DKI Not Informed of ‘Candidates Night’ Issues
Leadership of Downtown Kittanning, Inc. (DKI) is denying that political debate organizers are associated with the business organization for which has promoted sponsorship.
A Republican ‘Candidates Night’ is scheduled to be held at Lenape Technical School in Manor Township on Thursday of this week. However, no previous discussion was held with the Armstrong County Republican Committee, that also was previously scheduled to hold their meeting that same evening.
A newspaper article was written last week cited the Republican Party of Armstrong County, as a whole, not supporting the event, where Republican Party Chair Michael Baker said in a statement, “The Armstrong Republican Committee contacted a representative of Downtown Kittanning, Inc. to discuss the event. Unfortunately, this person declined to meet with us or the candidates as a group to discuss these matters.”
Baker said in a later statement that he was referring to Coordinator and Moderator Linda Hemmes, who sent the initial letter to Baker listing herself as the DKI contact person.
But DKI President Ray Voller said Hemmes is not a representative of Downtown Kittanning, Inc.
“Nobody talked to me about it, and nobody from DKI would ever tell anybody that they would not collaborate with them about something like this,” Voller said.
Baker responded last week by issuing another statement attempting to clarify the misunderstanding.
“The Republican Committee of Armstrong Co. has been informed by DKI President Ray Voller that Ms Linda Hemmes is the coordinator and contact person for the candidates night event. She is NOT a representative of Downtown Kittanning Inc. We apologize for any misunderstanding,” Baker wrote.
Baker last week said the eight individual Republican candidates can decide on their own whether they wish to attend, but “a majority indicated that they would not.”
According to Hemmes, participating candidates Thursday will be able to make timed opening statements, address questions, give a 45-second rebuttal if requested and provide closing remarks.
The Thursday night event also coincides with the local events of the National Day of Prayer, which further segments candidate participation.
Another ‘Candidate Night’ will be held Thursday, May 14 at the same location with Democratic candidates.
Both events begin at 7PM.
Local News | KP NewsDesk May 4, 2015
By jorn jensen, May 5, 2015 @ 11:45 AM
This is a senseless mess. Yes, a scheduling error was made. So, suck it up and fix it.
The republican meeting night has been moved to other dates, in the past, for lesser reasons. The republican committee needs to demonstrate some flexibility and fully endorse candidates attendance at the meet the candidates event at Lenape Tech. There are Lenape students going to be involved in this - future youthful voters looking for work - hopefully here - and the republicans are going to avoid it because of their own meeting night? Unbelievable.
Just what is more important than candidates meeting with the voters? I just don’t get the thinking, or lack of same.