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RED BANK - The two Democrats competingfor the fractious party's nomination for mayor will make their cases to voters Tuesday in a debate that could indicate how the town will be governed for years to come.

The League of Women Voters of the Greater Red Bank Area and Southern Monmouth County will host a Red Bank mayoral candidates forum on Zoom at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 24 at 7 p.m. It will be hosted two weeks before the local Democratic and Republican primaries on June 7. In recent years, Democrats have routinely swept the council seats.

Second-term Red Bank councilman Michael Ballard and newcomer Billy Portman will answer questions submitted ahead of time by residents. Advance registration for attendees is required at https://bit.ly/forumredbankdem.

Ballard could not be reached for comment.

Portman, a Red Bank resident since 2015, is the owner of Advantage Construction, a commercial building contractor, and Elegant Mist, a company that sells cooling systems. He has three children who have all attended one of Red Banks arts academies and he sings in a cover band called So Watt.

Portman said he has been involved with canvassing for national politics since 2004.He said although he has not been involved in the local Democratic Municipal Committee, he has been following local issues since 2018.

Democrats had swept into power in Red Bank for the first time in however many years and then, immediately infighting started, he said referring to the six-person all-Democratic council that came into office in 2018.

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He referred to last years June primary, in which two incumbent Democratic council members ran against two candidates who were chosen by the local Democratic Municipal Committee, which is led by Councilman Edward Zipprich.

Primary voters chose one candidate from each faction, and incumbent Kate Triggiano and newcomer Jacqueline Sturdivant were elected to the Red Bank council in November.

Portman said the Democratic Municipal Committee primaried two of the existing council people because they didnt get along with them. And I was like, well … thats kind of gross.

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He then noted that the local Democratic Municipal Committee voted for Councilman Michael Ballard to run for mayor this year instead of Mayor Pat Menna, who has served in the job since 2006 and for 18 years before that as a council member.

It didnt seem right.(Ballard) was going to run unopposed, get the nomination without even a fight, Portman said.

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A statement by the Red Bank Democratic Municipal Committee said Ballard got the group's endorsement for mayor with 10 of the 17 votes that were cast. Menna chose not to run for job in the primary.

It read, In an historic nomination, The Red Bank Democratic Municipal Committee has chosen two-term Councilman Michael Ballard to run for mayor. Ballard is the first African American in the 114-year history of Red Bank to be nominated for the boroughs top job.

Portman said he supports the ongoing Charter Study Commissionand hopes it will recommend nonpartisan elections and a strong borough administrator.

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I think that would be a lot less divisive and I say that as a Democrat, Portman said. The issues are sewers and development and planning and those arent really Democratic or Republican issues. Those are just issues that affect a small town.

In support of a strong administrator, he said, We would still be passing laws as a council and shaping policy, but the day-to-day stuff should be run by a single administrator. Right now, it seems like the council is a bunch of little chiefdoms where you have different council people responsible for different areas and people are getting mixed messages.

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An emailed statement from the Democratic Municipal Committee says Ballard and its candidates for the Red Bank council are united in feeling the town needs stability more than ever, including retaining our form of government, a borough.

Portman said hesupportsan update to the master plan, which has been in the works since 2019.

One thing Im hearing from a lot of people as Im talking to them is just development, Portman said. How is development affecting the town? Is there over-development? Is there under-development? The one thing I really think needs to happen is there needs to be an update to the master plan. (Because) it seems like every time somebody wants to do something, its like a spot zoning issue. Were just approving this one project in this one area. And I dont think thats good for the town.

He said, Im definitely not a politician. This is not a stepping stone for me to higher office.

He added, Im in this because it looks like somethings needed fixing and I think I can do that.

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In addition to the position of mayor,Councilwoman Angela Mirandi and Red Bank resident John Jackson, both endorsed by the Democratic Municipal Committee, are running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for two borough council seats. The mayor serves for four years, the council members for three.

Republican candidates who had run unsuccessfully in previous elections are running unopposed on the Republican primary again. Brian Irwin is running for mayor and Christine Stout and Jonathan Penney are running for council. According to Penney, they are placeholder candidates. Last year, Stout and Penney dropped out of the race before the general election.

Democrats are also being asked to choose between two rival 18-member slates of candidates running to be in charge of borough's Democratic Party.

A group called the Democrats for Red Bank is challengingthe local Democratic Municipal Committee. The rival group includes current councilwomen Triggiano and Kathy Horgan as well as Charter Study members Nancy Facey-Blackwood and Ben Forest.

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Up until this year, the six-person Borough Council was split evenly between the two factions of Democrats.

In January, former Councilman Erik Yngstrom quit, citing toxicity on the council. He said certain individuals seem more focused on political gains and people trying to keep their perceived political power.

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Zipprich gave Menna three replacement candidates, as required by law, but then rejected Menna's choice, Stephen Hecht, in favor of Mirandi. With that addition, Zipprich, Ballard, Sturdivant and Mirandi now have the edge over their fellow Democrats Horgan and Triggiano on the council. Like Menna, Horgan chose not to run in the primary this year after the Democratic Municipal Committee chose not to endorse her for re-election.

OliviaLiuis a reporter covering transportation, Red Bank and western Monmouth County. She can be reached at oliu@gannett.com.

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Red Bank mayor debate pits rival Democrats fighting over party and town - Asbury Park Press