Red Bank Councilman Mark Taylor was sworn into office by Sen Jennifer Beck in January
Red Bank Councilman Mark Taylor today called for the resignation of Erik Yngstrom, a candidate for Borough Council, from the community’s Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Yngstrom spoke against the Mayor and Council’s action regarding a proposed development previously rejected by the Zoning Board at a council meeting on Wednesday night, according to a report on RedBankGreen. Yngstrom said the council’s introduction of an ordinance authorizing the redevelopment of 55 West Front Street, “feels a little fishy to me,” according to RBG. Taylor said that Yngstrom also said, “someone must know someone” and “What good is the zoning board, if you can just go to the Council to override our decision?”
Bruce Padula, Esq, attorney for the Red Bank Republicans, Joseph Libutti, Monmouth Dem Exec Director, Rajvir S. Goomer, Esq, attorney for Michael DuPont and Bertha Sumick, Special Deputy Clerk of Elections prepare for the recount of Red Bank ballots.
FREEHOLD-Republican Councilman-elect Michael Whelan increased his lead over incumbent Democratic Councilman Michael DuPont after the ballots were recounted this morning by the Monmouth County Board of Elections. Whelan now leads DuPont by 3 votes, a net pick up of one vote from the unofficial count on November 9 when the provisional ballots were counted by the Board.
All four candidates for the two Red Bank Council seats picked up votes as a result of the hand counting of Vote-By-Mail and Provisional Ballots, which prior to today have been tabulated electronically by a scanner. The results, which are expected to be certified my Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon today are: Michael Ballard- 937, Michael Dupont 968, Mark Taylor 1038, Michael Whelan,971. Republicans Taylor and Whelan have thus far maintained their victory and are on track to join Republican Councilwomen Cindy Burnham and Linda Schwabenbauer in partisan control of Red Bank’s local government for the first time in two decades.
With the provisional ballots counted this morning by the Board of Elections in Freehold, Republican Council Candidate Michael Whelan has held on to his victory over incumbent Democratic Councilman Michael DuPont.
Whelan was leading DuPont by 4 votes on the voting machine ballots, 963-959. DuPont picked up 5 votes from provisional ballots. Whelan picked up 4 votes.
Whelan’s running mate, Mark Taylor was the lead vote getter on the machine count with 1,029 votes. Taylor picked up 4 votes from provisional ballots.
DuPonts running mate, School Board Member Michael Ballard had 925 machine ballot votes. Ballard picked up 9 votes from provisional ballots.
Like Ground Hog Day, Ed Zipprich is flaunting the rules again. photo via facebook
Red Bank Republican Chairman Sean DiSomma is calling for an investigation into the likely improper use of Red Bank Borough Property, the Parks and Recreation Department’s email list, after a political email, “Election Request from Councilman Ed Zipprich” was sent to Monmouth County Recreation Commissioner Michael Harmon, a resident of Atlantic Highlands who regularly receives electronic correspondence for Red Bank’s Parks and Recreaton Department.
“Desperate people do desperate things. On the eve of losing control of Red Bank voters’ escalating property taxes, the Democratic Chairman, Councilman Ed Zipprich, apparently decided it was worth the risk of violating New Jersey Election Law, Ethics Law and to potentially commit Official Misconduct by illegally obtaining the Borough Parks and Recreations Department’s email list and using it for political purposes, ” said DiSomma. “On behalf of Red Bank taxpayers, I am calling for an investigation by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Local Finance Board and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.”
Democratic Councilman Michael DuPont Remains Confident He Will Be Reelected
Vin Gopal: “GOP Will Take Control of Red Bank”
Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal told The Two River Times that the Republican Party will win control of the Red Bank municipal government in this November’s election.
Gopal, who launched a campaign of personal destruction against Red Bank GOP Chairman Sean DiSomma in 2013 when he issued a false press release asserting that DiSomma, then a candidate for council, had a warrant for his arrest in Texas over an unpaid traffic violation, whines incessantly to TRT reporter John Burton over the video that led to the resignation of Art Murphy from the borough council. Murphy, the Council President at the time of his resignation last week, also resigned his candidacy for reelection.
Gopal apparently has more of a problem with the fact that Murphy was caught vulgarly belittling his constituents than with the former Council President’s actions. Regardless of whether or not the Republicans released the video, which they deny, they did not fabricate charges, as Gopal did in 2013 against DiSomma.
