Senator Beck, Mayor Menna, RiverCenter’s Adams Call on NJNG to Cooperate with Local Officials on Red Bank Regulator Replacement

Red Bank— Saying that New Jersey Natural Gas officials are being uncooperative with local officials, Senator Jennifer Beck (R- Monmouth) held a press conference with Mayor Pasquale Menna and Rivercenter Executive Director Nancy Adams to demand NJNG work cooperatively with local officials toward a solution in vetting alternatives to the utility’s planned regulator replacement program.

NJNG plans on replacing 88 natural gas pressure regulators currently located below highly trafficked sidewalks on Front, Broad, and Monmouth Streets, bringing the devices above ground. The company has refused to release details of its decision making process and any alternative locations for the regulators that were considered, despite requests from the Senator and Red Bank officials.

“NJNG is being unresponsive and heavy handed with the Borough of Red Bank,” Beck said. “They have admitted that there are alternatives to the current plan, but will not discuss what those options are or why they were not chosen. You don’t see these devices placed as prominently, or in as great a number, very often in the downtown district of a busy municipality. Why is this solution the only one that works for Red Bank?”

“Let me be clear, safety should be our first priority,” Beck continued. “However, that does not excuse NJNG’s refusal to explain their decision making process.”

Beck and Mayor Menna have written to state Board of Public Utilities Officials asking for their support in delaying the project until an acceptable remedy can be agreed to by all parties and NJNG releases their internal study on alternatives.

“If it is really necessary to disrupt our downtown business district like this, then we need to understand why,” said Mayor Menna. “And if there were alternatives that could have been pursued but were not, we need to understand the reasoning. We should not have to beg to get NJNG officials to be forthcoming with us.”

Red Bank RiverCenter’s Executive Director, Nancy Adams, also expressed concern over the lack of cooperation by company officials. RiverCenter is a non-profit partnership dedicated to promoting revitalization of Red Bank’s downtown business district.

“We have been successful in promoting Red Bank as a destination for businesses, merchants, restaurants, and night life because elected officials, volunteers, and the business community worked together,” Adams stated. “We need NJNG to work with us too.”

Senator Beck said that she will submit legislation at the Senate’s March 15, 2012 voting session that would direct the BPU to require gas utilities planning regulator replacement projects to study less disruptive locations for the devices. The bill also requires the gas utility make public the findings of the study, and to return any disrupted property and infrastructure to its original condition.

“If NJNG refuses to be a good corporate citizen and come to the table, then we must act through the legislative process to force them to consider the needs of this community and others that may find themselves in similar situations,” Beck said. “If there is a more palatable alternative that will provide the same public safety protections, it ought to be presented as an option to local officials.”

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Ashley Dupre Opening A Lingerie Boutique In Red Bank

NY Post photo

New York Post love and sex columnist Ashley Dupre is opening a lingerie boutique in Red Bank. 

RedBankGreen broke the story.

Femmebyashley is opening on Broad Street in May.

Dupre gained notoriety as a result of her involvement in the scandal that forced former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer from office. 

Ashley was made infamous, not famous, by the Elliot Spitzer scandal.  It is nothing she hoped for and nothing she takes pride in.  She is, however, very proud of the person she has become since that scandal.  Closing the door on that chapter of her life with great integrity, Ashley has moved on to be a positive force for people of all ages by taking her experiences and using them to help others lead better, more productive, fulfilling, positive lives.

~ from Ashley Dupre’s myspace page

Based on a recent column, it would seem Dupre certainly believes in her product:

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Poof! KaBoom Fireworks Gone

The annual spectacular Red Bank fireworks will not happen this July, according to a report in the Red Bank-Shrewsbury Patch.

“Following a several month-long process of examination and discussion, the KaBoom executive committee has concluded that KaBoom as we know it is not sustainable in the current economy, taking into account escalating costs to maintain public safety coupled with the increasing costs of products and services related to the event,” KaBoom Committee Chairman Tim Hogan said in a release. “KaBoom is a victim of its own successgiant water slide. Each year brought increasing numbers of visitors to Red Bank, especially as towns throughout New Jersey cancelled their own Fourth of July fireworks displays. Our security costs doubled in the last three years, and although we raised more money in 2011 than ever before, we continued to incur a deficit with each succeeding year.”

