A vision for the future as the new year begins
New committees focus on growth, social justice
BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer
As the centennial year in Red Bank begins, Mayor Pasquale Menna celebrates his first anniversary in office and has begun laying the groundwork for the borough's future.

Mayor Pasquale Menna

At the borough's Jan. 1 reorganization meeting, Menna announced the formation of new committees tasked with guiding the vision and planning for future development.

The two committees that will advise the Borough Council on continuing statewide planning objectives are the Waterfront Access Review Committee and the Vision Plan/Master Plan Review Committee.

Menna said planning is already under way for a review of the borough's master plan.

Commercial development, mixed uses such as retail on the ground floor and residential units on the upper floor, and self- contained parking in garages are all being encouraged in the borough, Menna told those at the reorganizationmeeting.He said greater emphasis would be placed on property size instead of floor area ratio requirements, thus reducing the density of properties in the borough.

"We want to continue in the redevelopment of core areas of town in the business district as expanded to the train station and ultimately the expansion of RiverCenter to link up with the Shrewsbury corridor," said Menna.

He added, "Our residential neighborhoods will continue to be upgraded to eliminate multiple housing units and encourage single family home development."

Menna said the Waterfront Access Review Committee was formed as a result of the Waterfront Access Plan study released last year.

He was emphatic about the way property would be acquired and about how the initiatives would be funded.

"I do not believe that eminent domain will ever be used as long as I am mayor," he said, "and nothing can really take place without a state funding plan that will cover any cost, since we are providing a regional benefit."

Menna noted several firsts at the reorganization meeting. He said the election of three women to the Borough Council for the first time was a historic day for Red Bank. Women now represent 50 percent of the council makeup, and another first is the first African American fire chief, Noel Blackwood.

"I personally think it is a great day for equality for Red Bank and ushers in a new era in representation of all our people," said Menna.

Incumbents Mary-Grace Cangemi and Sharon Lee and newcomer Kathleen Horgan were sworn in.

Lee, last year's council president, handed over the reins to Councilman Arthur Murphy and she took over as the council liaison to the Department of Public Utilities, a position former Councilman Robert J. Bifani held for five years.

Lee had previously been the council liaison to the Technology and Education Committee, which Horgan now heads.

Menna lauded the work of the Red Bank Police Department in reaching out to the community with community policing efforts, meetings with residents, responsiveness to crises and initiative in applying for new grants, and said the emphasis on public security in the borough will continue.

"The connection and interaction has never been stronger between our police, the chief, the commissioner and I, and I pledge to continue that bond," said Menna.

Menna established the Community Justice Committee, a project of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, to deal with police issues, cultural awareness, neighborhood policing and diversity goals.

The committee includes the Rev. James Hankins, the Rev. Janet Jones, Red Bank Public Schools Board of Education Chairman Peter Noble, Cruz Robelart, Marta Ramboud and Anthony Carotenuto, and will be chaired by Police Chief Mark Fitzgerald.

In addition, Menna said the police department has already started the process of interviewing new recruits to replace retiring police officers; the Red Bank Housing Authority is looking into adding extra security staff and strictly enforcing no-loitering regulations; park curfew regulations will be strictly enforced; and electronic

surveillance programs will be

instituted in many areas of the borough.

Nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations were put on notice that in 2008, if they are planning to build or expand on property in the borough, Menna said he would not support any new expansion or project without a payment in lieu of taxes that would compensate the borough.

"We have too many tax-exempt properties and frankly they are tipping the stability of our community," said Menna. "I will encourage both our Zoning Board and Planning Board to just say no to any expanded new use that is tax exempt, even if we have to go to court over it."

He also noted that the borough no longer will contribute to the pensions of professional staffers and they will now be subcontractors to the borough.

The four professionals who have recently been removed from the borough's pension plan are the Red Bank prosecutor, the public defender, the Planning Board attorney and the Zoning Board attorney.

One of the announcements most anticipated by residents who have campaigned for a community center with renewed interest after a string of violent crimes on the west side, was the naming of the members of the Community Center Task Force.

Menna said members of this committee would include Councilman Michael DuPont as the chairman, community activist David Prown, the Rev. Chris D. Northington, Brenda Terry, Wanda Homes, Sean Murphy and Elizabeth Hanratty, who will be charged with the responsibility to implement the vision, goal and practical planning for a community center.

Menna previously said the task force would work with people from the Finance Department, the Parks and Recreation Department, the schools, churches and community groups to put a community center plan into action.