Residents Question Restricted Access to Count Basie Fields

A slogan often heard around town is “one Red Bank,” though some borough residents question whether that’s really the case. On Wednesday, 40 residents of the borough’s west side, and others with a vested interest in Red Bank, met to discuss several local issues.

Though public officials were invited to attend the meeting, none showed up.

The Westside Community Meeting, held at Celestial Lodge No. 36, included discussion about several borough issues, including Red Bank’s hiring practices, bulk trash pickup, and, topping the list, the locked gates at Count Basie Park.

Freddie Boynton, who organized the meeting, said borough officials, including Business Administrator Stanley Sickles, were invited to attend the meeting. They did not attend however, citing a possible conflict with the night’s council meeting. When the community meeting ended at 6:15pm, 15 minutes before the start of the council meeting, several members went to borough hall to voice their issues. When they arrived they found that meeting canceled due to lack of quorum.

Boynton said Sickles just to come to the next council meeting.

“I told (Sickles) that he will be receiving a certified invitation to attend our next meeting in a couple of weeks,” Boynton, a longtime Red Bank Public Works Department employee said.

One of the most pressing issues the community wanted to discuss with officials has to do with nearby Count Basie Park. Residents at the meeting were heated over a locked fence that’s been installed and restricts access to the track and bleachers. The fence is unlocked from 7am to 3pm, though many residents are at work during these hours.

Residents speculated that the restricted access is a favor to Red Bank Catholic, which contributed to construction of a synthetic field and pays the borough annual dues to play high school sports there.

Meanwhile, the field, now locked, has been open to the public for years.

“The residents of the Westside paid for that park through taxes just as much as those across town,” Ronald Seward, a member of the lodge, said.

“A lot of senior citizens go down there and use the track.” Annell Scott said. “Remember when we used to walk the park and bleachers?”

Another concern centered on the use of the field for Pop Warner football.

There were issues raised about bulk trash and why dumpsters that were once available for dumping such items as mattresses and sofas no longer exist for residents to use at their discretion.

Residents must now call down to the borough and arrange for a pick-up, which is the second Thursday of every month. Residents complained that if anything is put out before then they are subject to a fine.

One resident summed simply by saying the west side has always been an afterthought.

In attendance at the meeting was Robert Simmons, who lives on Leonard Street. His complaint was about the drainage system in Red Bank. He stated that after a hard rainfall the water is so high in his driveway that he cannot get in or out of his driveway. Simmons, who commutes to New York, is the Chief of Staff for Congressman Gregory Meeks.

“I am going to work with Freddie to build a political and civic foundation and structure,” said Simmons. “We must organize politically and hold our elected officials accountable.”