Locals Defend Donut Hole Metuchen After Paper Says It Needs To Go

METUCHEN, NJ — Metuchen is a quintessential New Jersey small town: a walkable downtown, lots of great local businesses, a tight-knit community. Although beloved by residents, if one newspaper writer had his way Metuchen would be wiped off the map and become just another neighborhood in Edison.

In an article titled "NJ has too many damn towns. Here are 25 that need to go," NJ Advance Media writer Bobby Oliver offers up towns across the state that are too small (or as he puts it, "unnecessary"), and suggests ways to handle that: "Merge 'em or wipe 'em off the map completely."

Then he takes aim at Metuchen.

With a population of 13,791, Metuchen is surrounded entirely by Edison and often referred to as a "doughnut hole town" by locals. Oliver suggests "filling the hole" by having Edison absorb the borough (he also works in a dig at Edison, saying the town could "stand another cute downtown").

No way, said Mayor Jonathan M. Busch, defending the borough on Facebook.

"In this absurd list compiled by nj.com entertainment reporter Bobby Olivier, he argues that Metuchen 'needs to go' because we are 'surrounded by another town.' Should the United States just absorb Canada because it stands between the contiguous states and Alaska?" Busch asked sarcastically.

He continued, "Mr. Olivier's time would be better spent enjoying a donut hole at one of the Brainy Borough's many fine establishments rather than cooking up a glazed over attempt at arguing that we be 'filled.'"

Residents took to the comments to decry the article, with some taking a more positive outlook, saying the town should use this as a chance to sell itself to those who might now know too much about it.

"I say we start a friendly 'media war' with the guy. Start talking up our development, our great schools, fabulous restaurants, wonderful shopping, and cultural events. Maybe we need to open a Donut Hole Dessert Shop," one commenter suggested.

Another took issue with the idea of joining Edison, one of the state's largest municipalities.

"If the towns were merged as he posits, why would Edison survive? We were here first. Instead of giving Edison a quaint downtown, maybe Edison could become Metuchen’s township," one local offered.

Love Metuchen? Want to defend it? Email katie.kausch@patch.com and let us know what makes Metuchen special.

Image via Google Maps