@Lisa,
I agree. Many don't even know what is going on in this very tiny town. Everything is second hand news, or hearsay which not a good way to go. I heard many say at the last election and the recall fiasco that they were very confused being their was so much spinning and lies that many did not know what or who to believe. When you go to a meeting and see and hear it for yourself. Then what you read in the paper and in the opinion section, there is like three different opinions and stories of what happened. So basically when that happens, voters go by gut on who is the least of two evils. Not that there will not be spinning,lies and political grandstanding at the debate. AT least you can see and hear it for yourself. You will also get to see how each candidate handles themselves and how much they will either answer the question directly, change the subject, not answer it all. Most realize when someone dances around a question or knows other wise. Most of these candidates forget what they said and to who because they see and talk to so many constituents. The problem is many of these constituents remember what was said to them, therefore in a debate you will see who will stick to their story or change it, or forget what they said in the debate and they say something else when they are politicking. It will come out eventually if someone is flip flopping hopefully it is before you vote. I think a debate is good as long as the question is not changed to other issues.

Ms. Muller,
A Woman's Club member has confirmed that Kris Tooker contacted them first -- and initiated the event -- not the other way around as reported in this article. Is Kris Tooker not a Barrella supporter? I thought she was the Independent Campaign Co-Chair with Monica Walsh? Doesn't Ms. Walsh have strong ties to the League of Women Voters through her lengthy career as a lobbyist? Since you were Ms. Tooker's Campaign Treasurer, I thought you might be able to provide clarification. Thanks so much.

When the Woman's Club agreed to Ms. Tooker's request, the WC presented it to their full membership as a "Candidates Forum" -- which IS a different format -- as mentioned in another post. So, who then coined the term "debate", and spun this into something different than originally intended?

Change of venue is no problem -- so long as it is moderated fairly and things remain controlled and orderly. However, I would be curious to know WHO filled out the Special Events application, and WHEN the Mayor and Council approved it?

Oh, one last question. Since an event such as this could prompt heated emotions and tempers to flare, I'm wondering WHO is providing for (and paying for) the anticipated necessary police protection? Would that be the Woman's Club, the Board of Education, or the Municipal government? Safety concerns for the residents and attendees must remain paramount. Just asking. Anyone who can provide answers to these questions would be most appreciated.

OMG, Kristen, please stop twisting it all around. What is the difference of who called and agreed to sponsor the debate. Should it matter and why? What are you so afraid of? The president of the Republican club Stephen Reid who you support will not be able to handle or answer questions in the debate. Please don't start something at the debate like at some of the council meetings. Don't make it something it is not. It will be great for everyone involved it will be informative all the way around. The resident can learn about individuals that are running for the council and Mayor positions. They can also learn the concerns of the town. Why do you have to put a spin on all issues.

Ms. Kelly, a regular Council meeting is an event held, by law, by our local governing body. Having a police officer at those meetings is part of the requirements to hold such meetings. This event is being sponsored by private organizations. A police officer being present is not required unless the organizations' Bylaws require it, and then the private organizations have to pay for that police officer. In other words, the police officer at the Council meetings is a regular part of the municipal budget. Private organizations cannot simply have a police officer to come to one of their events. Someone has to pay for it, and it's the private organizations' responsibility to do so. It's this theory that is at the heart of the Special Events ordinance debates.

@beachmom46, Who is bullying you to put signs up on their lawns? I really can't see anyone bullying you to do that? I here the women's club goes by really strict rules and guidelines, so I am sure it will be conducted properly and how a debate should, as long as the audience don't get out of control and everyone doesn't start throwing digs at each other like at the council meetings. Just stick to answering the question and why and what your are going to do for our town. I also think it is an excellent idea to have a debate so we can actually see and hear what the candidates have to say on all important issues.

beachmom,
I do agree. IF it is run properly, hearing where the candidates stand on the issues is an excellent idea.

However, I'm just not willing to ignore the fact that some elected officials and some residents have insisted that a specific protocol be followed for "Special Events." If that's what the elected officials insist upon, then this Special Event should be no different.

Mrs. Kelly,
The Chief of Police needs to have certain information in advance with regard to planning ahead -- "budgeting" for police coverage (manpower and equipment) and "scheduling" the required number of officers. There's more to it than just having the event, and then sending a bill after the fact. I already mentioned that safety and security concerns must be the first and foremost consideration.

Besides, if the Woman's Club scheduled the event, then THEY would be the appropriate group to assume the cost of the event. That's just my opinion. Or... if the Independent Campaign Team requested the event, then perhaps, the Woman's Club would ask THEM to absorb the cost?

