LONG BRANCH – School Board Member Avery Grant won the biggest applause of the evening at tonight’s mayoral debate when he took a shot at the town’s signature waterfront development championed by Mayor Adam Schneider.

“If you think Pier Village is helping you, then I feel sorry for you,” Grant said.

A significant portion of the crowd clapped.

The mayoral candidate said he and his wife can’t afford Pier Village’s recreations and bewailed the tax abatements and so-called “ambiance” afforded by the property.

The John Pallone-portion of the crowd groaned and guffawed moments later when Schneider, in his closing remarks, said, in a shot at Pallone, “I never stabbed anyone in the back.”