Red Bank split by bitter politics. See who wants control in new kind of election
RED BANK - Can the borough free its governing council from claims of divisiveness and factionalism with its first nonpartisan municipal election on May 9?
Although the borough removed municipal candidates from under the headings of political parties, two rival groups of candidates have formed to compete with each other.
The two groups, Red Bank Together and Red Bank’s Ready, along with independent candidate Sue Viscomi, are asking voters to choose between two mayoral candidates and 13 council candidates.
Voters in November approved a nonpartisan election system endorsed by the Red Bank Charter Study Commission, which means they will vote for a mayor and six council seats all at the same time.
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Why are there two competing slates in a nonpartisan election?
Federal, state and local governments often differ in initiatives due to their jurisdictions. Local politics can often be dominated by issues of pedestrian safety and historic preservation and often don’t fit neatly into national party ideology.
According to the Red Bank Charter Study Commission report, one of the reasons it recommended nonpartisan elections was because local political parties would endorse candidates who would compete for the party's nomination in the primaries. Those endorsements would place them "on the line" on the primary ballot, giving them an edge with voters."Party-endorsed candidates 'on-the-line' have a 35% stronger performance than those that are 'off the line,'" the report found.
Red Bank, which leans Democrat, has a history of voting for candidates who were nominated by the local Democratic party, so winning the Democratic primary often ensures victory in the general election. Republican candidates in Red Bank have won at least one council seat in only three of the past 14 elections. Thus Democrats often fought bitterly for control of the local Democratic Party, splitting into warring factions, to get that power of endorsing candidates "on the line."
The charter study commission wanted to “reduce — if not eliminate — the power of specific party officials from controlling the nominating process.”
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The former head of the local Democratic party was Edward Zipprich, a current councilman who is not seeking reelection. Zipprich is backing the Red Bank Together slate. The current head of the local Democratic party, Councilwoman Kate Triggiano, is part of the Red Bank’s Ready slate of candidates. Zipprich and Triggiano have often been at odds in the last several years, leading their factions in the fight to control the local Democratic Party.
Will the lack of party labels mean money makes the difference?
Having a well-financed campaign with pamphlets and yard signs will certainly increase a candidate’s visibility and candidates with more funds have historically won.
According to data from New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, the average winning Red Bank election campaign in the past decade fundraised $15,500. Former candidates running together, but filing separately with the state commission, were counted together as one campaign.
But out-fundraising a campaign does not necessarily guarantee a win, and unexpected issues have popped up mid-campaigning. In 2015, Republicans Mark Taylor and Michael Whelan raised $14,500 and beat Democrats Michael DuPont and Michael Ballard. That year, incumbent Democrat Art Murphy resigned. The combined fundraising of Murphy, Dupont and Ballard was $23,375.
While most of the candidates running this May are promoting themselves as part of a slate, voters are free to choose a mix of candidates from either slate.
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Who are the candidates in the May election?
Starting with the sole independent council candidate, Suzanne Viscomi has been a borough resident for 20 years. During her last council bid in 2021, Viscomi ran as an off-the-line candidate in the Democratic primary and was placed four columns away from the other council candidates.
Viscomi is part of a number of committees and boards in the borough. Most notably, she has served on the borough’s Board of Education for 12 years and has served as the treasurer for the library. Viscomi has worked as an accountant for over 25 years.
She can be found at borough hall, livestreaming council, planning and zoning board meetings onto her Facebook page.
According to a news release about her campaign for council, “She is dedicated to continuing her efforts in Red Bank by promising her role on the council would be as a watchdog for the residents. As a watchdog, Viscomi will champion planning that includes enforcement, timelines and sensible budgeting.”
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Red Bank Together slate
Mayoral candidate Tim Hogan, president of the borough’s biggest employer Riverview Medical Center, leads the Red Bank Together slate.
In a press release, he said has served on the KaBoom Fireworks Committee, the local YMCA and the county’s Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
“Let's be clear. I am not running for mayor to preserve or advance the agenda of RMC (Riverview Medical Center). I am running for mayor to preserve and advance the interests and serve the needs of the citizens of Red Bank.”
He addressed concerns about the hospital’s buying of nearby properties. “Please know that I fully support and pledge to protect our Historic District. I can further assure you that, at this point in time, RMC has no plans to expand its current footprint.”
He continued, “We have adequate programming in the space we currently have. If future circumstances suggest change, RMC will still go through the required approval process for expansion privileges just like everyone else. It goes without saying that I would recuse myself from those discussions because of my position at the hospital and my role as mayor.”
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Also on the Red Bank Together slate are three current council members and three newcomers.
