Argument turns bitter on Winding Wood issue Mayor asks lawyer for legal options to better secure complex BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer Councilman Stanley Drwal SAYREVILLE - Safety and security at the Winding Wood apartments were at the center of a heated discussion at borough hall this week. Meanwhile, police responded to reports that gunshots were fired in the apartment complex twice last week and again on Monday. Sayreville Police Sgt. David Lasko told Greater Media Newspapers that no shell casings were found at the scene, but a 17-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with hindering apprehension after police responded to the call on Monday. The juvenile allegedly provided police with a false name. Jacqueline Butler, a resident of the Winding Wood community who has been an advocate for more security at the complex, told the mayor and council Monday that her car was vandalized again recently. "They've paint-balled my car," Butler said. Drivers are racing on the streets of WindingWood, she said, adding that when police arrive, the drivers turn off the headlights and pull into the nearest parking space to avoid arrest. "It's really getting so bad there at night that we can't sleep," Butler said. Mayor Kennedy O'Brien Butler again issued a challenge to Mayor Kennedy O'Brien, asking him to visit the complex late at night. She said the two security patrols hired by the property owner are inadequate. "We really need some more patrols in that complex," she said. Borough Business Administrator Jeffry Bertrand said the police department has increased patrols in the complex again recently. O'Brien recommended that Butler form a tenants' association with other Winding Wood residents. He said they should initiate a dialogue with the property owner, who is responsible for addressing the issues that Butler is raising about the private complex. "I would recommend that you consider forming a tenants' association, just as people form unions," O'Brien said. The mayor reiterated his past statements about the complex, saying it is a marketbased apartment community that is primarily made up of middle-class residents. He added that the community has no more of a problem with crime than any other section of the borough. "The rents there are fairly high," he said. O'Brien said he has faith in the ability of Police Chief Edward Szkodny to ensure that the complex is properly patrolled. "I keep conferring with the chief of police, and he has asked me not to [visit the complex at night] until he does what he needs to do," he said. "I'm not going to undermine his work," O'Brien said. "We're not asking you to do that," Butler responded. Progress at complex debated Borough Councilman Stanley Drwal, a Democrat, disagreed with the Republican mayor, saying he believes the complex has a greater problem with crime than the rest of Sayreville. Residents who are fearful of criminals and juvenile delinquents in their neighborhoods are not inclined to notify authorities for fear of retribution, he said. "Winding Woods is not like any other section of town I know of," Drwal said, adding, "I would not walk into there with my wife at 11 o'clock at night." O'Brien then suggested that Drwal has a propensity toward overreacting, citing a time when Drwal disclosed the details of a confidential police investigation to him as an example. Drwal took offense at O'Brien's comment, and explained that O'Brien was referring to a period of seven months in which terroristic threats were issued against him and his wife that he would prefer not to make public for safety reasons. "Even the detectives were sickened by what they heard," Drwal said of the threats made against him. Drwal said the law-abiding residents of Winding Wood are being intimidated by a small percentage of criminals. "Mr. Reich has done nothing," Drwal said, referring to Nathan Reich, of Hillside Estates, which owns Winding Wood, and the notice of violations that the borough recently issued to the owner. "There are piles of garbage out there all over the place." "Stanley, I think we made a lot of progress at Winding Woods," O'Brien responded. "This is not Newark," O'Brien later added. "Winding Woods is not a project." Democratic council President Dennis Grobelny said the police department has a plan in place to address some of the issues at the complex. "I honestly believe there is a problem out in Winding Woods," Grobelny said. "The chief is well aware of it. Give him some time. We can't make those plans public right now. He does report back to us from time to time." "We are concerned, the majority of us are," he added. O'Brien acknowledged that progress is not being made as quickly as Butler would like, but the police are working to address the issues. "Every time you come, we follow up with the chief of police," O'Brien told Butler. "We follow up with the police department. No one is ignoring what you're saying." O'Brien said the borough does not have the resources to maintain a police substation at the facility, as was requested. The problems at Winding Wood do not warrant such action, either, he added. Sayreville resident Barbara Kilcomons addressed the council after Butler, noting that she has seen Butler speak to the council many times on this issue. "Prior to her coming, I knew there was a problem with Winding Woods," Kilcomons said. "…It reflects on the whole community." She recommended that the council look into adopting an ordinance that forces the property owner to hire security at the complex. "Mr. Reich received numerous permits to build a mini-city, and that's what it is, with more buildings coming up," Kilcomons said. O'Brien instructed Borough Attorney Brian Hak to look into Kilcomons' suggestion and see if there is any legal precedent for such an action. "We might have some legal ground to stand on," O'Brien said. Hak did not say whether such an action could be taken, and he did not return a phone call for this story. Comments upset councilman Drwal, later in the meeting, asked O'Brien to keep police investigations involving him and his wife out of public meetings. He added that he felt O'Brien had publicly degraded him for defending Butler. "Degrade me all you want, but please don't bring in confidential police matters [that] involve my wife," Drwal said. "I don't appreciate what you did to me tonight," he added. "…I know I can't trust you ever again." Democratic Councilwoman Kathy Makowski later told GreaterMedia Newspapers that while nothing came of the threat of violence between the Bloods and Crips street gangs at the homecoming football game at SayrevilleWar Memorial High School in 2004, it is an example of an incident that has made the issues surfacing at Winding Woods a significant concern for the borough. "I was extremely taken aback by the comments that the mayor made in reference to Winding Woods," Makowski said. "Again, I sat there as a member of the council for the last year, and being a resident of Sayreville for many years … for one not to recognize that there is a problem in Winding Woods would mean that they are completely oblivious to what is going on in this community." Makowski said she did not appreciate O'Brien's comments about Drwal. "Councilman Drwal should be given the respect that he deserves as a council person," Makowski said. "He puts a lot of time and effort into it, and the way the mayor disrespected him yesterday, speaking about his personal life was wrong. "We should not pass this off as though it is just another section of town where 'boys are boys,' " Makowski added. "It is not the case.We know for a fact that there are drugs, we know for a fact that there was a murder there, we know that people are in fear. This is not just another area in Sayreville." O'Brien told Greater Media Newspapers that only a small number of the people who live in Winding Wood have raised safety concerns about the community. The mayor also explained his purpose for addressing past incidents of terroristic threats against Drwal at Monday's meeting. "My point was, everybody reacts differently to what they see and some people overreact, and it is my opinion that Mr. Drwal has a tendency to overreact," O'Brien said. Drwal said O'Brien avoided answering questions onWindingWood, instead shifting the focus onto Drwal. "It had nothing to do with Winding Woods," Drwal said. "It was simply a thing to discredit me as a person." Drwal said he wanted the meeting to be the first where the political parties bury the hatchet and work together. However, he felt compelled to speak after hearing O'Brien's comments onWindingWood. "I wanted it to be a positive opening to the year, and I wanted to make an offer to the Republican council people to work together. That was the intent of the meeting," Drwal said. O'Brien, he added, should visit the Winding Wood apartment community at night, as Butler asked. "I have full confidence in the police department," Drwal said. "I think as a leader you have to go out and look, especially when it involves violent incidents." Reich has not returned phone calls in recent months seeking comment on the public discussions regarding the complex.