Firefighter will be honored with plaque at memorial
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer

MARLBORO - A local firefighter who died in the line of duty on Jan. 11, 2000, will be honored at the Marlboro Township Veterans Memorial in front of Town Hall.

At their meeting on Dec. 6, members of the Township Council passed a resolution to honor Ronald Osadacz.

Osadacz, 36, was the assistant chief of the Morganville Volunteer Fire Company at the time of his death almost eight years ago.

To recognize the dedication and service Osadacz provided to his community, the township will place his name on a memorial plaque on a bench within the memorial garden.

Councilman Joseph Pernice said the memorial garden is a place where people can reflect on those who have lost their lives or are currently serving to protect Marlboro and the country.

Osadacz's widow, Kathy, and children, Ron Jr., and Nicole, were present to hear the honor being given in their loved one's memory.

Pernice said Ron Osadacz Jr. is following in his father's footsteps by becoming a volunteer at the Morganville Volunteer Fire Company.

Mayor-elect Jonathan Hornik, who knows the Osadacz family, said, "We will keep his memory in our hearts."

An article published in the Jan. 19, 2000 News Transcript stated that the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office determined that Osadacz apparently suffered a heart attack less than an hour after returning home from a fire call to extinguish a blaze that engulfed a pickup truck on Tennent Road.

Representatives of the fire company said that shortly before he left the scene of the fire, Osadacz had been struck by water from a fire hose that was being used to put out the fire.

A first aid squad was dispatched to Osadacz's home after his wife reported that he had experienced chest pains and collapsed at about 3:30 a.m., according to a police report. Osadacz was transported to Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel, where he later died.

It took more than three years for authorities to declare that Osadacz, a 14- year member of the fire company, had, in fact, died in the line of duty, according to an article that was published in the News Transcript on Aug. 6, 2003.

Also at the Dec. 6 meeting, a certificate of recognition was presented to Ron Johnson, a "real American hero" as council President Jeff Cantor referred to him.

Johnson, a member of Marlboro's veterans committee, dedicated his time to help Pernice with the creation of the veterans memorial and his certificate credits him with helping the garden become a reality.

Pernice recounted the number of times Johnson has gone out of his way to help veterans and their families.

"There's nothing like getting an award for doing something you like to do," Johnson said upon receiving his certificate. "It's important to reach out to the veterans of our community."

Cantor spoke about Johnson's military awards, including a Bronze Star (meritorious achievement or service) and a Purple Heart (wounded in combat).

In other business, the council adopted an ordinance which amends the uses allowed in the Light Industrial (LI) zone to allow for landscaping equipment.

Township Attorney Andrew Bayer said the request for the amendment came from a resident earlier this year who wanted to be able to store his lawn equipment in that zone.

Other uses permitted in the LI zone include light manufacturing operations, administrative office buildings and warehouses for storage of materials.

New fees for the Recreation Department's summer programs were adopted by the council. The summer camp registration fee will go from $400 to $500 per session and the activity fee will stay at $250 per session. The teen camp registration fee will decrease from $300 to $250 per session, although the activity fee will increase from $500 to $600 per session. The lacrosse program cost will not exceed $100 per session.