Four proposals under review for Nat'l Lead Council again rejects mayor's attempt to be SERA commissioner BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer "I think that Icertainly have enoughexperience." - Kennedy O'Brien mayor SAYREVILLE - Borough officials are reviewing proposals from four potential redevelopers of the 400-acre National Lead site. As commissioners on the Sayreville Economic Redevelopment Agency (SERA) began looking at the newly filed "formal proposals" last week, members of the Borough Council butted heads with Mayor Kennedy O'Brien as he sought once again to be appointed to SERA. The Republican mayor reappointed Renny Travisano and Democratic Councilman Dennis Grobelny to SERA with unanimous approval from the all-Democratic Borough Council. However, when O'Brien attempted to appoint himself to the agency, he was unable to get any of the six council members to make a motion. O'Brien had been a member of SERA for eight years, but last year the council refused to support his reappointment. Democrats raised concerns about the mayor's handling of the redevelopment of the former National Lead site. They also said O'Brien was not focusing enough on bringing other sources of revenue into the municipality. "He had seven years to make somethinghappen and it didn't happen." - Thomas Pollando council president Democrats were also opposed to O'Brien's call for SERA to take legal action against the borough over state legislation introduced by state Assemblyman and Sayreville Democratic Organization Chairman John S. Wisniewski that expanded the agency from seven to nine members last year. (SERA voted to drop the legal action after the council refused to reappoint O'Brien to the agency.) O'Brien told the Suburban that he is qualified to be a member of SERA. He noted that SERA lost its previous redeveloper for National Lead only after the mayor was off the agency. "I was removed by my colleagues at the beginning of August [2006], and in September the developer withdrew," O'Brien said. "I think that I certainly have enough experience. I am the mayor." O'Brien said he appointed Travisano, who served as vice chairman of SERA for a number of years, because of his experience and knowledge. "Mr. Travisano was an original member of SERA, he served as a councilman for well over a decade, he is a lifelong resident, a former county clerk, he has extensive knowledge of the governmental and agency process," O'Brien said. "He is an absolute asset to SERA." O'Brien said he reappointed Grobelny "as a courtesy." "I wasn't looking to make [him] an issue. It is a gentlemanly courtesy that I extended to him," the mayor said. Council Pres-ident Thomas Pollando said he thinks the borough is close to naming a developer for the former NL site. He said he does not think progress was made while O'Brien was on SERA. "He had seven years to make something happen and it didn't happen," Pollando said. "I believe that at this point we have four [proposals], I think everything is moving on and we have to go with the people in there making this happen. He had his shot." Pollando said the council will discuss SERA's vacant ninth commissioner spot soon and will likely appoint someone in September. "We should be able to come up with somebody at that time," Pollando said. Developers submit proposals A committee of SERA commissioners recently narrowed the list of 12 prospective redevelopers down to four and requested formal proposals from the firms. Those proposals were submitted by the Aug. 6 deadline, according to SERA Executive Director Randy Corman, who updated officials and the public on the redevelopment process at a council meeting that night. The four firms were selected based on their financial ability to pay back SERA's $37 million loan from Middlesex County, which enabled the borough to condemn the 400-plus-acre National Lead property. The firms are LCOR Inc., of New York City; Riverbend Metropolitan Corp., of New Jersey; Forest City Enterprises, of Cleveland, Ohio; and O'Neil Properties, of King of Prussia, Pa. Corman said it was too soon to tell with certainty, but all four proposals appeared to be in compliance with the agency's requirements. "They all enclosed their checks," Corman said, referring to the required payment to the borough's professionals. CME Associates and SERA commissioners are reviewing the proposals, but Corman said he could not provide details of what is proposed because they were just received. "They seem very promising," Corman said. A public hearing on the proposals will be scheduled soon, he said, adding that September would be a better time to hold the hearing, because residents will be back from vacations and the agency can get more public input. O'Brien ex-pressed his hopes for the project. "I remain an optimist about the redevelopment of National Lead," O'Brien said. "If done correctly, it is a good thing for the borough of Sayreville - and I underline 'if it is done correctly.' " The borough's previous redeveloper, LNR Northeastern Investments, had proposed a $1.7 billion mixed-use redevelopment, but withdrew from the project after reportedly being unable to negotiate a deal with National Lead Industries regarding cleanup issues on the site.