Candidate Q & A
Red Bank is turning over a new leaf this spring with its first nonpartisan election process being held in May and an even more competitive mayoral race is stirring with the announcement of Timothy J. Hogan, president and chief hospital executive of Riverview Medical Center, as a candidate.
In entering the political arena for the first time after working extensively in the corporate realm, Hogan promises to devote the time, talent and accumulated experience needed to enrich and improve the overall quality of life for the residents of Red Bank.
At the helm of hospital affairs on the professional front, Hogan said he’s ready to lead the political front on the slate of Red Bank Together, but what does it take for someone who’s never been in public office to decide to run?
Q. What inspired you to run in Red Bank’s mayoral race?
A. Well, I’ve had the good fortune of living in Red Bank for 22 years. My wife Eileen and I have raised our four daughters here. We’ve made many friends . Over the years, I’ve been very heavily involved in the community in many aspects and I’ve watched the town grow. In looking at Red Bank affairs and observing what’s going on, I’ve been largely troubled by the political dissension and negativity that I’ve seen increase over the years and I think that has prevented us from working as effectively as we can to move Red Bank forward. I want to see Red Bank continue to be vibrant and successful in the future and I think there are critical issues that are coming up in this town that are going to need to be addressed and resolved. In order to do that, we are going to have to turn to people who have track records of proven leadership and the skill sets needed to bring people together and effectively problem solve and reach agreement in order to protect and preserve the best interests of Red Bank and its residents. So, that was one of the more compelling reasons why I decided that now was the right time for me to get more active on this front and to stop observing from the sidelines.
Q. What types of sacrifices do you think this volunteer position will entail? Are you ready for them?
A. I’m ready for the sacrifices. I’ve had a long and extensive career in health care that at times has been very demanding and time consuming. I’ve made a lot of personal sacrifices over the years, and I’ve been extremely fortunate that I’ve had the unending support of my family over the span of my professional career. I’m absolutely prepared to make the personal sacrifices needed to help our community in my role as mayor. I know that doing the job right will entail spending the time needed to understand the details and specifics associated with these critical issues that are going to impact our town. I’m ready to do that because I’ve done that for all of my professional career. So I’m ready for this and I will embrace the effort that it’s going to take. I have the energy, I have the enthusiasm, and I have the relevant training to do this job.
Q. What would you like to say to other people thinking about joining local politics?
A. What I would say to them would be to get involved in your community. Be sure you know what is going on. The reality is that there are decisions being made in Red Bank now that are going to greatly impact you and your families in the short term and in the long term. If you don’t get involved, if you don’t understand what’s going on, or you’re unaware of what’s going on around you, you may very well be scratching your head at some point in the future saying, “How in the world did this happen?” So, I would encourage everyone to pay attention to what’s going on in their town. And if you do get involved in politics, understand and appreciate that it can be extremely satisfying in terms of the number of people that you’re really helping, so there’s a real value to that. There is no greater satisfaction than the satisfaction that comes from helping others.
Q. Riverview Medical Center has a big footprint in the borough. What do you think about people voting for a mayor involved with the hospital?
A. I want to be very clear. I’m not running for mayor to enhance, promote or further the interests of Riverview Medical Center. I’m running for mayor to enhance, promote and further the interests of the Red Bank community. I have had the privilege to work with an incredibly dedicated team over the years, and we have worked very hard to ensure that Riverview Medical Center remains a strong and vibrant hospital that continues to be rated as one of the top hospitals in the tristate region. It’s been very rewarding. Look, the reality is that you don’t wake up in the morning and say “I think I’m going to have a heart attack today” or “I think I’ll have a stroke today.” You don’t think about health care until you really need it. But when something emergent like that happens and you’re standing at the door of Riverview Medical Center with a sick spouse, parent or child, we need to ensure that the very best doctors, nurses and support team are behind that door. We’ve done our job in that respect. We are very proud of what’s been accomplished and deeply committed to ensure that we maintain those efforts. I also want to make sure that our community understands and appreciates the fact that we are not interested in expanding the current footprint of the hospital or encroaching into the community, particularly the Historic District. Riverview’s current space is adequate to continue its current programming. We will continue to work with and respect the community members that live adjacent to the hospital and ensure that we remain good and caring neighbors.
Q. A CEO-mayor tag carries a certain clout. How will you be more accessible to residents? Will you have open office hours for the public?
A. Yes, absolutely. I think open office hours are a great way to meet people and to let them address concerns or issues that they may have. It will be a welcome forum that encourages honest and valuable dialogue between myself and the residents of Red Bank. So I would welcome that. I’m going to be accessible, visible and passionately looking out for the best interests of this town. I plan on putting every ounce of energy that I have into making this town even better and stronger than it already is.
Q. Things that you like about Red Bank and absolutely don’t.
A. I think that Red Bank has an electricity and vibe to it that makes it very special. It’s exciting, it’s hip, it’s a destination place. We not only need to ensure that this continues, but we need to enhance that. There’s a lot of things that are going to happen as Red Bank moves to the future, some of which we are not even aware of at this point. I’m all for promoting and supporting development, but I think it has to be done responsibly. We’ve got traffic issues, we’ve got parking issues, we need to upgrade our public works facilities. We have building codes that need to be enforced. We need to preserve and refurbish open spaces, like Marine Park. These are just a few of the issues that are going to need to be looked at and addressed. I don’t want to see Red Bank slip. I want to see Red Bank move forward successfully. The only way that we’re going to do that is if we all work effectively together. That’s the whole point of “Red Bank Together.” It’s not just seven people that arerunning for office with similar beliefs or convictions. It’s seven people that want to be part of a larger community of people that will work together to successfully resolve issues and reach consensus on how we’re going to move forward in the best interests of our town.
Q. Why are you choosing to run at this particular time since you’ve been a resident for over 20 years?
A. Well, I’ve been a resident of Red Bank for 22 years, so I think I’ve got pretty solid footing in terms of being recognized as a legitimate Red Banker. Over the years, I have been very involved with different community organizations like the Monmouth Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the Community YMCA, as well as chairing events like the KABOOM fireworks. All of this has been personally very gratifying. But as I said before, I’ve seen a rise in the level of dissension that’s getting in the way of the progress that Red Bank needs to make to ensure prosperity in the future. I really felt it was the right time for me personally to do what I could do to help and to encourage people to work together.
Q. Is there anything you’d like to say to the people of Red Bank?
A. I would strongly encourage the residents of Red Bank to get out and exercise their vote on May 9. This is an extremely critical election and the leaders that are elected will play a significant role in making decisions that will impact the Red Bank community for years to come. There are many core issues in this town that need to be addressed now and this town needs to have serious and results oriented leaders who know how to manage the affairs of Red Bank. So get out there and vote on May 9. Help me make a difference and let’s do it together. Let’s do it “Red Bank Together.”
Editor’s Note: The Two River Times interviewed current Red Bank Mayor Billy Portman – who is also running for the position in May – when he ran in 2022 (“With Elections a Month Away, Candidates Talk About Stemming Partisan Politics” Oct. 6, 2022) and covered the primary debate between Portman and then mayoral candidate Michael Ballard, current Red Bank Council president (“Ballard and Portman Face Off in Red Bank Mayoral Primary Debate” May 26, 2022). At the time Portman was also a newcomer to politics. Both articles are available on our website at tworivertimes.com.
The article originally appeared in the March 16 – 22, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
