By BRIAN DONOHUE
Vandals, graffiti scrawlers and other miscreants, look out. Parks, parking lots and other public spaces could be watched over by a new system of security cameras by the end of the year after the Red Bank Borough Council approved the purchased Thursday night.
Mayor Billy Portman presented a proclamation for Hispanic Heritage Month to Mateo Selena Martinez-Santiago, Edith Lozan-Zane and Mar Mejia-Tizatl, president of the Red Bank Regional High School Dreamers Club. The three were on duty babysitting for little Mateo, also pictured. Below, Alison Loder of 180 Turning Live around accepts a proclamation for Paint the Town Purple, a domestic violence awareness month event. Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
The council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the purchase of the cameras and equipment from Eastern Datacomm of Hackensack for $410,000.
Borough Manager Jim Gant said officials had found several different funding sources for the system, including grant money from the Monmouth County Improvement Authority and funds from the White Street Parking lot makeover project that had debt allocated for security cameras that were not installed.
He said he hopes to have the cameras up and running by the end of the year. A police dispatcher would be able to watch feeds from the camera system and detectives could review footage for their investigations, Gant said.
“We look at this as asset protection,” Gant said. “Protection of the community, just being able to get ahead of some of the instances and help with investigations when they come up.”
“In our parking lots, we have multiple incidents all the time,” Gant said.
The locations where the cameras will be installed include: Riverside Gardens Park, Eastside Park, Count Basie Fields, outside the Boys and Girls Club, near the public library, the municipal building, the recycling center, Tower Hill, the Department of Public Utilities, Johnny Jazz Park, the White Street Parking lot, Bellhaven playground. A full list as well as the resolution are found on the council agenda here.
Councilman Ben Forest, liaison to the Parks and Recreation Committee called it an unfortunate but necessary expense.
“I really loath spending money on these cameras, even if it’s grant money,” Forest said. “I’m watching our bill list reports. I’m just appalled at the amount of vandalism that has occurred in our parks. Everything from vandalized park bathrooms to solar panels where people have thrown stones at (them). Some of the bills are incredibly expensive to fix.”
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
