Mayor Pasquale Menna lashed out last night at “little juveniles” from out of town whom he blames for recently grafitti-bombing the public library and loitering in front of stores near West Front Street and Maple Avenue.
His remarks came amid a series of complaints by merchants at last night’s borough council meeting that packs of young people are hanging out in front of stores and damaging property, particularly at the City Centre Plaza shopping center, the 7-11 and the parking lot next to the Commerce Bank.
“These are not our kids,” Menna said. “These are the rich kids from other towns.”
Not so, said Mark Harry, whose wife runs a hair salon at City Centre, where he said employees have been harassed by loiterers, including at least one incident in which a young adult sought to exchange sex for cash.
“Some of those kids wear Red Bank Regional jackets,” Harry said. “Don’t tell me it’s not Red Bank.”
The eruption of the issue seems likely to throw a spotlight on a problem that store owners and restaurateurs downtown have been griping about privately for months: that the business district is becoming clotted by groups of adolescents who block sidewalks and sometimes pester shoppers well into the night, particularly on weekends.
Just west of the downtown, though, the problem may be more acute. On any given afternoon or evening in good weather, it’s not uncommon to see a half-dozen or more young people gathering in the parking lot opposite the Bluffs or at the eastern entrance to City Centre. Business owners complain of finding broken beer bottles many mornings.
At City Centre in particular, the loitering problem has escalated to begging and property damage, merchants said. Phil Giaramita,
the owner of White Dove Cleaners, said his delivery vans have been vandalized. Center co-owner John Bowers said other stores have their windows spit upon and outdoor tables and chairs vandalized; someone recently threw a 15-pound ashtray atop the building’s roof, he said.
Bowers said he would hire a security guard, “but the feedback we’re hearing is that [the loiterers] would just cross the street” and trouble another property owner. “We definitely have a problem.”
“I’ve been here since 1991,” Giaramita said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“You’re this close to something really happening,” said Harry.
But the council was clearly struggling to come up with a solution that didn’t involve a loitering ordinance, which several members, and borough attorney Kenneth Pringle, said could raise constitutional issues, particularly if enforcement is not equal throughout the town in all situations.
Menna said he would convene a meeting of Pringle, Police Chief Mark Fitzgerald and others to review whatever loitering and curfew laws are already on the books while seeking out a new solution that doesn’t simply result in the packs moving from one location to another.
Giaramita said he “can only see one solution: hit them in the pocketbook.” He proposed fines starting at $250 for a first loitering offense, wtiht costs rising for subsequent violations.
“If the parents have to shell out the money, you won’t see it happening anymore,” he said.
But Councilman R.J. Bifani said the first move should be by City Centre.
“You have to hire a uniformed guard,” Bifani said. “Start there, and then we can help you.”
It is good to have attention brought to this issue, as it impacts City Centre and the rest of the town. I think someone should also look at the mistreatment of Riverside Gardens as well. I love going to the park and it seems of late I have seen graffiti, the railing torn off, chairs thrown in the river, etc.
Last summer I NEVER saw a police officer at Riverside Gardens park at night even though the area was teaming with teens hanging out. It's fine to have kids loitering in a park, but for everyone's safety and to protect the beauty of the property, there should be a Red Bank police officer frequently policing the area, especially on summer nights.
At least these kids aren't out drinking and driving. Oh, right, that's allowed in Red Bank.
Loitering, vandalism, drugs, sex for money. These are all things people on leighton ave have been bringing up for over a year now. We did not hear a peep out of Mayor Menna about that. I guess he only answers to the call of money and power.
Good comment job RJ, they should indeed hire a uniformed guard. As for the fines for loitering, increase them like mentioned, but don't forget Wawa, the train station and the Church.
On another note, although I was not there last night it was reported to me that allegedly Mr.Dupont has recommended that he, Councilman Murphy and Sharon Lee should take the health benefit package, because as he says. "WE DESERVE IT" for doing public service to the community for only 6 cents per day.
