What happened on election night last week at Sea Bright’s Mad Hatter restaurant, when a former mayor met the incoming one?
According to Mayor-elect Dina Long, sparks flew after it was clear that she’d beaten former Mayor Jo-Ann Kalaka Adams for the borough’s top elected position.
Long, a Democrat, says Kalaka Adams loudly berated her when Long approached to offer a post-election olive branch, prompting an incident in which at least two people had to be restrained.
According to Kalaka Adams, a Republican, nothing of the sort happened.
redbankgreen, responding to an anonymous tip about a fistfight involving the mayoral contenders and their husbands, spoke to Long and Kalaka Adams.
Long said she and Kalaka Adams “had words,” but no fists were thrown.
She said she approached Kalaka Adams “to congratulate her” for a good race, and “she told me off.
“I just stood there, letting her yell at me,” said Long.
“It was my bad,” Long said. “I wanted to get the awkwardness over. I should have known better.”
Others, including local Democratic chair Susie Markson, Kalaka Adams’ husband, Jimmy, and “some other residents” were soon drawn into an argument in which one or more people had to be restrained by council members James LoBiondo and Brian Kelly, Long says.
Also involved was a resident of the condo complex where the Kalaka Adamses live. The unidentified resident was “provoking” Jimmy Adams, and one or both of the men had to be restrained, Long said.
The owners association at the Waterways condominium complex where the Kalaka Adamses live has sued the couple over unpaid association fees.
“It was like out of a movie,” Long said. “It was just absurd.”
Markson, LoBiondo and Kelly did not respond to calls seeking comment.
Jo-Ann Kalaka Adams, however, expressed shock at our questions.
“I really have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said Friday. “I think a lot of this has been fabricated.
“Fistfights? No. Restraining? No. Someone is looking to start something,” she said.
“Was I talking to Dina? Yes. “It was just talking. This other stuff is absolutely untrue.”
So there was nothing that might be described as a scene, we asked?
“Not between myself and anybody else,” Kalaka Adams said. “I was not involved in anything like that, nor would I be.”
Police Chief John Sorrentino said police were not called.
Long expressed regret that the incident was the kickoff to her prospective mayoralty.
“Great way to start, huh?” she said.
