New Team Led By Red Bank Mayor Announces Run In May 9 Election

RED BANK, NJ — Saying Red Bank is "ready for a new path," the Red Bank's Ready slate has announced its candidates in the May 9 nonpartisan election for the offices of Mayor and Borough Council.

The Red Bank's Ready team is led by Mayor Billy Portman for mayor.

Running for council seats are current Councilmember Kate Triggiano; Ben Forest of the Red Bank school board; former Charter Study Commission Chairperson Nancy Blackwood; and David Cassidy, Laura Jannone and Kristina Bonatakis, the campaign said in an announcement Monday, Feb. 6.

Portman said that the team has filed petitions to run with the borough clerk's office, which confirmed the slate's petitions are the first filed for the May 9 election.

Portman was just sworn in in January after winning a race for mayor. But from the start he and the rest of the Borough Council members knew they would have to prepare for the first election under the new nonpartisan form of government.

The change of government was voted in by a wide majority of residents in a November referendum. Petitions to run in the election must be filed with the borough clerk by March 6.

"Red Bank is ready for a new team at the helm," it announced, adding the slate wants Red Bank to enjoy "civility and transparency in government, to fulfill its potential as a vibrant regional hub and resilient community."

In November, Red Bank residents "voted resoundingly 'Yes' to a new form of government," the campaign said, "one in which the Mayor and Council are focused on implementing strong policy to lead Red Bank forward - not interfering with day-to-day municipal management.

"Today, a committed group of residents, advocates and forward thinkers announce their candidacy for office to fulfill that mandate," the Red Bank's Ready slate announced.

The campaign says the team "brings the diversity of fresh perspectives, which is needed at this pivotal moment for our community. Red Bank is ready for a Mayor and Council with vision, talent, and a demonstrated commitment to serve," the campaign said.

Here are the candidates and their bios, as provided by the campaign:

For Mayor:

• Mayor Billy Portman won election "as a vocal proponent of nonpartisan local elections. In office, he’s prioritized the voice of the public and his own accessibility as a leader. A father of three and general contractor by trade, he is committed to building the constructive and transparent governing body that Red Bank has been waiting for."

For Council:

• Councilmember Kate Triggiano has been "elected twice by Red Bank voters for her dedication to building community, her environmental advocacy, support for a thriving downtown and small businesses. She is an active volunteer firefighter with West Side Hose Company, and currently serves on the advisory board of the Indie Street Film Festival, the Red Bank Code Blue Committee, and the Firefighter Safety & Health advisory council for the NJ Fire Safety Commission."
• Ben Forest "raised his two children on the west side of Red Bank and in its schools. He is the longest serving member of the Board of Education, serving three terms as president. In addition to operating a small business for IT services, he is a dedicated citizen activist, regularly attending meetings of the Borough Council and other bodies. He was elected to the Red Bank Charter Study Commission whose recommendation of the Council-Manager form of government was adopted by voters in November. He also serves on the Board of Clean Water Action of New Jersey and Board of Trustees for Red Bank RiverCenter."
• Nancy Blackwood is a retired systems engineer, "experienced in the analysis, design and implementation of mission-critical systems for the telecommunications industry. She is a member of the Red Bank Environmental Commission since 2017 and chair since 2019. She was recognized as a Sustainable Jersey hero for her work on a pedestrian safety project, and led the effort to establish a curbside Plastic Film Recycling program. She was also the chair of the Red Bank Charter Study Commission that studied the form of government and recommended a change overwhelmingly adopted by the voters."
• David Cassidy "moved with his family to Red Bank in 2008 and joined the Fire Department as a volunteer the same year. He currently serves as captain of the Navesink Hook & Ladder in addition to the Planning Board and its Master Plan steering committee. His work as a documentary filmmaker has earned him a Peabody award and four Emmy nominations. He is also a visiting professor at Wake Forest University, and studies Law at Seton Hall."
• Laura Jannone holds a doctorate in Nursing Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, practiced nursing, and was a professor of nursing at Monmouth University for 21 years. A 23-year resident of Red Bank, she is also the Standards and Practice Chair of NJ State School Nurses Association, Executive Board member for the Monmouth County School Nurses Association, and was the COVID outreach manager for the Visiting Nurses Association of Central New Jersey. In “retirement,” she currently teaches nursing courses online for The City University of New York.
• Kristina Bonatakis is a 13-year resident of Red Bank, Rutgers graduate, and operations leader for a New Jersey-based technology company. She is an active member of the Environmental Commission, Green Team, and Planning Board, where she currently serves on the Master Plan steering committee. She was previously the treasurer and an Advisory Board member for the Red Bank Business Alliance, having worked for a downtown business for seven years.

For more information about the vote to change to a nonpartisan form of government, you can refer to a past article in which Blackwood addressed questions about the change before the referendum.

The report of the Charter Study Commission can be found on the Red Bank Borough website. The 48-page report not only offers recommendations, but provides reports on all the input the commission received from experts, from government officials here and elsewhere and from elected officials.

The first nonpartisan election for mayor and council will be May 9, and the borough provided potential candidates information about the requirements to get on the ballot. You can read an article about that process here.