Dougherty
His love of the town, pride in the accomplishments he has helped achieve, and a desire to keep on working for the borough’s improvements and its residents are the reasons why Council resident Brian Dougherty is seeking a second term on the Borough Council in the November election.
Dougherty is running with Jose Pujols for the two seats to be decided November 5 and will face competition for the seats from two Republican candidates. If elected, the terms are for three years each and would mean a governing body with a Democrat Mayor and six Democrat council members. Incumbent Councilman James Murphy, a Republican, is not seeking another term.
Dougherty, who lives on Center Avenue with his wife Erin and three children and has been a borough resident for 12 years, ran for council three years ago primarily because he said he was disgusted with the tone and tenor of local politics, did not like the way the GOP ran their last election and decried what he terms “nasty and often personal attacks on our neighbors.” Citing specific examples in local races, he said “I hated these tactics then, and I still do. We may be on opposite sides of a ballot, but we are neighbors. We always need to remember that. Personal attacks have no place in our local politics.”
Doughtery also points to a series of accomplishments during the past three years and feels a need to continue on council to work on plans and designs for even more improvements in the future.
Among improvements already achieved, he cited updated development regulations, enhanced storm water management regulations, a new rental control ordinance, introduction and in the process final approval and construction of for-profit electric vehicle chargers at the Municipal Yacht Harbor, new front line fire apparatus the Atlantic Highlands Fire Department had been requesting for many years, and several other accomplishments. Still, Dougherty said, “There is much more work to do.”
Dougherty feels the electric chargers in particular will be a boon for the borough not only for the funds the three dual-port level two charging stations will bring into the borough, but also since it was grants from two levels of government as well as JCP&L that helped finance the new program, “As more and more drivers make the switch to EVs, municipalities and government entities need to support the installation of electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE) to attract visitors to the community and provide charging infrastructure for our residents,” the councilman explained. “I plan to continue to work with our borough professionals and my colleagues on the Council to do just that. “
He pointed out that since the borough owns the chargers, earning revenue on their use begins “from the moment they are turned on and the first driver plugs in. “
Dougherty said he has been working on a draft ordinance to codify design standards in the Central and Historic Business Districts or the borough, which includes First Avenue. That new ordinance when approved would help maintain the aesthetics on the main street , he said. Although currently First Avenue is great, “with additions like RX ReLeaf, it continues to offer diverse retail and services for our residents and visitors”
Dougherty serves as the borough council’s representative to the Henry Hudson Regional Board and reports on the board’s activities at every council meeting. His own three children who range in age from 8 to 14, are in the public school system, and he believes the two elected bodies have excellent communication and work closely together. Because they are independent elected bodies, he does not believe a municipal board should tell a school board what to do but should remain independent of each other. He favors regionalization but wants to wait until Sea Bright receives state approval to leave its present school system before the matter should be brought to the voters.
He is opposed to spending any funds on helping Sea Bright in its legal fight, and believes it is their responsibility to secure their release from their current situation.
A professional singer who holds a degree in music from Westminster Choir College, Dougherty also has worked in administration for The Rockefeller University for almost 20 years, and has been singing professionally for more than 26 years. He is a former board member and coach with Sandy Hook Little League and a union member of the American Guild of Musical Artists and Actors Equity Association.
With infrastructure and planning for the future the two major problems facing the borough, Dougherty wants to be reelected to continue his record of working collaboratively with his Council colleagues, borough employees and professionals, and with volunteers on committees and commissions. He said he would continue to do that for the community whose attributes include “the people, the physical beauty, proximity to Manhattan, a walkable downtown, waterfront, and access to nature.
As far as the possibility of an all-Democrat council running the borough, Dougherty believes that shows “our residents have agreed more with the ideas and plans Democratic candidates have put forward than the ones proposed by the Republicans.
The councilman pointed to the ordinance the governing body passed in February which limits density designation to 40 dwelling units per acre and said that ensures any proposed mixed-use development must adhere to it, including compliance with setbacks, lot coverage, parking and other regulations, including a 40% minimum principal use on the ground floor.
“These are common sense guidelines, which were developed in close collaboration with our borough engineers and our residents on the Planning Board., “Dougherty continued. “These were the first significant changes to our development regulations in a generation. “Still,” he said, “there is much more to do.
We must include Accessory Dwelling Units in our residential zones. “That would definitely be an area he would continue to pursue if re-elected,” he said. He noted he has already had conversations with the mayor, planning board chairman and borough professionals to consider starting a Master Plan review a few years earlier that required with the hope the process cold begin shortly after the start of the year.
Addressing the question of preservation of open space that is on the ballot in November, asking for a one cent tax increase to provide an expanded fund, Dougherty said “Generally, I’m in favor of preserving open space in the borough and encourage everyone to vote in favor of the ballot initiative authorizing raising the Open Space Preservation Fund assessment one cent per $100 of assessed value. Not only does it give the borough the funds needed to acquire and enhance open space, it also provides the opportunities to pursue matching grant funds to do the same,” he asserted. Dougherty also noted the borough has authorized the Monmouth County Parks System to negotiate with the Diocese of Trenton on the possible purchase of the Mother Theresa School property, a matter that appears to be close to closure after recent executive session meetings.
