RED BANK – The Borough Council will not move forward with a plan to name an unnamed street for Edward McKenna Jr., a former mayor of Red Bank.
On Aug. 21, council members introduced an ordinance to name an unnamed street that is one block north of West Front Street and intersects Boat Club Court after McKenna, who served as mayor from 1991 to 2006.
Several residents objected to naming the street after McKenna because they said he had been convicted of motor vehicle violations.
The ordinance was scheduled for a public hearing and possible vote for adoption on Sept. 11.
On Sept. 11, council members announced they would amend the ordinance and name the unnamed street Ice Boat Lane.
Because the ordinance was amended, a public hearing was not held that evening.
A public hearing on the amended ordinance will be held during the council’s meeting at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Council members may vote to adopt the ordinance following the public hearing.
“The amendment will reflect that the name (of the street) will be changed to something which correctly reflects the location … and also the new court that will be developed at some point. The name will be changed to Ice Boat Lane in recognition of the longstanding presence of the Monmouth County ice boat,” Mayor Pasquale Menna said.
The official Red Bank Borough seal depicts an image of an ice boat.
Alison Gregory, who is running for Borough Council, previously said a street should not be named for McKenna. On Sept. 11, she thanked the council for amending the ordinance.
“I want to thank you on behalf of myself and for residents who previously spoke up about (the original name proposed),” Gregory said.
