Pitts Accepts Conrad’s Challenge for Debate

VILLAS — Janet Pitts, a Ward One Independent candidate for Township Council says she will accept Republican incumbent Councilman’s Tom Conrad’s challenge to debate on neutral turf.
“I accept his challenge and will participate in any debate his local and county Republican organization hosts in Ward 1 of Lower Township,” said Pitts in a press release, Fri. Oct. 8.
“I’m still not sure why it took him three days after he said no to the debate sponsored by the LTTA (Lower Township Taxpayers Association) and League of Women Voters to come up with his excuse the debate would not be fair and impartial. No matter though, his rejection of the initial debate and his subsequent challenge now to me to participate in another debate to his liking is what is important to the voters”.
“So as to not get mired in the whole neutrality issue again; I ask Conrad for the following conditions in making his arrangements for the debate. Condition one, that it be held somewhere in Ward 1 with significant capacity for resident attendance, she continued.
“Second, that some neutral party, or person such as the League of Women Voters moderate it.Third, that the questions to the candidates be submitted by each of the four newspaper reporters who cover Lower Township. Two questions each submitted by hand to the moderator immediately prior to the start of the debate,” said Pitts.
In a Thurs. Oct. 7 press release, Conrad said Pitts had proposed a debate hosted by the Lower Township Taxpayers Association but she is the former president of the group.
“Pitts’ proposal was a dog and pony show designed to grab a headline when I refused to let her own group host a debate,” said Conrad. “Let’s connect the dots: Pitts is the former President of the Lower Township Taxpayers Association. Now she is running against me and she wants that group to host a debate. Please. The voters see right through this ploy. She designed this to fail so she could cause a media stir.”
“The fact of the matter is,” Conrad continued. “I am ready to debate Pitts anytime and anywhere as long as the debate is hosted by a neutral third party and not Pitts’ own special interest group. Until she makes up her mind that she wants an impartial and fair debate format, I will continue to take my message of smaller, more responsive government directly into the living rooms of the voters of Ward One.”
On Wed., Oct. 6. Lower Township Taxpayer’s Association President Ed Butler announced in a press release that two Lower Township candidates for Ward One council seats had turned down an invitation to participate in a debate Oct. 15 and the event has been canceled.
Butler said the taxpayers association had made all required arrangements to sponsor the event including contacting the League of Women Voters to conduct and moderate the debate. The event would have taken place in the Millman Center on Bayshore Road.
Independent candidate Joseph Will also refused the debate saying, “ At this time I will not attend but if I change my mind, I’ll call you,” according to Butler. He said Will did not call again.
Independent Janet Pitts agree to participate in the debate.