Councilman Michael Ballard is the current council president. He has been elected twice to the council and has led the initiative to severely restrict Airbnb rentals in the borough. He is a 12-year resident of the borough and has served on the borough’s Board of Education and planning board. He works as a financial analyst.
Councilwoman Jacqueline Sturdivant is serving her first-term on council. Early in her term, she voted for disbanding the redevelopment agency, led the initiative to host hybrid council meetings and voted to approve the hiring of a school resource officer. A Red Bank resident for over 20 years, Sturdivant works in corporate strategy and product development.
Councilman John Jackson is also serving his first-term on the council after being elected last November. A borough resident for six years, he worked in pharmaceutical marketing and advertising.
Sean Murphy is a member of the borough’s zoning board. The lifelong Red Bank resident works as an elevator construction foreman and is a union member. In addition to serving on the borough’s zoning board, he has volunteered with the fire department and the parks and recreation committee.
Linda Hill is a Red Bank resident of seven years. She is a pharmacist who has worked in various leadership roles for a number of nonprofit healthcare organizations.
Erin Fleming lived in Red Bank in the '90s and has returned to the borough in 2017. She works in media communications and has produced independent films that have explored local history and environmental issues. She speaks Spanish fluently.
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Red Bank’s Ready Slate
Leading the Red Bank’s Ready slate is Mayor Billy Portman, who was elected to the job last November. He works as a general contractor and performs in his cover band So Watt. He has been a Red Bank resident for eight years and has implemented public office hours from 4 to 6 p.m. Mondays.
The only current council member on the Red Bank’s Ready slate is Kate Triggiano, who is serving her second term. Since last summer, she has led the local Democratic Party, after ousting Zipprich from the position despite Zipprich and his allies outnumbering her 5-1 on the Borough Council.
Triggiano, a former store manager on Broad Street, she is a volunteer firefighter with the West Side Hose company. On the council, she led the borough’s implementation of its plastic film recycling program and has set up the first volunteer translator program with the local police department in the state.
Ben Forest, a 27-year Red Bank resident, is the longest-serving member of the borough’s Board of Education. He also served as a member of the charter study commission that recommended the May election. A former reporter, he now owns a local IT business. He serves as a board member for the environmental group Clean Water Action of New Jersey and is on the board of trustees for Red Bank RiverCenter. He can be found at nearly all borough meetings and many planning and zoning board meetings.
Nancy Facey-Blackwood is the chair of the borough environmental commission, which worked to establish the borough’s plastic film recycling program. She also served as chair of the charter study commission. A retired systems engineer for the telecommunications industry, she has been a resident for about eight years.
David Cassidy is a member of the borough’s planning board and was part of the borough’s Master Plan committee, which was approved earlier this year. A borough resident for 15 years, Cassidy is the captain of the Navesink Hook and Ladder volunteer fire company. He is a visiting professor at Wake Forest University and his recent film Desert One was nominated for an Emmy.
Laura Jannone is a 23-year resident of Red Bank with a background in nursing. She taught as a professor of nursing at Monmouth University for over two decades and currently teaches nursing online for the City University of New York. She holds leadership roles with the New Jersey State School Nurses Association and the Monmouth County School Nurses Association and worked as the COVID outreach manager for the Visiting Nurses Association of Central New Jersey.
Kristina Bonatakis is a member of the borough’s planning board and has served on the borough’s master plan committee. She is a member of the environmental commission. She works as an operations leader for a technology company. She was also the treasurer and a member of the Red Bank Business Alliance advisory board.
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What about Zipprich?
Five-term councilman Edward Zipprich has decided against running for reelection. He and his husband JP Nicolaides were the first same-sex couple to be married in the borough.
In a news release, he said “I’ve dedicated decades of my life to serving our town while simultaneously caring for my mom, who died last November. Losing her, along with both of JP’s parents to COVID-19, made me realize that life truly is short. I now want to dedicate myself to enjoying my husband, our daughter and son-in-law, our families, friends and our lives.”
In an interview, Zipprich listed his top accomplishments as the creation of the Washington Street Historic District, adding the historic element to the master plan and restoring the T. Thomas Fortune House and the Red Bank Train Station.
“It takes a group of activists who rallied together to preserve and protect the historic fabric of the community,” he said, noting that Washington Street is the oldest residential street in the borough. “It was where a lot of the affluent business owners from downtown Red Bank built and owned homes.”
Although stepping back from the council, he said he will continue to advocate for LGBTQ rights and support the local art community and local historic preservation activities.
Olivia Liu is a reporter covering transportation, Red Bank and western Monmouth County. She can be reached at oliu@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Red Bank NJ mayor, council candidates run in new kind of election
