education initiatives, and enhance stormwater management programs. Since taking office, Raritan Borough's Environmental Commission has conducted three successful community clean-up events- with two more slated for Fall/Spring of 2025. Read Full Article
Armahizer collaborated with Raritan Borough's Environmental Commission and Department of Public Works to Replace waterfountains at Frelinghuysen Park with modernized rehydration systems through the utilization of NJDEPs Clean Communities Grant. To help curb the littering of plastic water bottles on public lands, the NJDEPs Clean Communities Grant now allows for the purchase of outdoor bottle filling stations. The Commissions's Chairman (Juan Alvarez) and Commission's Secretary (Emilie Stander) lead the initiative. Raritan Borough's Department of Public Works completed the project in the summer of 2024. Read Full Article
Throughout 2024, Armahizer worked with the rest of Raritan Borough's Governing Body to Hire a New Police Chief to replace Chief Nolte in leading Raritan Borough's Police Department. For a small, close-knit community like Raritan, the selection of a capable and forward-thinking police chief was crucial to ensuring public safety and preserving the quality of life for its residents. Former Department Captain and 24-year law enforcement veteran Thomas Fisher was sworn in on June 11th of 2024 to serve as Raritan Borough's new Chief of Police. Read Full Article
Between November of 2023 and December of 2024, Armahizer collaborated with Council President Don Tozzi on the Nevius Street Bridge Tree Lighting Ceremony. Armahizer communicated the idea to Somerset County officials and submitted the initial special events request with Somerset County DPW. Armahizer also helped Council President Tozzi to coordinate the events music and set-up for the 2024 ceremony. The majority of decorations and equiptment used in the first ceremony were donated from local businesses and shop owners. Read Full Article
In May of 2024, Armahizer proposed the introduction and implementation of a Rent Stabilization Ordinance for the Borough of Raritan. The 53-page proposal includes an introduction to Rent Stabilization, a municipal comparison of more than 100 other New Jersey towns with Rent Stabilization Ordinances currently in place, a needs assessment, a Model/Recommended Ordinance, outlines the (recommended) creation of a Rent Review Board, and provides guidelines regarding its potential implementation and execution. If passed, the Ordinance will become the first piece of General Legislation to ever outline the stabilization of rental-unit prices and implementation of eviction control measures in Raritan Borough History. Read Full Article
Since May of 2024, Armahizer has been working with Raritan Borough's Environmental Commission on the development of a Community Garden Program in Raritan Borough. Modelled after neighboring Somervilles community garden program which is ran by their Green Team, Armahizer initially proposed a 25-meter by 25-meter plot of land at the Wildflower Meadow across from the old Stop & Shop location. The Borough's Environmental Commission and Governing Body are currently working together to explore alternative locations for the Community Garden- such as the dilapidated county tennis courts on First Avenue. Like Somerville, the plots would be above ground in seperate containers to avoid the cross-contamination of soil, and maintenance rights would be gifted to residents who apply in the form of a lottery. Read Full Article