When Red Bank Councilwoman-elect Linda Schwabenbauer, a Republican, takes the oath of office in January, the Red Bank Democrats may no longer have enough votes on the council to borrow money at will.
Councilwoman Cindy Burnham, now the lone Republican on the six member council, told RedBankGreen that the Democrats are rushing to pass a $2.2 million bond ordinance that has not been vetted before Schwabenbauer takes office. The funds are to be used to replace water meters for the borough’s 4000 homes and buildings.
Juanita Lewis, seated left in the beige pants and dark blouse, and Ed Zipprich looking lonely, at their Broad St, Red Bank campaign headquarters this evening.
Red Bank Council Members Ed Zipprich and Juanita Lewis, both of whom were out of town and too busy to debate their Republican challengers Sean DiSomma and Linda Schwabenbauer last night at the West Side Community Group’s 18th annual forum, were back in town this evening, nearly alone in their Broad Street campaign headquarters with four volunteers.
Zipprich and Lewis have yet to respond to DiSomma and Schwabenbauer’s offer to host a Tele-Town Hall debate for Red Bank voters this weekend.
Zipprich and Lewis invited 230 people to come to their headquarters for phone banking tonight. Two people RSVP’d via facebook and as of about 7PM, four people showed up.
150 people showed up to hear the candidates debate last night. Zippy and Lewis should have been there.
Republicans challenge incumbents to debate this weekend
Red Bank Councilman Ed Zipprich
Red Bank Council members Ed Zipprich and Juanita Lewis were no shows at the 18th annual candidates forum hosted by the Westside Community Group, according to a report on RedBankGreen.
Republican challengers for Borough Council Sean DiSomma and Linda Schwabenbauer fielded questions from the standing room only crowd of about 150 at the River Street Commons senior housing center on Catherine Street. DiSomma offered Zipprich and Lewis’s chairs to members of the audience.
Mayor Pat Menna, a Democrat running unopposed for reelection, showed up half way through the two hour forum. RedBankGreen reported Menna was at a campaign fundraiser at the Oyster Point Hotel for the first hour of the debate.
DiSomma, who is also Chairman of the Red Bank Republican Committee, told MMM that Zipprich and Lewis are afraid of facing the voters and are hoping that they can run out the clock of the election without defending their records.
“The Westside Community Group offered Zipprich and Lewis three different dates for the forum,” DiSomma said, “they cancelled last week’s Council Meeting, as they have done for 5 of the last 6 pre-election council meetings. If I had their record, I would want to hide too.”
DiSomma noted that under Zipprich and Lewis, Red Bank’s debt has increased 22% and spending has increased 28%. “Lewis doesn’t attend council meetings,” DiSomma said, “she literally calls in her votes on important matters to the people of Red Bank.”
Sean DiSomma, the Chairman of the Red Bank Republicans and a candidate for Council in the upcoming election has requested that MMM not to publish the video of Councilman Ed Zipprich’s arrest for Driving Under the Influence and not to release it to any other publications. Zipprich is one of DiSomma’s opponents in the election.
“Linda (Schwabenbauer, DiSomma’s running mate) and I decided to run our campaign on the issues…making Red Bank’s government more affordable,” said DiSomma, “Zipprich’s allegation that we are responsible for the release of the video to the Asbury Park Pressis baseless. Mr. Zipprich says he’s working every day to be a better person. I hope that is true and that he retracts the allegation.”
“Last year the Democrats went into the gutter with false allegations against me,” DiSomma continued, referring to Demcratic County Chairman Vin Gopal’s false allegation last October that there was a warrant out for his arrest in Texas for an unpaid speeding ticket, “two wrongs don’t make a right. If this campaign is on the issues, we win.”
What do Ed McKenna and Ed Zipprich have in common besides the same first name and being Red Bank Democrats? They both have a record of driving the wrong way on the Garden State Parkway after consuming too much alcohol.
The Red Bank Police should put a DUI check on River Rd on Sunday afternoon as McKenna is holding a fundraiser for Zipprich and his running mates at his home from 4-6. Red Bank Taxi and Red Bank Limo should make sure their drivers are on standby. The State Police should increase patrols at Exit 109.
