NAME: Brian Kelly (Republican, incumbent)
AGE: 42
OCCUPATION: CEO of a Solar Design and Installation Company
LENGTH OF RESIDENCE IN TOWN: 10 years
General Questions:
1. What do you see as the top three issues in town?
The top three issues are 1) continuing to reduce the operating costs for the borough of Sea Bright (fiscal responsibility) 2) completing Phase 1 construction in 2011 for the beachfront facilities. Once we settled a lawsuit with the State DEP earlier this year regarding beachfront access, it allowed us to move forward with the beachfront planning and construction as well as help make additional funds available for beach access projects 3) We successfully completed shared services for our courts (also removed old court trailer) with Oceanport as well as other cost savings shared services for maintenance and fuel contracts, etc… continue to look at shared services with other boroughs and continue with ones that will only save the borough money and either keep or improve the services without losing the benefits of our borough staff.
2. What specifically are you planning to do to address those issues? Please see above in Q1
3. What will be the challenges in getting these goals accomplished?
With the state lawsuit behind us, we will need to phase the Smart Growth projects so we have most of the revenue-generating parts in the early 2 phases so it will allow us to more easily fund and bond for additional phases. We will also take advantage of the beach access funds available to Sea Bright. Relating to shared services, we will only move forward with ones that are most beneficial to Sea Bright.
4. What expenditures, if any, do you see as ripe for trimming in order to keep the budget growth under the mandated two-percent cap?
We looked at each department budget this year and made cuts. We vowed to look at each individual budget request again this year to do the same since everyone on council is very aware of the current need to stay on course with what the state is trying to do to bring down the operating costs of the borough on taxpayers….
5. Do you see any potential sources of revenue that need to be tapped?
With our Phase 1 construction for the Beachfront Facilities as planned for 2011, we will include a lockers / rentals, snack bars / restaurant and a cell tower along with the overall beachfront improvements which will just improve the overal aesthetics of downtown. Our boardwalk will also help accomplish part of that…..
6.What, if any, municipal services should be consolidated among towns?
We have already consolidated courts, fuel and vehicle maintenance with other townships as well as other services just within the past few years. We just look at each option and make decision son a case-by-case basis.
7. What is one thing voters need to know about you, but may not?
I have an awesome 2 year old daughter named Maren….
Sea Bright Questions:
1. Considering current economic conditions, what should Sea Bright be doing with regard to its beachfront properties?
We place great emphasis on including revenue generating projects into the overall plan so it draws people into our town and also brings in the revenue to keep justify new facilities and keep the economic burdens to the people of Sea Bright to a minimum. We’ll have the construction of Phase 1 for the Beach Front facilites in 2011.
2. What, if anything, can Sea Bright do to improve the commercial viability of the downtown?
Continue through our Smart Growth phases of construction and continue to tie in the Smart Growth and beatification plans with each other. Also continue to work with the Sea Bright Business Alliance. The beautification committee helped with the state plans to repave ocean ave by requesting they include a new sidewalk adjacent to the Surfer’s Beach and also plan to add new fencing to improve the lot.
3. What, if any, concerns do you have about the impact of the new Rt. 36 bridge in Sea Bright, and what should be done to address those concerns?
No current concerns since the State has told us in the past that they have no intentions of adding additional lanes to Ocean Avenue…
