Forum Flies Without Candidates' Commitment

The candidates for Cinnaminson township committee won't debate this year, but all five have the chance to publicly answer voter questions Thursday night.

 officials are holding a meet the candidates night Nov. 3, and all five township committee candidates are invited to attend and answer questions.

However, of the five candidates—incumbent Republicans Anthony Minniti and Ben Young, and Independents Steve Fowles, Ken Gertie and Scott Lunn—only Gertie told Cinnaminson Patch he plans to attend.

Minniti said he would be flying back home during the time of the event but will go if time permits. The remaining candidates—Young, Fowles and Lunn—did not return calls for comment.

A press release on Oct. 25 stated that candidates would field questions from the audience during the event. But Marcia Blacker, former president of Temple Sinai who is helping head the event, said the committee hopefuls instead will answer two questions. The candidates received those questions in advance, she added.

The first question asks each candidate to name the township’s biggest problem and, if elected, how he would fix it. The second question is about water problems certain neighborhoods in Cinnaminson face.

Blacker said audience members can write questions on index cards and event organizers will choose certain ones to ask—either to the entire panel or individual candidates.

Blacker said there would be limited audience participation, since the format was never identified as a debate.

In order to call the event a debate, all three campaigns would have had to agree on a format, which was not the case. Typically, debates are held at least 10 days before Election Day.

John Stevens, co-president of Temple Sinai, said synagogue members are “excited” about the meet the candidates night. The event gives residents the opportunity to “make an informed decision,” Stevens said. 

The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Sinai, located at 2101 New Albany Rd. in Cinnaminson.