A plastic bag stuck in a Monmouth Street tree last winter; a house on Washington Street that’s part of the new historic district.
Actions taken Monday night at the bimonthly meeting of the Red Bank Council.
• A ban on plastic bags that’s been fluttering around since late last year was re-introduced last night, but instantly got snagged over a question of definition.
Councilwoman Grace Cangemi said the law as worded might not have its intended effect of ending the distribution of lightweight supermarket bags. The ordinance, she says, bans non-recyclable bags, but grocery bags are recyclable. She also raised questions about a provision requiring compostable bags; neither the borough nor the county landfill, she says, has the industrial capacity needed to compost the bags.
Councilman Mike DuPont, who sponsored the ordinance, disagreed that the county doesn’t have the ability to compost the bags, and urged an end to what he called “objections and obstructionism.” A public hearing and possible adoption vote on the ordinance is expected August 25 at 7:30p.
• Approved the inclusion of 106 East Side addresses in the new Washington Street Historic District, only the second such area designated by the borough (the other is downtown along Broad Street, designated 1972).
The district includes homes on East Front Street, Mechanic Street, Mount Street, Spring Street, Wallace Street and Washington. Next up: incorporation of the district into the borough’s Master Plan.
• Approved the hiring of three police officers. One, Michael Campanella of Rumson, was an officer in that borough before joining the Monmouth County Prosecutors office 12 years ago; he’ll start work August 18.
Two current dispatchers, Heather Pubylski and Michael Zadlock (an RBG alum and former Marine) will be attending the police academy in Freehold and are expected to join the patrol force in January.
• Approved increases in water and sewer connection fees.
• Introduced a two-hour parking limit on both sides of Leighton Avenue, from Newman Springs Road to Locust Avenue, between 8a and 4p.
• Approved $545,000 in spending on road and other improvements to Spring Street. A state grant will cover $200,000 of the cost; the rest will be bonded.
Many of us store owners in Red Bank order bags in large quantities. While we've already been planning on switching to "eco-bags" on our next order, we've still got enough of the old bags that in January I'd have to throw away at least 8,000 bags. I bet a lot of other Red Bank businesses will be in the same boat. Way to save the earth!! Guess I'll see everyone at the public meeting.
If the council passes this bag ordinance Fins and Feathers should prepare for a massive run on "pooper-scoopers." The old Foodtown plastic bag is by far the most popular turd collecting device used by Red Bank dog walkers. Their light weight and flexibility make the bags pocket friendly at first. Then when man's best friend does his deed in the neighbors tulip garden, the bag can fit on the dog walkers hand like a glove, and the smelly round mound of canine feces can be extracted with great precision from the mulch before being wrapped and disposed. Really a brilliant tool.
If the dog haters in Borough Hall get their way, I sincerely doubt that pooch owners will regress to the day of the old shit and split. They will surely need a new extraction device, and all signs point to the "pooper scooper." While the scooper is commonly viewed as a senior citizen apparatus by many members of the dog walking community, they soon may be popular with walkers of all ages. In anticipation, I suggest that Fins and Feathers might consider stylish and hip scoopers for the stylish and hip Red Bank residents. Starbucks is sure to install a scooper rack which will be the ultimate showcase. My dog ran away years ago, but if Bubbles was still around, I sure as heck would not be parking my square looking Sam's Club model out front. Poop-Poop Pari for me.
By the way, Waverly Place is like doggy heaven. For over two weeks we have had about 30 orange barrels on the sidewalk. People have been bring their dogs from as far away as Toms River to take a piss. And when it rains, the dogs drink right out of the pot holes on the street.
Alan,
Ditch and I will take them off your hands to clean up after our pooches. I will also nail a couple dozen to my neighborhood telephone poles so the a-hole who is leaving giant turds around my 'hood might get the message and START CLEANING UP AFTER THAT DOG OF YOURS!!!
It seems to me that a much better solution to the bag problem is what they do in Europe - they charge about 4 cents a bag in many supermarkets. Only tourists and lazy people use supermarket bags - everyone else carries their own re-usable bags.
I feel like I'm an environmentalist, but from everything I've read, it's not clear to me that it makes sense to ban plastic in favor of paper. Paper takes up much more space in the landfill, and are much heavier, so they cost more fuel to transport them. Why not let people have bags, but pay for them? (They cost the store money — clearly they are not free.)
