Red Bank Seeks Emergency Preparedness Talk with Utility Board

Following a New Jersey Board of Public Utilities meeting last week in Manalapan in which Jersey Central Power and Light was lambasted for what some say was a poor response following Hurricane Irene, Red Bank wants a meeting of its own to discuss the issue.

Mayor Pat Menna said the council has no desire to add to the pile of complaints that have already been hoisted on the power provider, but to discuss the situation and develop a plan to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“They’re already getting it on the chin. I know I’ve punched them in the chin a little,” Menna said of JCP and L. “I think (developing a plan) should be the basis for sitting down…to discuss what type of contingences there are for the future.”

More than for several days after Hurricane Irene hit Monmouth County with less ferocity than was anticipated, according to outage maps provided by JCP and L. In Monmouth and Ocean Counties combined, more than 200,000 customers were without power even days after the storm had come and gone.

Though most expected outages caused by the storm, few, including public officials like Menna, expected significant delays in finding a resolution. At Wednesday’s council meeting, borough Administrator Stanley Sickles said some Red Bank residents remained without power for as long as week following Irene’s visit to the Jersey Shore.

Menna called JCP and L’s response to Irene “dismal” and took the energy conglomerate to task for what he said were cuts to staff aimed only at increasing revenues while driving down service.

Despite his previous comments, Menna said he would look forward to a meeting with all local utility companies in developing action plans for emergencies like Irene and last winter’s significant snowstorms.

Councilman Michael DuPont said he personally wants to hear from the power company why it all went wrong.

“Red Bank demands accountability,” he said.