However, it's not solely up to you -- or to me -- to decide what the taxpayers should or shouldn't be paying for. That's why we have a governing body -- who is elected by the taxpayers -- to make those decisions transparently -- at a public meeting. And once again.... this was improperly handled.

@JW - not me, two of my friends were. It is exactly this reason why I don't put my name here. I have two children at the Antrim School and there are employees there who are "encouraging" people to put up signs. It is pretty obvious from my posts that I am not supporting the Mayor. I am looking forward to both debates to hear what the candidates have to say. However, the moderator should be someone who is not a resident in this town and has no political affilation with current or past council members

beachmom, I'm terribly disappointed that school employees are engaging in this type of behavior. Parents should be able to send their children to our public schools without having to engage in political discussions with anyone who is employed by the school. Barrella was once a strong critic of the school, back when he ran for BOE. I believe he ran for BOE twice, and lost both times. Last year, he claimed to be a supporter of the school, voting with Lurie and Dyer on the lower cut to the school budget. But, again, he voted with LURIE, which means that Lurie is as big of a school supporter as Barrella was if you're going by last year. This year, Barrella didn't put out anything to publicly support the passage of this year's school budget. If parents are being approached by employees at the school when the parent is at the school or involved in some school-related activity, that is inappropriate. I hope that those parents report this behavior to the school superintendent (who is not a resident of PPB).

@pointman, I do still think a special event application should be filled out for everyone if that is the ordinances. Do you know if the boardwalk is doing it yet? When they start doing it then everyone else will follow. The last meeting I was out, I heard with my own ears that jenkinson's attorney said out right he is refusing in filling event application's out for jenkinson's. So if they don't have to do it then no one else should. Mrs Hennessy likes to start trouble and only hear the sound of her own voice. Giddy up pointman or should I say Mr. Reid.

Ahhh.Ms Kelly you broke our deal,I asked you not to respond to my comments and you accepted that,just like I havent said anything about your ridicules comments. Whats the story Ms Kelly, you are one of the people screaming for everyone to fill out a special event form when needed,why the change now? You cant have it both ways ,either one is needed or not but i guess if it fits your agenda then one isnt needed. What a phony, cry fairness and equality, then when it affects you say Ooooo it doesnt matter. Obviously you dont feel that the rules / ordinaces apply to everyone. Didnt they change to Antrim because they expect a large turnout, Again please go back to our deal,thanks and vote a new Mayor in on Nov 8th.

Johnny, I will state once again(some people have a hard time understanding the first time)an open honest debate is good for ALL residents. The only people that have a problem with that are the people that have no confidence in the candidates they are supporting.

@johnny knoxville: at that Council school budget meeting. . .after almost three hours we had to get up and leave. . .that meeting had to be one of the nasties meetings we ever attended . . .people trying to push politics...close to mob rule. . .the louder the shouts got the more they thought others there would be intimated . . .And why was that meeting allowed to go on the way it did. . .can only be attributed to one person. . .

... and then the Mayor, after the town publicly voted down the budget, and his school budget committee coming back with nothing, thanks to the Board of Education's prepared backup plan. . . then votes to break the tie. . . instead of rejecting the plan because of the failed public vote and split. . . and allowing his Council committee to do their job. . .which was to examine the school budget. . .

@Spooner, I wouldn't disagree about some of the council meetings.... I have seen so many being nasty including the council members. People pushing politics? Do you mean the constituents being upset with the council members and the Mayor? The same people who are accusing others of being nasty are nasty themselves. I went to one meaning.... The former attorney was yelling at everyone around him. Telling some to shut up.... He also told some he was here in Pt. Beach before them and will be after them. The problem is some of the home grown feel they have more rights. They are defensive to newer residents of this town, they are defensive to just about every one that is not originally from here. Some residents are here for over 20 years or are part timers that are here for over 40 years. How ignorant is this? The reason why there is really no progress.

Johnny,still waiting for you to enlighten us all with facts and tell me what I said at that meeting? It's easy to sit here and post but please have the ethics to back it up....

