'Chaos' In Red Bank Prompts GOP Run By Mark Taylor

RED BANK, NJ — Former Councilman and Charter Study Commissioner Mark D. Taylor has declared his candidacy as a Republican for Red Bank Council in November’s general election.

And the influence of Councilman Ed Zipprich and his supporters on the Borough Council is a major motivator for his decision, Taylor said. Zipprich is the former leader of the Red Bank municipal Democratic party, unseated after primary losses in May.

Taylor will be running with fellow Republican Jonathan Maciel Penney on a platform to "stop the chaos in Red Bank and restore honor that has been lost in the ongoing destructive governance by Councilman Ed Zipprich and his allies," according to a news release from Taylor.

Taylor is filling the vacancy created by the withdrawal of Republican nominee Christine Stout for Borough Council, he said.

The campaign also announced that Republican mayoral nominee Brian Irwin for mayor has withdrawn. Billy Portman, who defeated Ed Zipprich-supported Councilman Michael Ballard in the Democratic mayoral primary, is the Democratic mayoral candidate.

The Monmouth County Board of Elections list of candidates does not reflect these changes as of Wednesday, according to the unofficial candidates list.

Current Red Bank Councilwoman Angela Miranda, seeking re-election as a Democrat, is considered a supporter of Zipprich and votes with him. John L. Jackson is the other Democratic candidate for council, supported by Zipprich. Councilwoman Kate L. Triggiano replaced Zipprich as municipal Democratic leader after his local county committee slates were defeated in the primary. Mayor Pasquale Menna's term ends this year and he was not supported by Zipprich for nomination to run for another term, in favor of Ballard.

Taylor reflected on these developments in his announcement:

“I did not have any plan to run, but I felt compelled after hearing the outcry from Red Bank residents – including many Democrats – who are disgusted with the dysfunction that Ed Zipprich and his allies keep creating at Borough Hall,” said Taylor.

Zipprich was not immediately available to respond to Taylor's comments.

Regarding the upcoming vote on a proposal for a nonpartisan form of government for the borough, Taylor and Penney said they fully support a “YES” vote on the charter study commission’s recommendation for the nonpartisan form, which Taylor helped foster as a commissioner, the news release said.

However, if approved, the new form of government will not take effect until July 2023, leaving the current Red Bank Council in charge until then, he noted.

Taylor and Penney "will stop the chaos by preventing a Zipprich 5-1 supermajority from holding office in 2023. Taylor and Penney will be campaigning on the singular goal of restoring honor and leading Red Bank with integrity during a likely six-month transitional period to a new charter," the news release said.

“As an attorney, I could not believe that the Zipprich majority fired the Borough Attorney in July and left our town without counsel for an entire month,” said Penney.

“Like many residents, Mark and I realized that a Zipprich supermajority will be intent on settling more political scores in 2023 before a new charter can take effect – all at the expense of Red Bank – and we must all work together to prevent that,” said Penney.

“Jon and I have a shared vision of working with the good people from all sides to restore honor to Red Bank,” said Taylor. “Our candidacy will provide voters with the opportunity to vote YES on the referendum, while ensuring that Red Bank has good stewardship before the new charter that the voters approve takes effect.”