Councilman Explains 'No' Vote For Amended Belmar Pavilion Plans

The lone dissenting vote for a scaled-back plan to rebuild beachfront pavilions in Belmar came from Councilman Jim Bean, the only Republican on the council.

Bean said in a prepared statement after this week's council meeting that he carefully weighed his vote but decided to vote no because he believes the matter should be decided by a referendum.

A grassroots group called "Let the Citizens Decide" had created a petition to urge the council to leave the beachfront plans in the hands of voters in the form of a referendum vote. They have been collecting signatures and presented them at Wednesday's council meeting.

During that same meeting, Mayor Matt Doherty announced the feedback for the original beachfront plans was to scale back three proposed buildings into a plan for two. A pavilion for 8th Avenue is now not in the works, but ones at 10th Avenue and the Taylor Pavilion in front of Silver Lake are. The two buildings could cost $7.5 million; a $7.1 million bond ordinance is before the council.

Bean said the petition calling for residents to vote on the project swayed him to vote no.

Bean's full statement as released this week:

"I was on the fence on how I would be voting until I read the petition that was circulating. The premise of the petition was not whether anyone is for or against the pavilions, but to let the people who are ultimately responsible for funding the project, to decide for themselves at the polls, what pavilions are best for Belmar. This seems so reasonable to me, I had to vote no to stand with the residents. Democracy at its best. Any council member who is opposed to what this petition states is basically saying that the average voter in Belmar isn't smart enough to know what is best for the town. I believe that is absurd."