Ms Kelly. Once again read the ordinance then you will be "educated" .Also on any of these posts by me,Ms Hennessy, beachmom ect does it say we are against the Womens Club debate? no it doesnt. Look again and comprehend what was written instead of spinning it into an anti-debate/lets hear the candidates nonsense.Address what you and others have been screaming about all summer, and that is filling out the proper special event form and have all the debates you want. Once again you see and hear what you like and if its not part of your crowds thinking it all wrong. Vote for a new Mayor Nov 8th

The topic of the article is that the candidates/Mayor(and candidates running for Council/Mayor) are having a debate. I stated that I think it is a positive step for the residents....the usual suspects are spewing words without facts

Mrs. Kelly,
The Republican Club held a meeting and yes indeed -- the Republican Club did in fact pay for the police officer at the door. Mrs. Kelly, to the best of your knowledge were you ever a member of the Republican Club? I do know you weren't a member at the time of the meeting that you keep bringing up. What I don't know is -- why you came to that meeting in the first place? You were not a member, so why you felt the need to stand out in the cold is beyond me?

The decision to hire the police officer was mine and solely mine, and I take full responsibility for that. I made that decision for the safety and security of the Republican Club members, and quite frankly it's behavior like yours that led me to that decision.

Kristen, This entire town is ridiculous, you talk about the different clubs and the members. The clubs here are a half a dozen members show up. When you became president and took over the Republican club the enrollment went way down....... I wonder why? You hired the police for what reason, I never seen anyone that out of control in the club other than a few disagreements which is a normal process. Please don't drive by any bodies of water for your own safety.

John Wayne,
I'm glad you asked about the reason for the policeman.

If you've never seen anyone that "out of control", then you must have missed the March 2009 Republican Club meeting, shortly after I became President. That was right around the beginning of the mayoral recall. Vincent Barrella lashed out at just about everyone in the audience (and some who weren't even present), calling them names, and accusing them of not supporting him. During his ranting rage, he exclaimed (and I quote his famous last words):
"If I'm going down -- then I'm taking EVERYONE in the Republican Party down with me!"

An argument then began between Barrella and another Club member. Barrella got all up in the man's face, and they were chest to chest, pointing fingers and Barrella was screaming at the man. It took about 6 grown men to intervene and separate the two -- to prevent what might easily have become a physical altercation. I wouldn't characterize that as a "normal disagreement", would you?

Some of the other members in attendance that night were very frightened and disgusted by that display, particularly our "senior" members, and they vowed not to come back to another Republican Club meeting until Barrella was gone.

Does that answer your question as to why I hired a police officer for the November 2010 Club meeting?

Mrs. Kelly,
Allow me to re-cap the November 2010 Republican Club meeting for you and other readers:

In November 2010, the Republican Club was due to hold an election of new officers as per the Club's By-Laws. My term as President was ending. Stephen Reid was slated by the Club to become the new President. The Barrella, Tooker, Diaz, and Loder squad didn't approve of the Club's nominating committee selections. So, they organized a secret, clandestine protest; encouraging community members (some even Democrats) to show up that night and cause a raucous. I got wind of this organized protest. For the SAFETY and SECURITY of our Republican Club members, I made the decision (with consent of a majority of the Club's Executive Board) to hire a policeman for security and only allow Republican Club members to be present for the business portion of our meeting. When the business portion was completed, I asked the policeman to invite anyone who was outside to come in and listen to our Republican elected officials for community/municipal government updates. You entered the meeting at that point, and anyone who was interested in joining the Republican Club was given an application. You did not complete an application. So, I respectfully ask, WHY were you there?

I ask -- would it be appropriate for me -- to arrive at your PTO meeting some night, DEMANDING to vote on your organization's officers -- if I were not a parent, teacher, or otherwise member of the PTO? I think NOT.

Well said....

...being held at the Antrim school. . .expecting a large crowd. . .I hardly think a " forum" venue could work, considering that forums are more audience/speaker discussion orientated. To have 200-300 people trying to interact with 6 Council candidates one night and 3 Mayoral candidates the next, is not practical: time wise, knowing candidate positions on issues, and with unfair time allotments. . .where you could have one group monopolizing one candidate with loaded questions and responses, to the detriment of all others.

...so I think the "debate" venue is more appropriate, since it makes the most efficient use of time constraints, and although it appears a little late to have audience participation(questions having to be submitted in advance)?

...debates have more structure to them. . .meaning that rules are more established, and there should be less deviation from them, unlike a forum. . . giving all candidates equal time to get their messages and positions out on the issues. . .

Spooner, I think you have raised some very valid points and concerns. The thing is...this event seems to have become a runaway train. The Women's Club used to host a political forum years ago. It was held in the Women's Club and included all candidates, and it was a question & answer forum, with audience participation. This event may have started that way, but clearly has morphed into something else. Perhaps I'm old school to think that when someone sends out an invitation, that's the invitation that you're responding to when you respond. So, if you're invited to a forum at the Women's Club, then that's what you'd expect. An event at the Antrim school should require more structure if it's well attended, and I hope those who are organizing this have considered these modifications along the way, and have taken the time to inform the participants of any changes.

