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RED BANK: A GRACIOUS END TO ‘BOROUGH’ ERA

Attendees standing for the flag salute at Wednesday’s council session. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njRed Bank’s 115-year-long “borough” government era came to a muted, low-key end Wednesday night with a council session free of the infighting that marked the last five.

Gracious words, in fact, were exchanged.

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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.

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RED BANK: DEED RESTRICTION SOUGHT

The Senior Center as seen last August. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

After a failed attempt to preserve part of the Red Bank Senior Center property by subdividing it, the council will try another approach Wednesday night.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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RED BANK: TAX INCREASE HELD TO ONE PERCENT

Parking revenue has been strong since the pandemic and an increase in enforcement hours, officials said. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

red bank taxesLocal taxes on the typical Red Bank home will increase by one percent this year, officials said at a walk-thru of the 2023 municipal budget Thursday night.

That’s about $25 for the owner of a home assessed at the new townwide average of $505,244, Chief Financial Officer Thomas Seaman said at the one-hour forum, held in the council chamber at borough hall.

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RED BANK: BUDGET WALK-THRU SLATED

red bank taxes

Red Bank officials are scheduled to hold an informal walk-thru of the 2023 municipal budget Thursday night.

The $25.911 million spending plan calls for $14.47 million to be raised by taxes, Chief Financial Officer Thomas Seaman told the borough council last week.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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RED BANK: HILL Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Linda Hill. (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 Linda Hill said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

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