A resolution accepting the grant money was passed unanimously by the Borough Council at the September 25 meeting.
The total cost of the project includes $575,000 to replace the 2,000-person capacity bleachers; and $175,000 for a new press box.
Under a bond ordinance passed by the council in June 2024, the borough will borrow $723,000 to augment the $500,000 state grant.
Two times over the past several years, the borough has applied for funds from the state Green Acres program to help cover replacement of the bleachers. Both times, the state has rejected the application, according to minutes of the town’s parks and recreation committee meetings.
The decision to match the grant with local taxpayer money came despite questions from members of the borough’s Parks and Recreation Committee about whether borough taxpayers should be footing such a large portion of the bill for bleachers that only fill to capacity for events held by Red Bank Catholic High School and other outside entities.
It also ran counter to the sentiment of residents who responded to the borough’s own survey on the project.
In that online survey conducted by the borough in 2024, 86 percent of the 36 respondents said they support the borough making improvements to the Count Basie Fields facilities.
But many of the anonymous respondents also implored the borough to scale back the cost of the project or ask Red Bank Catholic High School, which leases the field for its sports programs, to contribute more – especially for the press box.
In response to those questions last year, Borough Manager Jim Gant cited the Red Bank Middle School graduation as an example of a public event that fills the bleachers. “RBMS Graduation fills up the entire home bleachers,” he wrote in an email to redbankgreen. “Other groups who tend to have large attendance are RBC Football, Red Bank AYF and FC Monmouth. Even though they are not Boro Events, they pay their dues for using the facility.
He continued: “The Borough has plans to discuss RBC’s role in this project and their willingness to contribute towards the improvement project. Undoubtedly, RBC sees a lot of use of these fields and facilities and their cooperation has been instrumental in making projects of this magnitude come to fruition.”
The borough’s grant application had a hiccup when state officials said they would not approve the grant unless the borough had a 25-year lease with the Red Bank Borough Board of Education, which owns the property. After negotiations with the Red Bank Borough Board of Education, the lease was extended to 2050. And instead of the previous one-dollar-per-year deal, the borough will now pay the schools $25,000 per year in rent.
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.