Sand,how about you just show up and decide for yourself whether it is a debate or a forum. How about you show up and listen to what the candidates have to say and than make a judgement. Wouldn't that make your life so much easier?

Ms. Kelly, why does it seem to offend you so much that I want to question the process that was used here? Oh, I know, it's because you hate the idea that there may actually be a process and rules to follow, especially since, based on what I've read posted here, it appears that this whole shin-dig was really a plan by the Independents. As for me, I don't need to attend this event to know who to vote for. I already have plenty of information to help me make that decision. If I were interested in watching people behave badly and without civility and respect for one another, I could watch the Jersey Shore or one of those Real Housewives shows or Jerry Springer (he may not be on anymore, actually) or simply wait for one of your infamous e-mails to arrive in my Inbox, all of which I can do from the convenience of my home while sitting around in my skivvies, rather than head out to these candidates forums/debates, events which I'm sure will just prove to be another black-eye for the political process here in Point Pleasant Beach.

@Kristin: Since you feel Stephen Reid made such great strides in the republican club, I think he should consider staying, it is more his speed and something he can handle. I don't think he is ready to be a Mayor of any town. He should have started on council and then work his way up, not just go straight to become Mayor of a town.

Mr. Clark, you may not think that Mr. Reid is the best candidate, but you should at least give him credit where it's due. Last year's campaign against Reid was probably the nastiest I've ever seen, and there've been some pretty nasty ones in recent history here. You had people from the school suggesting that Reid wanted to consolidate the schools, while members of the Board of Education, including Ms. Thomson, sat back and watched on that e-mail chain, never bothering to "educate" the public that no Mayor or Council member has the ability to consolidate the schools. We lost 2 great politicians when Barrella beat Vogel and then DiCicco in 2007, guys who just took their balls and went home. Reid didn't do that. He's been working hard to revive that Republican Club, no easy task after the Barrella/Hennessy feud from the past few years. We'd be a lot better off if more of our politicians adopted the motto "Make peace, not war." Reid has shown a desire to "not give up the fight," something which you Barrella-supporters often claim is one of Barrella's best attributes. The difference is that Reid knows how to use positive energy to motivate people to look beyond their differences to work together. Barrella has yet to demonstrate that ability. He encourages people to focus on their differences and assert their personal entitlements. Not really the way that a good leader behaves unless he's trying to wage war.

@sandinmytoes: if I might pickup on..."You had people from the school suggesting that Reid wanted to consolidate the schools, while members of the Board of Education, including Ms. Thomson, sat back and watched on that e-mail chain, never bothering to "educate" the public that no Mayor or Council member has the ability to consolidate the schools..."

...in the Borough they were even more villianous: with school board members(at least 3) and police officials from your town. . . and with the mass turn out at the Memorial Middle School Boro Council meeting of out of town police officers numbering in the hundreds, when they were going to vote on cutting six police officers, an indication of the intensity of union involvement in politics . . . began spreading stories to school parents. . .that the Republican Mayoral candidate last year was going to slash the school budget if she got elected. One of your policemen living here, was so bold that he had a banner made...hung off his back fence facing major town road going into Bay Head. . .saying that the "Democratic mayoral candidate was for the children"

PS: I perhaps beg to differ with you when it comes to these debates. . .I think the audience has more to do with the money and where it goes. . .than the smoke screens that are being exploited in part by it's benefactors(i.e. last years school consolidation, Quality of Life, Safety, and now Hurricane "Irene")

Johnny, this is all just smoke & mirrors from the Barrella supporters. They want to say that Reid isn't qualified because he wasn't a Councilman first, even though they know full well that Barrella was never a Councilman, was never any type of elected official, before he became Mayor. They want to criticize Lurie because he didn't choose to seek the Mayoral candidacy, but accepted after his constituents wrote him in. This same group wants to criticize the political party system, advocate "independent thinking" because "politiicans are bad" while they simultaneously try to promote a Barrella, who has become a true politician, loading up the Boards and committees with people who support him and using those groups to further his agendas. They can't run Barrella on his record because he's done nothing since he's been in office other than to keep himself in office. Point Pleasant Beach, above all else, has a management problem. Barrella is the CEO of our town. If he were the CEO of a private corporation (except for maybe one of the banks), he'd have been canned a long time ago.