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.

SEA BRIGHT: COUNCIL WAIVES PERMIT FEES

Members of the borough council at Tuesday night’s meeting. (Photo by Wil Fulton. Click to enlarge)

By WIL FULTON

Amid complaints by residents about unresolved insurance claims and other rebuilding delays, the Sea Bright borough council rolled out several measures aimed at getting them back into their homes with less hassle and cost Tuesday night.

Among the moves: a moratorium on construction permit fees for all work related to Hurricane Sandy-related rebuilding and repairs.

Though some members of the council – including Marc Leckstein, who voiced concerns about its financial impact – were hesitant about the resolution, borough Chief Financial Officer Michael Bascom said that a special emergency appropriation, along with reimbursements from FEMA and insurance claims down the line, would cover the shortfall.

No figures were given about the expected cost of foregoing the fees.

According to Long, even though insurance companies generally foot the bill for construction permits, the council felt it necessary to expedite the rebuilding process by waiving permit costs up-front, so residents and business owners can move quickly once their insurance claims are settled.

“As you can tell by the residents who spoke up before, a lot of people don’t have their insurance money yet,” she told redbankgreen post-meeting. “It’s important to let them know that their governing body knows this and wants to help.”

A deadline to apply for waived permits was set for January 31.

Also discussed during the course of the meeting was Sea Bright’s application to participate the newly created Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power (STEP) Pilot Program, unveiled last week by Governor Chris Christie. The program enables residents to obtain up to $10,000 worth of electrical meter repairs, temporary exterior repairs and essentials such as heat and power. The work is administered and contracted through local municipal governments in coordination with FEMA, with federal-municipal cost-share of 75-25.

The council passed a resolution to allow the borough to apply for the program.

“At this point, residents aren’t only facing hardships directly dealing with the hurricane, but also its impact moving forward, and we understand this,” said Long. “Programs like this are designed to help.”

The council also announced the arrival of Charles Vickery, a disaster recovery expert, who will be available for free consultations by appointment, thanks to funding from the Rumson for Sea Bright Fund and the Community Foundation of New Jersey.

Vickery will assist both residents and businesses on topics and questions including but not limited to FEMA, insurance claims, and dealing with the aftereffects of the hurricane. He can be reached here or at 561-213-3792.

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
redbankgreen Classics
Partyline
FOLLOW THE BLACK LINE
Red Bankers who have been confused by the “not-so-permanent” bike lane that has lingered since last year’s Porchfest can r ...
SHROOMS ABLOOM
Shrooms on Irving Place. (photo by Partyline contributor Boris Kofman)  
El Camino y la Siesta
An early-arriving El Camino owner sneaks in a few winks as the annual Liberty Hose – Red Bank Firefighters’ Classic Car Show in memory o ...
RED BANKJ: JAZZ IN THE PARK BEGINS THURSDAY
Jazz in the Park kicks off tonight (Thursday) with The Grace Fox Big Band, an all-women 16-piece ensemble known for its bold original compos ...
LOST PARROT
This little blue beauty was found by a redbankgreen reporter Thursday boldly tempting fate by foraging on the ground on the turf of a pack o ...
ORANGE GLOW OVER RED BANK
A truly unbelievable post-storm sunset Tuesday (shot on Monmouth St. facing west). Photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus.
BROAD STREET’S THIRSTY BLOOMS
Delfino, a worker with the company Terra Casa that manages the flower beds for the Red Bank special improvement district waters the flowers ...
PILGRIM BAPTIST MEN’S DAY CELEBRATION
  (photo by: Shanikquya Jackson) On Sunday, June 22, Pilgrim Baptist Church of Red Bank hosted its annual Men’s Day Celebration a ...
THREE GENERATION PROCLAMATION
Mayor Billy Portman presents the Borough of Red Bank’s Independence Day 2025 Proclamation to Arleen Brahn (second from right), grandmo ...
STEW THE BUTCHER COSPLAY
On the occasion of the retirement of Stewart Goldstein, longtime proprietor of Monmouth Meats, we thought it apt to present this photo from ...
NAVESINK FISHING
A kayak fisherman tries his luck under the NJ Transit train trestle across the Navesink River in Red Bank. (Photo by Partyline contributor A ...
RED BAKE
As the temperature hit 100 degrees Tuesday, Tom Sevison, Red Bank High School Class of 1973 and in town briefly on his way back home to Virg ...
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION
Performers at Red Bank’s Juneteenth community celebration Sunday at Johnny Jazz Park. (photo by Brian Donohue)      
BUTTERFLIES LOVE THE WEED
Save the monarch, plant butterfly weed. (photo and text by Partyline contributor Roseann DalPra)  
LANTERNFLY PARTY
An invasive ailanthus tree sprouting in front of the US Post Office on Broad Street is covered with invasive spotted lantern fly nymphs Wedn ...
STREETCORNER SERENADE
An Irish doodle named Cheddar listens to native New Jerseyan, singer/songwriter and former Houston resident Tom Foti, (identified in the hea ...
Red Bank 5K Fun!!!
Red Bank Classic – June 14th, 2025 (photo by Partyline contributor Adam Kaplan)  
RAINBOW OVER RED BANK
Saturday, before and after the storm that rolled through town. (photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)    
Mini Ballers Bring the Heat at Fusion Basketball School
As the temperatures heat up, so does the competition in the mini baller clinic at Fusion School of Basketball. These little tykes are intens ...
DOZENS OF PLEIN AIR ARTISTS “PAINT RED BANK”
Plein air artists take over town for first ever "Paint Red Bank" event. (click to read)