Official Statement by the Raritan Bay Area YMCA Board

Dear Neighbors,

On behalf of the Board of Directors, a group of dedicated volunteers, we thank the many in our community who have entrusted us with their health, childcare, housing and many other needs. Thank you for your support and your encouragement.

I am writing to you today however to address inaccurate, misguided and downright WRONG comments made at City Council meetings and reported in the Amboy Guardian. For approximately 10 years personal attacks of the YMCA have been routinely made without ANY basis in facts. Intentionally, the Y has resisted perpetuating this negative discourse, preferring to focus on serving the Community. At this time we can no longer remain silent as some – a small group- of people continue these attacks.

The insinuation that the Y is responsible for a potential rise in taxes is simply WRONG. Yet, this tiny group continues their slander. It is uninformed rhetoric filled with political hostility.

You, our community, deserves the real facts. In 2007, the Y entered into an agreement with the City to manage the recreational section of the City’s Public Safety Complex.

The Y contributed ONE MILLION DOLLARS to the City for the opportunity to serve people out of this new complex. This money came from the insurance proceeds after the old Y burned in 1997.

We negotiated an agreement that assured local residents discounted services in this new facility. City residents, City Employees receive discounted memberships and Police receive FREE memberships. For example, NO child is ever turned away regardless of their ability to pay, race, religion, or abilities. Every second-grade child in our school system is given swim lessons. Your Y has also returned to its roots by providing low cost housing to individuals and families. We run many free or low-cost programs and events.

Regarding utility calculations, the same ones are in effect since signing the 2007 agreement. Subsequent to signing that agreement, the complex’s utility system design was radically changed with NO notification or input opportunity given to the Y.

To address this problem, in 2016 Mayor Diaz directed then City Attorney (Arlene Q. Perez) and then Business Administrator (Adam Cruz) to renegotiate the agreement between the Y and the City. In good faith and at great expense, we both put our issues on the table and agreed in principle. This proposed settlement addressed all outstanding issues and presented a plan whereby the Y would pay a substantially higher monthly payment to the City. Please refer to the City Council Minutes from April and May 2016. Yes, three years have gone by and the Y is still waiting for the Council’s move to ratify the new agreement.

The Y will not engage in bi-weekly defense of its 105 year old reputation of quality service to Perth Amboy. Instead we will focus on the important things; teaching children, assisting families, helping the homeless, connecting neighbors, employing local residents as well as caring for those with disabilities and partnering with likeminded organizations to strive to meet the growing needs of our community.

A number of Board Members, including me, have dedicated ourselves to achieving all of the above and more, for over 35 years. The YMCA continues to be a great partner and asset to the community. We are always committed to working with the City Government and remain honored to serve the residents of the City we all love – Perth Amboy.

With best regards, 

Robert E. DePow, Ph.D.

Proud Chairman of the 

Raritan Bay Area YMCA

An Embarrassment to Perth Amboy

As we all know and have seen, on May 1, 2019, a group of people had a march going up Smith St. The march was about demanding non-U. S. Citizens getting a driver license. WOW! What’s next? Free housing and free healthcare. Yes! Welcome to America! But only for U.S. Citizens. Here’s the joke – America gives foreign aid in the BILLIONS and they (foreign countries) give NOTHING BACK. We would like to know what organization paid for this march and who in City Hall approved this march? For us as American citizens, this so-called march was an EMBARRASSMENT to Perth Amboy. 

Orlando “Wildman” Perez

March which began in City Hall Circle on 5/1/19 in favor of driver’s licences for undocumented immigrants. *Photo by Paul W. Wang