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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.

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RED BANK: COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT

With little more than a week to go before an overhaul of Red Bank’s government begins, the incoming mayor and council are still seeking volunteers for boards and committees.

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RED BANK: FOREST LEAVES SCHOOL BOARD

Ben Forest addressing the board of education Tuesday night. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank’s school district said goodbye to a longtime board of education member Tuesday night – and welcomed a new one.

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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: 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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RED BANK: ELBOW-TO-ELBOW AT ‘FACEOFF’

An historically large field of candidates for office in Red Bank sat elbow-to-elbow on the stage of the Red Bank Middle School for a “Faceoff Over Red Bank’s Future” Tuesday night.

The crowded race includes 13 candidates for council and two for mayor, all of whom participated (one via phone link).

A combined in-person and online audience of more than 230 heard the candidates lay out their visions and positions on issues at the event, which was organized by redbankgreen and moderated by site founder John T. Ward. The complete video is above. (Click to enlarge.)

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RED BANK: BALLOT POSITIONS SET

A schematic of the May 9 ballot, provided by the Red Bank clerk. (Click to enlarge.)

See CORRECTION below

By JOHN T. WARD

Incumbent Billy Portman will have the inside lane against challenger Tim Hogan in the two-candidate race for Red Bank mayor.

A drawing by borough Clerk Laura Reinertsen Wednesday also established the ballot positions for all 13 council candidates in the borough’s first-ever nonpartisan election May 9.

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RED BANK: PETITIONS OK’D, BALLOTS UP NEXT

Borough Clerk Laura Reinertsen in her office last April. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

All 15 candidates for Red Bank mayor and council in the May 9 election submitted the minimum number of valid petitions to get on the ballot, Clerk Laura Reinertsen told redbankgreen Tuesday.

Up next: a drawing to determine the order of names on the ballot in the historic nonpartisan election. More →