Charitable Contribution Resolves Mulch Madness

Just days after a heated exchange erupted between Red Bank property owner Cindy Burnham and the borough’s council over requests for a bucket of mulch two weeks ago, the sign at Maple Cove now has a fresh new layer of it.

But, the stinky stuff didn’t come from the borough, whose council collectively bristled at the thought of supplying it for free, but from a local landscaping company in Little Silver. Burnham said Martin Ryser of Ryser’s Landscaping Supply gifted the mulch and saved the Friends of Maple Cove a bit of money.

On Monday afternoon, Burnham was hanging out at Maple Cove, which was saved from development after a vigorous public campaign to save it and now provides a bit of open space and water access in a town where both of those things are at a premium.

Burnham, who asked the council why it wasn’t willing to spring for the cost of the mulch after all the work volunteers have done, a question met – not surprisingly – with some derision, said the mulch would have cost about $110 if it were not donated.

Ryser said Burnham approached him about donating two yards of mulch. It didn't take much convincing.

"It’s just for a good cause,” he said. “Whenever somebody wants to improve our waterways with a project like that, we’re always proud to donate when we can. She’s worked hard down there and it really looks nice; we just wanted to help.”

The mulch issue was first brought up at a late April council meeting and almost immediately devolved into a verbal fracas with Burnham taking on each of the council members in a back-and-forth shouting match. It may not have helped issues that Burnham started things off by asking why some council members didn’t respond to her emails.

Much of the concern of the council was centered on what they collectively believe were assurances made by the Friends of Maple Cover to maintain the property, something that Burnham has denied.

Still, despite council unpleasantness, the sign at Maple Cove looks great now with its brand new layer of mulch.