26. The Amboy Guardian *April 6, 2022Happy Easter!
*Continued from Page 6State of the City Address3/29/22will be enhanced with cuttingedgetechnology to help promotethe health and safety of allof its users.•We also continue to honor ourhistory with the newest CountyPark in honor of Thomas MundyPeterson.It includes a synthetic turfmulti-use fields to host soccer,football, softball and baseball;and a stunning waterfront walkway.•We also partnered with AARPand FitLot to build an outdoorfitness station at Dalton Park.Perth Amboy will also bemaking necessary updates to theVeterans Youth Memorial Complex,the city’s largest park.Since its initial build, this willbe the first time; the park willsee significant field and tech improvementswith an investmentof over $5.5 million dollars.Combining modern technologywith the persistent need foropen space, these enhancementswill revitalize the park experience.We had many celebrations lastyear with groundbreakings anddedications. Added to the listwas the naming of WashingtonPark Basketball Courts afterBrian Taylor, a local legend andformer professional basketballplayer with the Former NewJersey Nets, whom I had thehonor to present with my veryfirst key to the city. I want tothank our Office of Recreationfor their responsive and creativeideas in park planning and recreationalprograming.I’d also like to thank the localbusiness community forsponsoring our recreationalleagues, programs, events andmeals. Many of our local restaurantsand businesses suchas ETC Management, Target,Home Depot, Dunkin Donuts,and Domino’s Pizza play a vitalrole in supporting our city.I want to personally recognizeSyed Zaidi, owner of Perth AmboyDominos Pizza, for beingthe highest revenue generatingfranchise location in CentralJersey.As a former student-athlete,sports have had a tremendousimpact on my life, creating lifelonglessons that I carry withme.On May 23rd, the Perth AmboySoccer Club, U15 Wildcats,won the New Jersey PresidentsClub Championship. As a resultof winning the New JerseyCup, the team went on to winthe United States Youth Soccer- Eastern Regional Championship.This team has capturedthe hearts and minds of our cityby putting Perth Amboy Socceron a national stage. Their effortshave brought our communitycloser together through thisamazing sport. We are gratefulto the parents, coaches, and volunteersfor supporting the teamand allowing them to representPerth Amboy with honor andhumility. We are so proud of ourstudent-athletes. Join me with around of applause for the Wildcatsas the United States YouthSoccer Eastern Presidential CupChampions and finalist of theNational President’s Cup.Today, another student-athlete,Ahsia Torres, 107lb wrestlerdominated her weight classwith an undefeated record of 18and 0, and became championfor both the Greater MiddlesexConference and the New JerseyState Interscholastic AthleticAssociation. Ahsia Torres is thesecond state wrestling championin the City’s history and thefirst female to accomplish thisfeat. And this weekend she becameAmboy’s 1st High SchoolAll American after placing5th in the Nation. Please joinme in congratulating Ahsia asNJ.com’s Girls Wrestler of theYear.There is a saying that there isnothing stronger than the heartof a volunteer, and that holdstrue to board appointments. Iwant to express my gratitude tothe individuals on our boardsfor volunteering their time toimproving our city. Thank youto all board members servingour Library, Planning, Zoning,Redevelopment Agency,Housing Authority, BID, GreenTeam, Rent Control Board, HistoricPreservation Commission,and Arts Council for their timeand service to our city.We continue to invest in ourcity, including our history. It isessential to learn from it andexamine the past to better thefuture. Our city tells a story ofmany lifetimes and generations,lasting far longer than you andI. I want thank, City Historian,John Dyke for telling our stories.Last year, the city unveiledthe newest historical marker acknowledgingPerth Amboy, asone of 55 documentedU.S. Middle Passage arrivalsites. I want to thank all involved,including our residents,for securing the marking andeducating the community aboutour past and promoting a moreinclusive Perth Amboy. I alsowant to congratulate the membersof the Proprietary House,for not only their commitmentto maintaining its history butalso being a 2021 Historic PreservationAward winner fromPreservation NJ. My vision isto revive our local history to anational platform and it is excitingto announce the City ofPerth Amboy will be part of thecelebration for the 250th anniversaryof the United States totake place in 2026. By preservingour history, embracing ourfuture and celebrating the fabricof our diverse community weprovide the finest programmingand resources to our residentsthrough our Department of HumanServices.Thank you to the Office of VitalStatistics, the Office of Recreationand the Office of Agingfor providing programming thatbuilds a stronger, healthier andhappier Perth Amboy. I’d liketo recognize some of our seniorfriends who are with us thisevening. In the coming weeks, Iwill be announcing the activationof the Mayor’s AdvisoryBoard, the Mayor’s WellnessCampaign and Youth AdvisoryCouncil to create communitybased,supportive, and peoplecentricinitiatives allowingfuture leaders the ability to mobilizeand spearhead change.We continue to be a placewhere people come to try newideas. Our predecessors investedin Perth Amboy, and as such,we must continue investing inour existing assets, maximizingtheir potential, and investing inour youth. The times we livein are truly extraordinary, andnow, more than ever, our futurerests on the talents, ideas, andambition of our next generationof leaders. Our educationalinstitutions provide the foundationfor us to thrive.