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REPUBLICANS CANGEMI, MIZZI TO RUN FOR RED BANK COUNCIL

Former Councilwoman Grace Cangemi and Joseph Mizzi announced today that they would be seeking the Republican nomination for Red Bank Borough Council in the upcoming municipal election.

Cangemi, who served on council in 2007 and 2008 said she looked forward to getting back into the fray.

 “Unfortunately, many of the same issues which I’ve been talking about since 2008 are still issues which need to be addressed,” said Cangemi. “Tough decisions need to be made and they need to be made in an environment that is open and transparent. This council doesn’t seem to recognize that affordability is the most important issue that residents and businesses face, maybe because their one party control has insulated them from the people who need them to take serious action.  We need a borough government that is both transparent and responsive.  The current council fails on both counts.”

Mizzi, a finance professional and part time economics professor, agreed and said the council needed some different voices.

“Unfortunately, when you have one party rule for so long, a kind of groupthink sets in and no dissenting views are considered,” said Mizzi. “I thought when Grace was on council she brought a different perspective that was refreshing and that’s what we’d both like to do again; challenge old assumptions and see if there isn’t a better way of doing things.”

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DuPont Drama In Sayreville

By Art Gallagher

On Monday while the Red Bank Council was discussing whether or not to change their meeting dates to accommodate Councilman Michael DuPont’s $90K part time job as the Borough Attorney of Sayreville, there was real drama in the the Middlesex County town over DuPont’s appointment.

Greater Media’s Suburban newspaper has the story of what happened in Sayreville, including the Mayor and some Council members walking out of their meeting over DuPont’s appointment.

Lots more dots to connect and questions to ask.  Stay tuned.

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DuPont Considering Giving Up $90K Borough Attorney Gig To Stay On Red Bank Council

By Art Gallagher

Why would a politician/lawyer give up a $90,000 per year part time job to keep a $3200 a year part time job as a  Red Bank councilman?

That’s what Red Bank Councilman Michael Dupont says he’s considering if his colleagues on the Red Bank governing body don’t go along with his request that they change their meeting dates so that he can continue “serving” as the Middlesex County Borough of Sayreville’s borough attorney for $7,500 per month, according to Red Bank Green.  Sayreville and Red Bank have the council meetings on the same nights.

So why not ask Sayreville to change its meeting day?

“I did that,” DuPont tells redbankgreen. No go.

But he tells redbankgreenthat if the Red Bank meeting schedule remains unchanged, “I’d probably have to give up Sayreville.”

DuPont says the Sayreville gig pays a flat $7,500 per month for all legal services.

Could be he doesn’t need the money, but he tells RBG otherwise.

“I’m just trying to make a living, in addition to being a public servant,”

Couldn’t/shouldn’t Dupont have resolved this before taking the Sayreville job?  He’s been a Red Bank Councilman a long time.

Maybe it has something to do with the pension system or health benefits.

Dupont is also the treasurer of the NJ Turnpike Authority.

Sayreville is home to Assemblyman John Wisniewski, Chairman of the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee.  Wisniewski is also chairman of the NJ Democratic Party and Co-Chair of the Legislative Redistricting Commission.

Lot’s of questions and dots to connect. Especially if Dupont runs for Senate or Assembly as has been rumored.

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Red Bank Councilman Compares Rep. Chris Smith, Catholics To Arizona Shooter

By Art Gallagher

Red Bank Councilman Ed Zipprich (D) compared Congressman Chris Smith and a planned Catholic procession organized by the Diocese of Trenton from St. Anthony of Padua Church to the Planned Parenthood clinic on Newman Springs Rd to the deranged man who shot Arizona Congressman Gabby Giffords and 18 others, killing six people, according to a story on RedBankGreen.

“In light of what happened to Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, we need to pay attention to a matter of public safety,” Zipprich said, “especially since Congressman Smith has offered a bill to redefine rape.”

Zipprich’s comments were made while the council was approving permits for two dozen public events, including the Catholic Red Bank Witness for Life.

Zipprich abstained from voting on the permit which was approved by the council.

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