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?”
Red Bank Councilman Michael DuPont told MoreMonmouthMusings that he will not contest the results of the election that has him losing to his Republican challenger Michael Whelan. Whelan increased his margin of victory from 2 to 3 votes as a result of an Election Recount and Recheck this morning that DuPont had requested.
“After consulting with my representatives who were present at the recount this morning, I have decided to accept the result and wish the new council members well in doing what is best for Red Bank, ” DuPont said.
“You haven’t heard the last of me,” the three term Democrat continued,”but for now it is best for Red Bank that we move forward.”
Whelan and his running mate Mark Taylor, the top vote getter in the four way race for two seats on the Council, will be sworn into office in early January,giving the Republican Party control of the Borough’s government for the first time time in two decades. Republicans will have a 4-2 majority.
“I hope the new councilmen do what is best for Red Bank and that they are not beholden to Party bosses,” DuPont said.
Red Bank Republican Chairman Sean DiSomma issued the following statement:
Red Bank Councilman Michael DuPont. photo via facebook
Democratic Councilman Michael DuPont told MMM that he will file for a recount of the election results in the Borough that having him losing the seat that he has held for nine years to Young Republican Micheal Whalen by 3 votes.
“This is a close race with a very low turnout,” DuPont said in a phone interview with MMM, “It is important that every vote be counted and the result is accurate.”
Recount applications are due with the Board of Elections by November 18.
Red Bank Republican Chairman Sean DiSomma said, “We respect Councilman DuPont’s right to file for a recount. We’re confident that the result will stand. We’re looking forward to Mark Taylor and Michael Whelan taking office in January and bringing Red Bank into the next generation.”
Taylor and Whelan issued the following joint statement:
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.
Republican Mark Taylor is the top vote getter in the Red Bank Council race with 956 votes. Taylor’s running mate Michael Whelan is leading Incumbent Democrat Michael DuPont by 4 votes, 896 -865. Democrat Michael Ballard, a member of the Red Bank Board of Education got 837 votes.
There are reportedly a “hand full” of provisional ballots.
Should tonight’s result stand, the GOP will take control of Red Bank’s municipal government for the first time in two decades.
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.”
Over the last two elections, Red Bank voters have expressed their dissatisfaction with their municipal government and transformed a Democratic stronghold into a swing town by splitting their partisan preferences in Council candidates.
Tomorrow, Red Bank will either turn over their government to Republican office holders with a 4-2 new majority, split partisan control of the Council 3-3, giving Democratic Mayor Pat Menna a deciding vote, or keep the current status-quo of 4-2 Democratic partisan control with Menna presiding over meetings and cutting ribbons, but having no power over policy.
Democratic incumbent Michael DuPont, 54, is running for his fourth term. Joining his effort to retain Democratic control of Red Bank is Board of Education Member Michael Ballard. Ballard, 52, replaced former Council President Art Murphy who resigned after a video of a drunken rant of him deriding a small business went viral.
Challenging DuPont and Ballard are Young Republicans Mark Taylor, 37, an attorney and Michael Whalen, 24, an insurance executive.
As the campaign comes to a close, the Democrats seem desperate to maintain control and their composure.
Red Bank GOP Council Candidates Mark Taylor and Mike Whelan.
Red Bank Republican candidates for borough council, Michael Whelan and Mark Taylor, issued a statement criticizing their opponent, Councilman Michael Dupont, and the rest of the Democrats on the council for giving John Morrongielo, the private investor who owns the Locust Landing affordable housing development, a $75,000 break on fees due under the developer’s PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement and municipal services agreement after 16 of the 40 affordable rental units were damaged by Superstorm Sandy.
Dupont laughed uproariously yesterday when he heard the Republicans claims and said that they were “outlandish”and “inaccurate.”
On September 10, 2014, Dupont introduced Resolution 14-242 which granted temporary relief from paying annual service charges to Locust Landing for 2013 and 2014 and provided that the Land Taxes paid on the property be applied to the service charges due under the PILOT agreement.
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.
Monmouth County Republican Chairman Shaun Golden released a statement this morning announcing that his slate of municipal candidates this year included six Young Republican Leaders under the age of 35.
Candidates for local office filed to run with their respective Municipal Clerks all across Monmouth County on Monday. It is clear by the two parties’ selection of nominees, that Republicans in Monmouth County are the only ones offering voters a chance to elect a new generation of leaders with fresh, bold ideas for the future.
