Council Candidates Gather for Second Debate
Forum-style event features only two candidates
Videos
About 70 people gathered Wednesday evening at Thomas A. Edison Central Six School on William Street in West Orange for the second of three township council candidate forums.
The township's African Heritage Organization hosted the hour-and-a-half event.
Only two of the three candidates, Joe Krakoviak and Elnardo Webster Sr., were present to answer questions. The third candidate, Ron Charles, was not available because he was delayed in traffic due to a fatal accident on the New Jersey Turnpike.
Webster, however, left the forum about 35 minutes after it started due to a prior engagement scheduled before the event itself.
The third debate is set for Monday, 7 p.m., West Orange Municipal Building. That event is sponsored by Men Make a Difference.
View the audio slideshow to hear two voters, Krakoviak and Webster.
[Editor's note: Charles is not in the slideshow because all interviews and photos were conducted and taken at the event Wednesday night. Also, since publication, Bryn Whittle, president of West Orange African Heritage Organization, said WOAHO was not aware of Webster's early leave until a few days before the forum. In an e-mail to Patch, she stated: "While I do not know when his conflicting event was scheduled, our organization was not made aware of his other event until days leading up to the event. The location was already secured and the forum was publicized. It would have been too late to reschedule. Originally, he, along with the other (two) candidates, agreed to participate and ALL campaigns preferred that date. As to Councilman Webster, he personally agreed without mention of the other booking. His calendar was CLEAR!"]
View the first debate's live blog here.
Raymond Helfrich
12:07 pm on Friday, October 22, 2010
I was not there, but find this interesting to consider: somebody told me that she looked at her watch, when Ms. Whittle announced that Mr. Webster would be leaving at 7:30, and it was 7:10--so he wasn't on the stage for 35 minutes.
Christine
3:04 pm on Friday, October 22, 2010
I was there also. Also Joe Krakoviak stayed after Webster left and continued to be respectful of the African Heritage Organization and the residents who attended in answering questions. Again, please report fair and balanced and give the facts.
a. brown
9:19 pm on Saturday, October 23, 2010
When Mr. Webster was contacted on September 27 about the forum, he stated that his calendar was clear and he would be able to participate in the forum. On the night of the forum, Mr. Webster arrived late to the forum even though he was on school property, his media consultant stated that he was waiting in the car and would be brought in when we were ready to start the program. WOAHO was unaware that he was there and was waiting on him to come into the auditorium so that we could start the program. We had been made aware ahead of time of Mr. Charles being unable to make it due to the fatal accident on the NJ Turnpike.
Mr. Webster's media consultant informed the WOAHO that he would try to stay until 8:00 pm to answer as many questions as possible. It was a surprise when he was pulled after the second question, he left about 22 minutes after the start of the forum.