News
Locust Avenue Residents Oppose Changing Street Name
By John Burton
RED BANK - The proposal to change the name of a west side residential street in honor of a former Supreme Court justice and mayor, has met with opposition from those who say that changing the name of the street will cause problems for residents.
In response to the criticism, the mayor has offered an alternative.
Mayor Pasquale Menna recently said that he was in favor of formally changing the name of Locust Avenue to honor of Daniel J. O'Hern, who served as mayor of Red Bank during the 1970s, later becoming a state supreme court justice. O'Hern died in early April.
Menna said he saw the name change as an appropriate means of honoring O'Hern, whose family home had been on Locust Avenue for many years.
Last week the borough council introduced an ordinance proposing the name change.
But at the June 22 meeting, Locust Avenue resident Amy Goldsmith offered some reservations about what such a step would mean for residents. While respecting O'Hern's legacy and the council's efforts to honor them, Goldsmith told Menna and the council that such a move would create numerous logistical obstacles for residents should the street name be formally changed to Justice O'Hern Avenue.
Residents could have problems with government agencies, with mail delivery and other services, should the governing body move forward with its plan, Goldsmith said, noting that she had spoken to residents of what was formerly named West Bergen Place and is now Drs. James Parker Boulevard.
Goldsmith and her husband, Ben Forest, had recently begun collecting names on a petition, to encourage the council to look at other means of honoring O'Hern. The petition suggests placing a memorial in some public space such a park or outside of the municipal complex, 90 Monmouth Street, or dedicating the municipal courtroom in the complex.
Another possible solution could be to simply add a sign below the existing Locust Avenue sign, making the name change an honorary one, such as Mechanic Street, which has a sign designating it as Count Basie Way, in honor of the jazz great born there.
Forest said that approximately 43 residents of the area have signed a petition opposing the name change.
"Everybody on Locust Avenue supports honoring the judge," Forest said this week, but he and his neighbors worry about the complications he's heard from others. "Despite assurances that there wouldn't be problems there (have) been problems," he said.
"We're all trying to survive and make a living, particularly in this economic time," he explained. "We don't need any other difficulties with things like official forms, corporate papers, federal documents."
When contacted about the residents' concerns, Menna said, "I just think it's petty." But he noted he would be willing to make the name change an honorary one.
"It'll be done that way," Menna said. "They don't have to go that way. All they had to do was say that's what they wanted."
Goldsmith and Forest plan to attend the July 13 meeting to offer the petition.
