By Sunayana Prabhu
RED BANK – The final borough council meeting of 2024, held Dec. 12, capped off the year with honors for local police officers, donations from community organizations, and a look ahead to upcoming events and initiatives in 2025.
Two pet microchip scanners were presented to the Red Bank Police Department at the meeting, a donation from the Animal Welfare Committee and the local nonprofit Wallace Street Philanthropies, which is “a real big deal,” to help prevent “unnecessary stress on the animals,” said Paul Proietto, chairperson of the Animal Welfare Committee. The handheld machines allow the police to scan found pets right at the police station and quickly locate and return pets to their owners instead of having to take them to the county SPCA.
The council also accepted a check from the Monmouth Boat Club. Located on the Navesink River in downtown Red Bank, the nonprofit organization founded in 1879 claims to be one of the oldest boat clubs in the country. “We’re exempt from property taxes, but we do feel like we should make a contribution,” said the club’s treasurer, Russell Goldman. The amount of the donation was not specified during the meeting, but Goldman noted that the club has made these contributions for many years as a way to support the community.
The main focus of the meeting was honoring several Red Bank police officers for their exemplary service. State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-11), along with Assemblymembers Margie Donlon and Louanne Peterpaul, presented a state Assembly proclamation to officers who were recognized for their swift and collaborative actions during an arrest April 29 in which a stolen handgun was recovered. The recognized officers were Lt. Robert Kennedy, Lt. Matt Ehrenreich, Sgt. John Camarca, Patrolman Darren M. McConnell and Patrolman Jeffrey Lewandowski. Also recognized at the meeting was Patrolwoman Grace Maggiulli for her diligence in leading the department in DWI arrests and her commitment to public safety by detecting and apprehending drunk or impaired drivers.
An additional team of officers was commended with pins and certificates for measures to save a choking bystander during National Night Out in August. The officers recognized were Patrolman Gary Watson, Detective Paul Perez, Detective Michael Zadlock and Patrolman Jon Quispe.
“I wish everybody around the entire state could see these incredible men and women that are representing Red Bank, each and every day putting their lives on the line to protect all of us,” Gopal said.
Looking ahead to 2025, the council approved several community events, including the return of the Red Bank Record Riot for two Saturdays next year – May 10 and Sept. 6 – and the annual Red Bank Community Block Party.
Council member Ben Forest also raised the issue of affordable housing, asking the council to let him take “a closer look” at the borough’s efforts in that area in the new year. “It’s an ongoing issue that I’m sure we’re all hearing about,” Forest said, hoping to delve deeper into how other towns are handling the issue.
Mayor Billy Portman informed attendees that a benefit to support the family of deceased Red Bank taxi driver Anthony Hill is being hosted at the Elks Lodge from 5 to 10 p.m. Dec. 21. Portman encouraged residents who’d like to help to attend the benefit that is open to the public and will showcase a few local bands.
As the year winds down, Portman looked to clear the air about the mysterious drone sightings in the news that have kept residents captivated for days. “I had a mayors’ briefing today which told me nothing other than we’re all waiting for the feds to do something,” Portman said. “Hopefully we’ll find out soon.”
Borough manager Jim Gant reported that the new Marine Park parking lot has recently been opened, although they are still working through some temporary power conditions. He said the borough is in constant contact with JCP&L to get the electric vehicle charging stations up and running in the parking lot. The lighting in the lot is currently on temporary power, but Gant said it is still operational and safe. “With the holiday season and some additional roadwork that we have going on in town, I wanted to make sure that parking lot was available for people visiting Red Bank,” Gant said.
He also informed the council that the hiring process for a new municipal clerk yielded eight applications; a new clerk can be expected to take office early next year. Gant further provided an update on the municipality’s submission of the annual Best Practices
Inventory, a tool used by the state of New Jersey to evaluate and encourage sound management practices in local governments. “The key purposes are to grow good governance, evaluate municipal operations to make sure that we’re in line with what is expected,” Gant said.
The inventory has both scored and unscored sections, with the scored areas tied to a town’s eligibility for state aid. Red Bank surpassed the required score to maintain its state aid funding. The comprehensive inventory covers a wide range of areas, including affordable housing, broadband access, budgeting, capital projects, cyber security, the environment, ethics, shared services, redevelopment, and financial administration, among several other sections.
“This best practice inventory is available online on our website, and it’s been submitted to the state,” he told the council. According to Gant, submitting the document “fosters accountability and transparency.”
The article originally appeared in the December 19 – December 25, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
