It has come to our attention that the Neptune City Republican candidates and the Neptune City Women’s Club are hosting a “Meet the Candidates Night,” in which they have “invited all the candidates” competing in the November 6, 2018 Neptune City Borough Council Election to attend.
Neither Calhoun, Huryk and Lewis for Neptune City Council, nor the Neptune City Democrats, have received any direct invitation or communication from the Republican candidates, the local Republican Committee, or the Neptune City Women’s Club regarding this event.
Last Wednesday, we did receive a forwarded “Notice” from the boro Business Administrator Henry Underhill with a letter attached from Michele McGuigan and the Neptune City Women’s Club, addressed to Mr. Underhill, with a CC: to Director of Public Safety Edward Kirschenbaum. The letter asks him to promote this event, which had already been planned without our knowledge, to “extend” the invitation to candidates and residents and after the fact, asks to forward it to Municipal Chairs.
I replied to him with our contact information and asked him to please have Michele McGuigan and the Neptune City Republican Municipal Chair reach out to discuss. We have yet to hear from them.
We do not consider a letter sent through a third party informing us of a chosen date, time and place, without any prior consent or communication with us as to event guidelines or our availability, as an invitation in good faith.
Each year the Neptune City Women’s Club sets up a similar event, with minimal or no communication with the Democratic candidates. Historically, when any communication is established, scheduling conflicts are not accommodated, and the use of an unbiased third party moderator, such as the League of Women Voters, is denied. The Neptune City Women’s Club goes on with their event anyway, leaving it to appear that the Democratic candidates have simply not shown up. It increasingly has shown itself to be a one-sided tactic.
Calhoun, Huryk and Lewis for Neptune City Council have held three “meet and greet” events, and plan on scheduling another before November 6, 2018. We invite, as we always have, any and all residents who would like to meet them to attend.
As far as participating in this particular event, without prior knowledge and the ability to agree on scheduling or terms – we decline.
Cristina Kocsis
Neptune City Democrats Municipal Chair
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