Lets get this straight, We didn't ask you to do it, no one banged upon your door and demanded you to run, you chose to run yourself, allegedly for the good of the public (out of curiosity, I wonder if the whole family is covered), and if, I believe that Grace or Pallister had shown that they would not take benefits like their opponents during the election or had made it a focal point , the Red Bank borough council would be of a different make up today. I hope that they this time make that one of their focus points, and I am sure that there will be a different outcome. I have no allegiance to either party but be noted that Councilman Curley, Councilwoman Grace, (ex) Councilwoman Ernst and (ex) Councilwoman Beck all refused to take this perk, and are all Republicans. I think, Mr. Dupont that it is shameful that you are suggesting that you all take this perk in this economic climate. There are people all over Red Bank clamoring for relief and for you to suggest that you all take it is appalling I DONT GIVE A DAMN HOW MUCH IT IS, ITS TOO MUCH, If you really were all about the public you would instead refuse it. As for getting not getting a raise…are you kidding me?
Mr. Mayor, back in January you told me that I would be happy with the decision regarding this issue, I'm proud of your attempt to lead the way, but I'm afraid that your troops have not followed.
two questions Councilman Dupont
Question 1) How much is the final cost for the health care Mr. Dupont?
Question 2) Do you have benefits offered to you through your law firm?
How about the people hanging aroud wa wa's everyday. If you crack down on one group you must crack down on them all.
iF YOU CRACK DOWN ON ONE GROUP YOU HAD BETTER CRACK DOWN ON ALL,INCLUDING THE LARGE CROWD THAT HANGS OUT BY WA WA'S EVERYDAY. SO WHATS GOOD FOR ONE SHOULD BE GOOD FOR ALL.
Wow! these all seem to be familiar in the west side but oh I forgot. These are not business section, no money involved. Take care of all the business section.Meanwhile the residential section who were complaining about loitering,drug deals, grafitti, teens and adult hanging out,for more than a year are neglected.
Where is the justice. What do we have to do to get your attention.
steve, that would be Wawa. One word, singular.
I've been living on the west side of Red Bank for a year and now that the weather is warming, on any given night, there are people in the street at the corner where I live on Leighton. I guess they don't think about the fact that at 2am, 3am, 4am, people are sleeping. They are loud and do not hesitate to gather at all hours of the night. I can't tell you how many empty liquor bottles I find on my property. Last week, at midnight, six very loud popping sounds (sounded like gunshots) occurred right off my property. It scared us very much. We called 911 and in about five to ten minutes, a patrol car came down the street but once the sirens were heard by the group outside, they fled. The next day, I was told that it wasn't gunshots but a M80. How did they know that? Did they find the remains? I saw no patrol car stop where it happened. I saw no policeman get out of his car. Does an M80 go off 6 times? People who have been here for years are very upset because according to them, this was always the part of the west side that seemed to avoid stuff like this. Also, I was told that the reason that it took so long for a patrol car to get over here was because it was so busy in town. I'm glad the town is doing well and I love being here but I live here and think that there should always be a patrol car on the west side at night to keep a check on the people who gather in the streets at night.
Mayor Menna, Maybe after your next official civil union or decree on our diversity you could talk about our neiborhood issues. Its funny how residents of such diverse backgrounds all agree your not dealing with the one issue that affects us most. QUALITY OF LIFE!
As a fellow west sider, I have to echo the comments above. It's laughable how groups of "little juveniles" hanging at the Wawa can raise the ire of town fathers while the same stuff - and worse - goes on nightly in our neighborhood.
*****Councilman R.J. Bifani said:"You have to hire a uniformed guard.Start there, and then we can help you."*****
Wow, nothing like passing the buck! Um, excuse me, but arent a police department, not to mention a municipal government, the very institutions we citizens have established to deal with problems like this?
Is this the wild west where we must hire freelance gunslingers and independent security guards to protect us from lawlessness?
If the best this dude Bufani can do is say, "Figure it out yourself" what do we need him for? Why are we paying taxes?
for time there were cops hanging out at riverside gardens keeping watch on everything going on there, following a big fight that happened there, but now it appears that that has ceased. Also, wouldn't it make sense to have patrols for Marine Park? It seems like the graffiti there gets worse every day.
Menna is MUCH too worried about civil unions and his dinner parties. He is the QUEEN of pass the buck. Of course, it is always easier just to blame some rich kids from another town.
you know concerned, a few things piss me off in my town, not just the graffiti. But one is how people like you can post such crap and then run without posting their real names or email address. To date I have not enjoyed everything that the city council have done and have voiced my displeasure on here and at city hall, but to throw out childish comments like you did with that post is down right sickening. Don't be a coward. If your scared of retribution don't post.