Civics to host three candidate forums, Riverhead GOP decline two

The Greater Jamesport Civic Association will host the first of three meet-the-candidates forums for Riverhead Town Board at the Jamesport Meeting House on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.

The Heart of Riverhead Civic Association will lead the next meet-the-candidates session on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 10:30 a.m. at the Riverhead Free Library. The final public event will be hosted by the Greater Calverton Civic Association and Wading River Civic Association at Riley Avenue Elementary School in Calverton on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.

Riverhead Democratic Committee candidates Jerry Halpin, Kevin Shea and Mark Woolley have agreed to attend all three forums.

The Republican incumbents — Supervisor Tim Hubbard, Councilmen Bob Kern and Kenneth Rothwell — will only take part in the final event, sparking backlash from Jamesport civic leaders.

“I think any candidate who declines an invitation to speak at a forum of candidates who are running for election [or] re-election — [they] are being handed an opportunity to meet with the voters — and not to participate, is missing a valuable opportunity,” said Joan Cear, recording secretary for the Greater Jamesport Civic Association. “Our door is open: We would welcome them to attend, no hard feelings.”

Ms. Cear said the GOP leaders have “failed to respond to numerous invitations extended” through the Riverhead Republican Committee Chairwoman Tammy Robinkoff and Vice Chairman Victor Prusinowski.

The Greater Jamesport Civic Association sent individual certified letters to Mr. Hubbard, Mr. Kern and Mr. Rothwell earlier this month.

Ms. Robinkoff replied on behalf of the incumbent candidates in an email: “Please be advised the Riverhead Town Supervisor and Councilmen will not be attending the Meet The Candidates on the dates you have provided by email and certified mail. We will be having one debate at a neutral location with a neutral moderator.”

A point of contention for the GOP is the role played by Greater Jamesport Civic Association president Laura Jens-Smith — who is also the chair of the Riverhead Town Democratic Committee.

Ms. Robinkoff called Ms. Jens-Smith’s position a “conflict of interest,” in an email to the Riverhead News-Review. She added the president of the Heart of Riverhead Civic Association, Cindy Clifford, is also involved in the Riverhead Democratic Committee, which “seems to be a conflict for an impartial forum.”

Mr. Rothwell said in a text to the Riverhead Review-News on Tuesday that it was “unethical for [Ms. Jens-Smith] to run a debate for her slate of candidates.”

He continued to say he felt certain the Wading River and Calverton civic associations would “run a fair debate.” Mr. Kern said in a text he liked the idea of holding the forum with all the civic groups in Calverton.

Mr. Hubbard echoed the desire for a neutral environment and moderator. He added that Ms. Jens-Smith “refused to accept the offer” of a proposed date with a neutral moderator at Polish Hall.

“Not sure who anointed [Ms.] Jens-Smith as dictator of all the debates, all we are asking for is a level playing field,” Mr. Hubbard said in an email to the Riverhead News-Review. “[It’s] time for a change in how things have been done in the past.”

Ms. Jens-Smith and Ms. Cear have stressed the Greater Jamesport Civic Association is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse candidates.

Vice president Steve Green will be the moderator for the forum, not Ms. Jens-Smith.

Ms. Jens-Smith noted that there were no previous complaints about past Greater Jamesport Civic Association meet-the-candidates events.

“We live in a smaller town and sometimes people wear several hats. But, it doesn’t mean that it crosses over,” Ms. Jens-Smith said. “There are people in the civic [association] that are Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Conservatives. The [forum] is a non-political event. I really make a strong effort to make sure that I’m not crossing over so that it isn’t political.”

Where to submit questions

Toqui Terchun, president of the Greater Calverton Civic Association, commended her fellow civic leaders for voting to move ahead with all three events despite the absence of the GOP slate for the first two.

For the Greater Calverton and Wading River candidates night, Ms. Terchun and Sid Bail will be the moderators.

The deadline for community members to submit questions by email to [email protected] is Sunday, Oct. 12. All the candidates will receive the same questions. Queries will not be taken from the audience.

Residents who want to attend the Heart of Riverhead Civic Association’s forum on Oct. 4 can submit questions via Facebook or to [email protected].