SID Advisory Board members appointed

City Council on Monday unanimously (7-0) confirmed appointments to the new five-member Special Improvement District (SID) Advisory Board.

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The new entity is part of the shift in who directly oversees the SID, which assesses an additional tax on commercial properties throughout the city for economic development purposes. City Council adopted an ordinance in June to designate itself as the downtown management corporation, taking over for the Rahway Arts & Business Partnership (RABP), a nonprofit with a seven-member Board of Trustees.

The governing body passed a resolution (AR-174-21) approving Mayor Ray Giacobbe, Jr.’s appointments to the board. Each of the five voting members would be a member of at least one of the following categories: owner of property within the SID; owner or operator of a business within the SID; owner whose property within the SID is primarily residential use; and, president of the Chamber of Commerce.

The five members of the board (followed by their category or categories), are:

Laura Bellevue of Witherspoon Street (owner whose property within the SID is primarily residential use);
Herve Gaspard, owner of Gaspard Arts Academy on Irving Street (owner or operator of a business within the SID);
Peter Kowal of Midwood Drive, owner of Butch Kowal’s Tavern on St. Georges Avenue (owner of a property within the SID and owner/operator of a business within the SID);
Heidi Loder-Rosal, owner of Atelier Rosal on East Cherry Street (president of the Chamber of Commerce); and,
Rafael Ortiz of West Lake Avenue, owner of Academy Glass and several commercial properties downtown (owner of a property within the SID and owner/operator of a business within the SID).

Initial terms will run through the end of the year. Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, three members will be appointed to one-year terms (including the Chamber of Commerce president or designee) and two members to two- and three-year terms, respectively.

Five non-voting members also would serve on the board, including the mayor, city administrator, city engineer, police director, and director of engineering and land use (if that person is not also city engineer).

The governing body on Monday also adopted a resolution (AR-176-21) authorizing the execution of an assignment and assumption agreement with the RABP. Effective July 14, the RABP will dissolve as an entity and no longer function for the city while the city “is willing to assume all assets and debts of RABP and the RABP is willing to assign all assets and debts to the city.”