54°F clear sky

RED BANK: NEW HPC EXPECTED ON AGENDA

The borough’s Washington Street Historic District, the location of many applications the HPC reviews, was created in 2009. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

See UPDATE below

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topicAfter three months of inactivity, Red Bank’s Historic Preservation Commission is expected to get a re-start this week.

At its semimonthly meeting scheduled for Thursday night, the council plans to appoint new and returning members to the commission, Councilperson Kristina Bonatakis, said last week.

The council will also begin workshopping a revised historic preservation ordinance, she said.

More →

RED BANK: COUNCIL VOWS HPC RESTART

Historic Preservation Commission attorney Michele Donato addressing the council Thursday night. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topicRed Bank’s Historic Preservation Commission will be reconstituted, Mayor Billy Portman and other council members informally agreed Thursday night.

But the council will first have to adopt design standards to establish which types of renovation work require HPC perusal and which can be fast-tracked, Portman said.

More →

RED BANK: COUNCIL ADDS ACCESS HOURS

Couuncilmembers Nancy Facey-Blackwood and Ben Forest inaugurated the council access time at the Senior Center last week.

Expanding a program launched last week, Red Bank’s borough council has added evening hours, during which residents can buttonhole an elected official with concerns, questions and suggestions.

More →

RED BANK: NEW GOVERNMENT TAKES OFFICE

Mayor Billy Portman with Governor Phil Murphy at the ceremony. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topicNew Jersey Governor Phil Murphy helped launch a new era in Red Bank government, swearing in Billy Portman for his first full term as mayor Saturday.

At an open-air ceremony held outside borough hall, Murphy also mildly roasted Councilwoman Kate Triggiano, the local Democratic party chair who helped engineer the change.

More →

RED BANK: ROSI LISTING RUSHED THROUGH

An aerial view of the Red Bank Senior Center property, located at 80 Shrewsbury Avenue. (Photo from Google Maps. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njFollowing what one critic called “the old switcheroo,” Red Bank’s soon-to-be-unseated council pushed through a measure to include the Senior Center property in a state conservation program Wednesday night.

The 11th-hour, unadvertised move was opposed by Mayor Billy Portman and at least four members of the council that’s slated to take office July 1, setting the stage for possible reversal.

More →

RED BANK: BOARD NIXES CENTER SUBDIVISION

An aerial view of the Senior Center property. (Photo from Google Maps. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njRed Bank’s planning board rejected a proposed subdivision of the borough’s riverfront Senior Center property Monday night.

Board members said the plan would cede too much control of the riverfront site to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, when other conservation tools would not.

More →

RED BANK: PORTMAN ‘LISTENING’ TO MANDATE

Mayor Billy Portman meeting with a borough resident during his weekly open hours Monday night. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njComing off a slam-dunk win in the May 9 election, Red Bank Mayor Billy Portman says he and his council running mates are gearing up to use the ‘mandate’ given them by voters.

That includes setting new priorities, he told redbankgreen in an interview Monday night.

More →

RED BANK: PORTMAN SLATE’S WIN OFFICIAL

Incumbents Billy Portman and Kate Triggiano led a slate that swept all seven offices on the ballot. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

It’s official: incumbent mayor Billy Portman won re-election with nearly 61 percent of the vote in Red Bank’s May 9 election.

Borough Clerk Laura Reinertsen certified the win by Portman and his Red Bank’s Ready slate of council candidates Wednesday.

Riverview Medical Center President Tim Hogan garnered just 38.5 percent of the vote, marking Portman’s third consecutive victory since getting into politics 13 months ago.

More →

RED BANK: PORTMAN SLATE SWEEPS RACES

Billy Portman, with mic, and the Red Bank’s Ready slate celebrating victory at Triumph Brewing Company. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Incumbent mayor Billy Portman and his slate of council candidates sailed to victory in Red Bank’s history-making election Tuesday.

Portman’s “Red Bank’s Ready” team met little resistance, crushing a lineup led by Riverview Medical Center President Tim Hogan, as well as a council bid by independent candidate Suzanne Viscomi.

More →

RED BANK: WHO TO VOTE FOR? THIS MAY HELP

Thirteen candidates for Red Bank council, and two for mayor, crowd the May 9 ballot. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

See UPDATE below

With a record 15 candidates to select for seven seats in the historic May 9 election, Red Bank voters may feel a bit like they’re looking at the menu of a Jersey diner: overwhelmed.

So to help voters decide who they want to establish a new form of government July 1, redbankgreen invited all 13 council candidates and both mayoral contenders to offer information about themselves and their positions in written Q&As.

More →

RED BANK: VISCOMI Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Suzanne Viscomi. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Suzanne Viscomi said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: FACEY-BLACKWOOD Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Nancy Facey-Blackwood. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Nancy Facey-Blackwood said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: MURPHY Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Sean Murphy. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Sean Murphy said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: HOGAN Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank mayoral candidate Tim Hogan. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have two candidates to choose from when they elect a new mayor May 9.

Here’s what candidate Tim Hogan said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: JACKSON Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate John Jackson. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate John Jackson said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: FOREST Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Ben Forest. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Ben Forest said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: JANNONE Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Laura Jannone. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Laura Jannone said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: TRIGGIANO Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Kate Triggiano. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Kate Triggiano said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: PORTMAN Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank mayoral candidate Billy Portman. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have two candidates to choose from when they elect a new mayor May 9.

Here’s what candidate Billy Portman said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: BONATAKIS Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Kristina Bonatakis. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Kristina Bonatakis said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: STURDIVANT Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Jacqueline Sturdivant. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Jacqueline Sturdivant said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: CASSIDY Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate David Cassidy. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate David Cassidy said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: FLEMING Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Erin Fleming. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Erin Fleming said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →