October 4, 2026
Public Statement Regarding September 28, 2026 Borough Council Meeting
The Sayreville Historical Society strongly rejects the false narrative spread by Mayor Kennedy O’Brien at Monday’s (September 28, 2026) council meeting regarding the future of the historic town hall and firehouse building. Contrary to the Mayor's claims, the Sayreville Historical Society has never requested exclusive control over the property. In fact, the Society believes the exact opposite: that an advisory committee should be established featuring community members from all corners of Sayreville to ensure collaborative oversight.
The primary objective of the Sayreville Historical Society has always been to guarantee that the building is aesthetically preserved in a manner that honors, respects, and values the rich local history it contains. Rather than supporting authentic historic preservation, the move has been to advance an unappealing plan to convert the structure into modern offices without sufficient public input on how that looks and the connection to the history the building represents.
The Mayor’s disruptive behavior during the meeting was deeply disappointing, and his conduct served only to make a fool of himself in front of the community he was elected to represent. Furthermore, the Society takes great offense to the subtle threats directed at its organization during the session. Reminding the public that borough funds support the existence of the Society and its building is an offensive intimidation tactic meant to silence advocates for our shared heritage. The Historical Society is not funded by the borough. Yes, the museum building is theirs, but we are an independent entity.
The Sayreville Historical Society remains fully committed to working transparently with the community to protect our landmarks, and we urge our local officials to act with the integrity and respect that the residents of Sayreville deserve.
About: The Sayreville Historical Society was founded in 1974 with the mission of preserving, researching, and making accessible to the public the history of Sayreville, NJ and the surrounding region. Membership is open to all. With membership comes the opportunity to serve on a number of committees that help the society continue to operate successfully and continue to grow as it has continually done for almost forty years. The Sayreville Historical Society prides itself on its ability to educate, inform, and entertain the public both through our museum, a brick schoolhouse built in 1885 that houses over five thousand artifacts, and community outreach, which includes the production and sale of books, DVDs, and pamphlets, conducting and making available to the public oral histories with Sayreville residents, genealogical research, and actively moderating both a YouTube and Facebook page.
The Society meets on the second Thursday of each month, September through June at 7:00 pm, at the Sayreville Senior Center. Each meeting is highlighted by a guest speaker, and concludes with light refreshments and baked goods.
Visit: In 1984, Sayreville New School No.1 became the permanent home of the Sayreville Historical Museum. The museum is located at 425 Main Street, near the corner of Pulaski Avenue and is open the first and third Sunday from 1:30 to 4:00 PM. Docents are also available upon request to conduct group tours. If you are interested in visiting the museum on a day other than Sunday, please contact us by phone or email, and we would be happy to accommodate your group.
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