•Middlesex College, my almamater•Our Perth Amboy PublicSchools,•Middlesex County Vocationaland Technical High School•the Academy for Urban Leadership,•Middlesex County STEMAcademy,•Perth Amboy Catholic Schoolsand•Ukrainian Assumption CatholicSchoolI would like to thank theirstaff and board members fortheir time and commitment toour youth. Revitalizing our libraryoperations to meet theneeds of the 21st century continuesto be my priority as wework towards becoming a hubto connect people to people andpeople to information. As such,Perth Amboy was awarded $1.5million dollars by CongressmanPallone. Through our continuedpartnerships and working relationshipswe were able to securethese much needed funds to rehabthe historic Perth AmboyPublic Library, built-in 1903,with renovations and upgradesto meet our current needs. Inaddition, to our library renovations,our 2022 budget also outlinedspecific capital improvementinvestments upwards of$1.8 Million to strengthen ourwater infrastructure. With theseinvestments, I uphold my commitmentto provide the verybest that we have to offer ourresidents and business owners.We look forward to the announcementof Perth Amboy’sallocation from the InfrastructureBill that will assist us withmaking our water cleaner andsafer. I want to personally thankCongressman Pallone for hisadvocacy for the State of NewJersey, our City, our library andour water infrastructure.Over the past year, we’vecome a long way in workingtowards innovation, transformation,and accomplishing ourgoals illustrated through ourcity highlights in 2021. Whilethere are still many challenges,I am proud of what we have accomplishedtogether to positionPerth Amboy for a better andbrighter future.Being mayor comes withmany personal sacrifices, andI want to thank my family andfriends for their support. Quieroagradecer a mis padres, Jorge yGladys, por su apoyo incondicional.Los quiero mucho.And to one of greatest giftsin my life, my wife, Wendy. Ithank God every day for givingme such a loving, thoughtful,kind, and compassionate wife.I would not be the husband andfather to our beautiful children,Adam and Audrey, that I am todaywithout your loving supportand encouragement. I love you.I am also privileged to havemy office staff dedicated totheir work. They genuinely careabout what they do. This is anexceptional team, and I am veryfortunate to have them workingfor our city. Thank you Lisett,Isamar and Myrna for makingmy days easier. I would be remissif I did not acknowledgethe creative and forward thinkingideas of our Office of InformationTechnology and our Audio/VisualTeam.Our city is no stranger to adversity.And our resilience hasprevailed once again. We holdtremendous promise and opportunityfor the City of Perth Amboyand all who live here. Anactual test of what our city willaccomplish is still ahead and Iwill not be able to accomplishanything significant alone.•Together, we put this pandemicbehind us.•Together, we ensure a safecommunity for everyone.•Together, we embark on a journeyto revitalize our historiccommunity with innovation andtechnology.•Together, we create more vibrantopen spaces.•Together, we build an inclusiveeconomy with access to opportunityand shared growth for ourApril 6, 2022 * The Amboy Guardian .27businesses.•Together, we create sustainableinfrastructure investments.•Together, we meet the challengeof this moment and makeour city stronger and healthierAND•Together we all RISE!The commitment and significantcontributions of our cityemployees should consistentlybe recognized. I’m gratefulfor your unrelenting supportand dedication to serving ourgreat residents. I look forwardto working together to ensurePerth Amboy is a welcomingand a well-maintained city,where streets and parks arebeautiful, public safety is upheld,tourism boosts our economy,businesses thrive, and innovationbecomes a driving forceto prosperity.As Henry Ford stated. Comingtogether is a beginning; keepingtogether is progress; workingtogether is a success. Joinme to build a better and brighterfuture for Perth Amboy – TO-GETHER!Thank you all for coming,God bless you all- Que Dios melo Bendigas a todos.Perth Amboy's Human Services DirectorLauded on Assembly Floor*Photo Courtesy of the Office of the 19 th Legislative DistrictBy: John Mooney of Tap into Raritan BayPERTH AMBOY, NJ - Dianne Roman, the new director of thehuman services department in Perth Amboy, was lauded on theAssembly floor this week for directing the local pandemic response.Roman, who has served the city for 20 years in various leadershiproles in the public and private sector, was directly responsiblefor creating and leading the city’s COVID-19 response,bringing together healthcare providers, community organizationsand government services to increase testing, educate residentsand strengthen the city’s resiliency measures."Perth Amboy faced an especially challenging time during theCOVID-19 pandemic, consistently leading Middlesex County inrates of infection and incidents of death," said AssemblywomanYvonne Lopez, (D-19th Dist.) in presenting the Assembly resolution."When vaccines became available, Dianne led the city’svaccination campaign to increase vaccine rates, helping PerthAmboy go from one of the lowest rates in the county to achievingthe strongest rate of improvement.Prior to becoming human services director in January, Romanserved as the city's business administrator, operations officer forthe Puerto Rican Association for Human Development and administratorof the Perth Amboy Chamber of Commerce."Thanks to Dianne’s leadership and hard work, Perth Amboyresidents have been consistently informed and prepared throughoutthe health crisis," Lopez said. "Her work continues to be invaluableto the City and we are all grateful for her leadership."Roman also served on the Perth Amboy Board of Education for11 years, until last month. She was appointed last month to theBoard of Trustees of Middlesex College. She earned her undergraduatedegree from Rutgers College in New Brunswick.Roman has also volunteered for the Girl Scouts, for the NJSharing Network and for Raritan Bay Medical Center in PerthAmboy.
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