NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ–One of New Brunswick’s little-known government bodies can bring together a lot of political forces in one place.

The nine-member Citizens’ Recreation Committee includes three members of the city’s Board of Education, the Vice Chair of the New Brunswick Democratic Organization, and a City Council member who serves as a liason.

All nine members are city residents, who have been appointed by Mayor James Cahill.

The committee also includes two additional city workers, Planning Director Glenn Patterson and Recreation Director Mike Blackwell.

According to the ordinance that created it, the committee is supposed to “hold monthly public meetings and go into the community to maintain awareness of public needs.”

But, in reality, the committee only meets four times each year, and their meetings are rarely attended by members of the general public.

According to the city website, the committee will be meeting on the following dates in 2015:

  • January 22
  • April 23
  • August 20
  • October 22

Meetings are held at 7pm in the conference room of the HUB Teen Center, located at 411 Joyce Kilmer Avenue.

The meetings are open to anyone interested in attending. 

Editor at New Brunswick Today | 732-993-9697 | editor@newbrunswicktoday.com | Website

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.