Does anyone know what the $545K in road and other improvements to Spring St is all about?
These comments made me laugh out loud! You go Poop Bagger & Ditch Waverly!
I use grocery bags to scoop poop and bring my re-usable bags to the store. I agree with the point about charging, some stores now give credit if you bring your own. Whole Foods being the most generous at $.10 a bag!
I have been using canvas tote bags for more than a year. On the benefit side they hold more products, they are easier on the hands, they don't readily go into the waste stream. There are draw backs here as well, these bags need to be washed as they become soiled, a leaky meat package will not be contained on a trip from the store to home, I prefer meats to be packaged in plastic and separately. What about produce bags are they to be gone as well? I think mandating the end to plastic reusable bags is silly feel good lawmaking. I use these plastic bags for many other purposes like you other folks. I carry recyclables out of the house with them, store dirty dish cloths in them between washings, take lunch to work with them, dredge meats in them. I have found that since using my canvas bags and running out of the plastic I am using more zip-lock/glad/baggie bags that cost me money and still get thrown away. As far as paying for a bag, quick story shop-rite offered a few cents off per bag if using your own bag. When I cashed out I was told the discount only applied to re-usable shop-rite badged bags. RIPOFF. Concerning paying for plastic bags, why should i have to pay a store to advertise their logo? In my opinion this whole issue is silly and really not all that "green".
Are people missing the major points to this article? (1) RB increased their police force by 3 people. Higher spending. (2) RB is increasing the cost to connect to sewer and water. Increasing revenue through higher taxation. (3) RB is adding a limitation on the amount of time a car can be parked, again an attempt to increase revenue through taxation. (4) RB is borrowing $345K for road improvements. Almost the same amount we just got in aid from the state. Why are people talking about plastic bags? Spend, Tax, Spend - How do we stop it - that should be the topic of conversation, not plastic bags. I think it is sad that the the head of the RB Finance Committee is talking about compostable bags instead of how RB can be more fiscally conservative given the 2008 issues with state aid, interest paid by RB for existing debt and costs for state and local pensions and benefits.
plastic bags…All this work for an ordinance to ban plastic bags. What on earth is going on down there.
Lets see council members, other towns around us are trying so many ways to lower taxes, by either shared services with law enforcement (which I do not agree with, but that's my opinion), consolidation of staffing within the work force and we are DOING PLASTIC F#$&ING SHOPPING BAGS! W T F!!!!!! Rome is burning and your playing the fiddles!
I know that health care is a bore to some but its a start, Lets take a hard look at all of the borough vehicles that we have and an accounting to who has and drives what where and when, including gas perks, do we need to sell vehicles, do Stanley (sorry), or Gary Watson really need these 8 cyl Durango's, who works in what department and gets paid from another, the recycling fees the dumping fees are they the best that we can get? What do we pay for gas, can we bulk buy with other boroughs and save money there, it goes on and on, we are NOT an endless pit of tax dollars. Everyone that reads this site should come up with just one idea to save us money and then take it to the council to vote or work upon, its about time we all pulled together in our town and not in different directions. AND WHAT ABOUT THE PARKING FUND. WHERE IS THAT CASH, WHAT IS IT BEING SAVED FOR AND HOW MUCH IS IN IT? Mike nice thought, but saves me and everyone else in this town shit in taxes, get on to the more pressing issues, save us money!
Gary if you can get better deals then the town now gets, then by all means speak up. But as always, you imply that the council and others have not looked into these items. I like you have been to many meetings and know that is not true. Sitting at your computer spitting out foul laguage, and being that good little Republican soldier is not going to help. You say we should pull together, but you always seem to try and seperate the town.
Anon your just missing the point, its not Republican posturing (and I supported Menna and Murphy during their election), its a Red Bank thing, are they the best deals, can we renegotiate them if needed, and where and what is the amount in the parking fund, when and for what other purposes can it be used. The only people I knock on the council are Murphy and Dupont for their insistence on keeping the health care, and for Duponts continued stance of we'll look into it. Don't stand in the shadows Anon, be proud and come up with an idea to help us possibly save money, don't be part of the problem with complacency, instead help the town.
WHAT ABOUT WALLACE STREET???? Some of that road improvement money should be earmarked for Wallace, which is pitted with potholes and bad patch jobs. Why did Linden Place get addressed first when Wallace clearly carries more traffic??!
I understand Wallace St. is going to be done this year too.