By John Burton
RED BANK – The local branch of the NAACP is raising some provocative “issues and concerns” about the borough and is seeking a sit-down with elected officials.
The Greater Red Bank NAACP, the local arm of the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, issued a press release and letter Dec. 15 sent to Mayor Pasquale Menna and the Borough Council to address some issues of alleged inequity in the borough.
“In the past Red Bank has done some great things and is commendable but they’ve done some things we’re not pleased or satisfied with,” said the Rev. Henry Davis, president of the Greater Red Bank NAACP.
The organization raises concerns over national homeowner foreclosures that “have reached into our community causing difficulties by some of our aging constituents, and low income families.”
“There is a perception that the community is increasingly becoming hostile to the African American population,” the local NAACP charged, pointing to an incident in January 2016, where fliers purporting to be from the Ku Klux Klan were left on lawns around the community.
The letter also alleges a “hostile public employment environment for African Americans” where white employees seem to be at an advantage; and the “Establishment of an unfair municipal judicial system that is overzealous in prosecuting African Americans but soft on pursuing whites.”
Regarding the last point, Davis and William Poku, a Red Bank resident who serves as the organization’s secretary, point to an incident where an African-American resident became involved in a physical altercation involving a white former borough police officer, that resulted in cross complaints for assault. “Nothing was properly addressed as far as we’re concerned,” Davis alleged of the situation.
Poku said he couldn’t access the original complaints or information pertaining to a police investigation when he filed an Open Public Records Act request.
According to Poku, when the matter was adjudicated in Municipal Court the judge ruled against the African-American resident.
Poku charged that the decision was politically motivated. “If it is something that may embarrass the political system it tends to disappear,” he said, maintaining there have been other similar instances.
Police Chief Darren McConnell said police traditionally don’t investigate civilian versus civilian complaints intended for Municipal Court.
The NAACP has taken a stance opposing the renewal of the Red Bank Charter School’s state-issued charter, seeking its closure, alleging the school has exacerbated race segregation in the borough public schools. This charge has been raised by others, including the borough Board of Education and charter school officials have continuously refuted the allegation.
Both Davis and Poku said they would like to see borough officials take a more aggressive stance in having more affordable housing opportunities. Poku said recent residential developments are aimed at the more affluent, leading to gentrification for much of the community and forcing out lower income families. “We have instances of African-Americans being pushed out,” of homes, Poku said.
Mayor Pasquale Menna, Borough Council President Cindy Burnham and borough attorney Jean Cipriani all said that as of Tuesday, Dec. 20 they had not seen the letter as of yet. Without seeing it, Burnham and Cipriani declined to comment.
Menna said, “I have no problem meeting with them on these or any other issue.” And while he has discussed some of these grievances with others, such as some borough employees who have voiced objections to treatment, Menna points out that in the borough’s form of government he doesn’t get a vote, except to break a tie. “The borough council has seen fit not to do much on advice of counsel,” regarding the employees’ complaints.
“When I see the letter I’ll be happy to reply to it,” Menna said. “I have absolutely no objection being engaged in a dialogue.”
“At this particular point we can’t give them (officials) a high grade for a number of problems that exist in the community,” King said. “But there are some things that can be corrected if individuals are receptive.”
