Incumbent challenges Sea Bright mayor
BY AMANDA BELING Correspondent

Jo-Ann Kalaka-Adams

SEA BRIGHT - Municipal elections in the borough are just two weeks away and incumbent Mayor Jo-Ann Kalaka-Adams is being challenged by Councilwoman Maria Fernandes for the mayoral seat .

Republican Kalaka-Adams, of Ocean Avenue, was a first-time mayoral candidate in the 2003 election and won the seat over independent candidate and former Councilman Andrew Mencinsky.

"I think for the past four years, I've embraced the position of mayor and I've always tried to serve as a collaborative problem solver," said Kalaka-Adams, who owns a medical publishing firm.

She listed some of the most important issues the borough is facing including the Shore Regional High School District taxes, shared services, Smart Growth, beachfront development, resident parking and flooding.

"I've been continuing with the efforts of Smart Growth, I've initiated the installation of a temporary cell tower as the quickest and most responsible way to correct an important safety issue, I'm working on the school tax issue, which I believe should be worked on at the state level, and what I'm most excited about is the work that is being done on the beachfront development," she said.

Maria Fernandes

Kalaka-Adams noted that appropriate development of the beachfront as well as the temporary cell tower will create significant revenues for the borough for the first time.

"If I am re-elected I would try to continue to improve the quality of life for the residents and explore all avenues to do that," she said.

Kalaka-Adams noted that she is also working with fellow Republicans, incumbent council members Brian Kelly and Peggy Bills.

"One of the reasons I'm so excited about my running mates is because we all have the education, the experience and business experience to run this town, because running a town is very much like running a business," she said.

Fernandes, of Ocean Avenue, has been a member of the council for the past 11 years, three of which she served as council president [2003-2005].

"My council seat doesn't expire until December 2008, so I thought this election would be a good opportunity for me to run for mayor," she said.

"I believe that my background itself is very unique and I also have the most experience on the governing body. Not only have I served on council and as council president, but I've also been a member of the planning board for the past 13 years," she said

During the past 11 years, Fernandes has also served as the chair of sewer, public works, personnel and the library committee as well as on the police, finance, recreation, code enforcement and personnel committees.

"I really feel I'm the best well-rounded individual for the mayor's position and my integrity and honesty are impeccable," she added.

A diligent monitor of borough finances, Fernandes said she is the "watchdog" of expenditures within the governing body.

"I was not in favor of going into negotiations to purchase Donovan's Reef. However, I do believe that there are necessary expenses within the borough that have priority such as trying to relieve flooding in the downtown, repairing the condition of the roads and the Smart Growth plan," she said.

If elected mayor, Fernandes said the first issue she will tackle is the thorough and efficient formula that the state imposes on the regional districts.

"Unfortunately, because we're a small community in Sea Bright, our borough has the least equalized value of the properties and the lowest amount of students of the four municipalities sending to Shore Regional [Monmouth Beach, Oceanport and West Long Branch] and yet we pay the highest per pupil cost every year," she said.

Fernandes noted that the borough pays $78,000 per student each year, yet it only costs about $13,000 per student annually for each student to attend Shore Regional HS.

"To attain the goal of getting the per-student per-year cost to decrease significantly, I'd like set up an education advisory committee in the borough that would be made up of some of our local residents. There are a lot of interesting and intellectual residents in our community who are willing to donate their time and knowledge to figure out a better way to go about this formula," she said.

Another important issue for Fernandes is bringing back the borough's Community Rating System standing (CRS).

Having the CRS back will give borough residents at least a 5 percent discount on their flood insurance premiums and Fernandes said one of the ways to do that is through the flood mitigation plan the governing body is currently working on.

"With all that said, I truly feel that I'm they type of person who stands up on tough decisions, especially regarding staffing and funding, and I always try to seek out new ideas and try to improve the quality of life for our residents," she said.