Skip to content

A town square for an unsquare town

redbankgreen

Standing for the vitality of Red Bank, its community, and the fun we have together.

SPARKS FLY OVER SEA BRIGHT BUDGET

murphy-fernandesCouncilman Read Murphy, in the foreground, got into a heated debate with Mayor Maria Fernandes, in the background, over the borough’s budget. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)

By DUSTIN RACIOPPI

Before Sea Bright’s council adopted the borough’s budget Tuesday night, Mayor Maria Fernandes asked a question: Is it any smaller than the version introduced last month?

That’s all it took to trigger a rumpus with Councilman Read Murphy.

Murphy, known to shoot from the hip, took umbrage with Fernandes’s suggestion that the council could, and should, make any more reductions to the borough’s $5.16 million spending plan.

“We’ve cut all we can, mayor. Where do we go?” Murphy, a Republican, said. “You show me. You hit us a million times, ‘you should cut.’ Well show me.”

Last month, Fernandes urged that the council find about $90,000 to trim from the 2010-’11 budget in order to get it down to a zero increase.

“The voters voted loud and clear with the school budgets, and what did they do?” Fernandes said to Murphy. “They lowered them.”

She says she did show Murphy and the council where to cut. Freezing pay for non-union employees and spreading out police vehicle purchases were a couple of cost-saving measures Fernandes said she proposed to council members.

“We actually could do a little better,” Councilwoman Dina Long said. “The mayor made suggestions of where to cut.”

“I don’t agree with her,” Murphy said.

He argues that if the budget is brought to a zero increase, it could hurt spending flexibility in the future. Governor Chris Christie’s 2.5 percent tax cap proposal will squeeze the borough, he said, and fixed costs will further restrict borough spending power.

Murphy said state aid — which was cut $45,000 this year — is a thing of the past. The borough was also hit with a 23-percent increase in its sewer fees and lost $50,000 in investment income, Murphy said. So, no, it wouldn’t be prudent to bring the budget back to zero, Murphy argued.

Fernandes, a Democrat, sees it differently. She said residents are struggling to afford their homes. With the approved budget, a home assessed at the borough-average $375,000 will pay an additional $86 a year, Murphy said. Fernandes said her plea to shrink the budget was not only the right thing to do, but what residents want.

“I’m just telling you what I’m hearing,” she said.

“Fiscal responsibility is one thing. Fiscal game playing is another thing,” Murphy replied. “Your arguments, to me, are moot and they’re also banal, because you’re hitting me with catchphrases.”

Once the tiff fizzled out, the council approved the budget, with Long voting against it.

After the meeting, Fernandes said she was disappointed that the council didn’t get the budget to the level she wanted.

Murphy, meanwhile, defended the plan.

“It’s a very fiscally conservative budget,” he said. “Small increases help keep stability.”

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
Partyline
RED TRUCKS AT RED ROCK
A small dishwasher fire at Red Rock Tap and Grill was put out quickly by firefighters overnight, causing minimal damage. Red Bank Fire Depar ...
CREATIVE COVER UP
The windows of Pearl Street Consignment on Monmouth Street were smashed when a driver crashed their car through them injuring an employee la ...
THEY’RE BACK!
Ospreys returned to the skies over Red Bank this week for the first time since they migrated to warmer climes in late fall. With temperature ...
SPRING IS SPRUNG
RED BANK: Spring 2024 arrives on the Greater Red Bank Green with the vernal equinox at 11:06 p.m. Tuesday.
RED BANK’S FINEST – AND NEWEST
Red Bank Police Officer Eliot Ramos was sworn in as the force’s newest patrolman Thursday, and if you’re doing a double take thinkin ...
EASTER EGG MAYHEM AT THE PARK
An errant whistle spurred an unexpectedly early start to the Spring Egg Hunt on Sunday, which had been scheduled to begin at eggsactly 11am ...
PRESEASON DOCKWORK
RED BANK: With winter winding down, marina gets ready for boating season with some dockwork on our beautiful Navesink River.
CORNED BEEF AND DISCO FRIES?
It’s Friday, and smart Lent-observing Leprechauns know the pot of gold at the end of Red Bank’s rainbow is actually the deliciou ...
SURFBOARD DITCHED
It’s a violation of etiquette in surfing to ditch your board.  (it could hit another surfer and hurt them). But someone appears to ha ...
ELSIE, TAKE ME WITH YOU!
Soaked by pouring rain with the temperature hovering in the low 40’s, this sign in the window of Elsie’s Subs on Monmouth Street ...
WALK THIS WAY
PARTYLINE: Before-and-afters of a sidewalk cleanup on West Street.
SOGGY NOTION
RED BANK: Breezeway sculpture captured the mood downtown as heavy rains fell Saturday morning.
HOME DELIVERY
RED BANK: After a subdivision, an instant house rises on a new Catherine Street lot.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
For Black History Month, Red Bank's Community Engagement and Equity Advisory Committee has been running a series of local profiles on Facebo ...
HEARTY FAREWELL FOR HARDY
RED BANK: Council to honor DPU supervisor Rich Hardy, who retired recently after almost 39 years of keeping things running.
HOMEBOUND? READ ON…
RED BANK: Can't get to the public library? It's now offering free delivery and pickups for homebound borough residents.
TAMING A BEAST OF A WEEK
RED BANK: After the second snowfall of the week, a borough family finds the perfect use for it – a Godzilla snow sculpture.
RED BANK: LIBRARY CLOSED, BUT THE HILL’S OPEN
RED BANK: Though the library was closed by a snowstorm, kids got to enjoy the riverfront property's steep slope Tuesday.
LIGHT(HOUSE) MAKEOVER
This year, getting ready for spring means a midwinter makeover for Strollo's Lighthouse in Red Bank.
TODAY: LOCAL PUPPY COMPETES ON ANIMAL PLANET’S “PUPPY BOWL”
Red Bank’s very own rescue puppy, Biscuit, is set to compete in Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl this Sunday, February 11, at 2 PM. Th ...