LITTLE SILVER: TOWN HIRES TOWER LAWYER

The tower looms over homes on Prospect Avenue. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

The Little Silver council hired an attorney Monday night to help it determine if it’s stuck with a new a cell tower that’s dialed up widespread anger in the borough.

As special counsel, Kevin Starkey is expected to start out by reviewing some two years worth of correspondence and other records for guidance on how the governing body might proceed in dealing with the tower’s sole user so far: Verizon Wireless.

July 11, 2017 - 12:48 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: WATER METER FAQ POSTED

The project would replace more than 3,800 residential water meters by the end of 2015, officials have said. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank officials have responded to a demand for transparency into a proposed $2.2 million water meter replacement program by posting a list of frequently-asked-questions on the borough website.

At the December 3 meeting of the council, Mayor Pasquale Menna instructed Administrator Stanley Sickels to post “whatever information” he had on the topic by noon Friday after complaints that the borough was rushing the matter through to a vote.

December 12, 2014 - 2:51 pm | Comments ()

RED BANK: BOND INTRO LEGIT, O’HERN SAYS

Borough Attorney Dan O’Hern, right, with Mayor Pasquale Menna earlier this year. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

A push by Red Bank’s Democrat-controlled council to pass a $2.2 million water-meter-replacement bond by the end of the year can move forward, according to borough Attorney Dan O’Hern.

O’Hern tells redbankgreen that Mayor Pasquale Menna’s belated “tiebreaker” vote to introduce the bond last week was permissible, even though the mayor is allowed under state law to vote only in the event of a council tie. The council vote was two in favor and one opposed, with one abstention.

But the abstention, by soon-to-depart Councilwoman Juanita Lewis, was tantamount to a “no,” O’Hern said Monday, citing recent cases involving Newark and Hoboken.

December 10, 2014 - 6:55 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: NEW OFFICE FEELS LIKE OLD HOME

With landscaping and exterior detail work still in progress, John Smallwood, below, moved his financial advisory firm into 199 Broad Street last week. (Photo above by Trish Russoniello; below by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

More than a year later, John Smallwood still shakes his head in disbelief when he thinks about the appraiser who advised him to tear down the century-old Red Bank mansion he was about to buy and rehabilitate for use as office space.

For one thing, the comment betrayed astonishing ignorance of zoning law, Smallwood said: with just 60 feet of frontage on Broad Street, a new structure would have to be sliver-thin to accommodate setbacks and access to the parking out back.

More than that, though, was the appraiser’s failure to appreciate both the real and intangible value of the structure, at 199 Broad.

“I was really offended” by the suggestion, Smallwood told redbankgreen. “He just didn’t get what we have here.”

December 1, 2014 - 4:00 pm | Comments ()

RED BANK: GAS VALVE BATTLE EXPANDS

A gas regulator valve outside the Ebner’s rug store on East Front Street that borough officials said was the subject of a summons. (Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

A legal and PR battle pitting Red Bank government and business interests against the region’s dominant natural gas distributor is about to move into a new arena.

Borough officials, having lost round one in court, voted Monday night to file an appeal that they hope will stop New Jersey Natural Gas from relocating gas regulator valves from sub-sidewalk boxes to storefronts downtown.

Meantime, the town has begun issuing summonses charging the utility with doing construction work without obtaining necessary permits.

October 11, 2012 - 9:50 am | Comments ()

POETIC REFLECTION ON A LITTLE SILVER YEAR

Mayor Bob Neff swears in new council member Dane Mihlon, above. Below, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Zazzali of Rumson prepares to swear in Councilman Dan O’Hern Jr., whose late father served with Zazzali on the Supreme Court. (Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

With hizzoner’s grudging acquiescence, redbankgreen hereby nominates Little Silver Mayor Bob Neff as the Green’s most lyrical mayor.

Neff gets the nod for his state-of-the-borough speech, delivered in the form of a poem shortly after he was sworn in to his first full term Wednesday night.

January 6, 2012 - 7:46 am | Comments ()

LITTLE SILVER CANDIDATES SPEAK

Below are the responses to questionnaires sent to the two mayoral and three council candidates (for two available seats) on the November 8 ballot in Little Silver. Candidates were asked to limit their answers to 100 words.

November 4, 2011 - 10:29 am | Comments ()

Red Bank Green

Serving Red Bank and Greater Red Bank, NJ

LITTLE SILVER: TOWN HIRES TOWER LAWYER

RED BANK: WATER METER FAQ POSTED

RED BANK: BOND INTRO LEGIT, O’HERN SAYS

RED BANK: NEW OFFICE FEELS LIKE OLD HOME

RED BANK: GAS VALVE BATTLE EXPANDS

POETIC REFLECTION ON A LITTLE SILVER YEAR

LITTLE SILVER CANDIDATES SPEAK