Holmdel Land Use Group Says Election Forum Fizzles

HOLMDEL, NJ — Citizens for Informed Land Use says its planned Monday, Oct. 16, Fall Candidate Forum has been cancelled due to lack of candidate participation.

Jen Ashkar of CILU said only one candidate, current Board of Education President Peter Reddy, "graciously accepted" the invitation. Reddy is seeking re-election. The two other incumbents on the board are not seeking re-election.

The invitation was to both municipal and school board candidates. Neither the other board candidates nor the Township Committee candidates accepted, the organization said.

Ashkar said last year’s candidate forum received over 1,200 views on YouTube, "demonstrating that Holmdel residents are engaged and involved in local issues and want to hear from their prospective representatives."

"As a town resident, it doesn’t give me a great feeling that (board candidates) would be unwilling to attend an event like this," Reddy said when asked about the cancellation.

Alison LoPresti, speaking for the three school board candidates running as a team, said the team "respectfully declined" the invitation to participate in the forum and is attending other planned events to "discuss our priorities with the community."

She said the team felt a debate was "more appropriately hosted by schools and education-centered organizations."

The CILU Forum was to be an informative evening in preparation for the municipal and school board elections on Tuesday, Nov. 7, Ashkar said.

To learn more about CILU, visit http://www.holmdel-CILU.org.