Welcome Mr. Mayor

From: Michael Halfacre [mailto:halflaw@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 9:20 AM
To: Adam Puharic
Subject: Monmouth County Republican Convention


Dear Adam,

I want to take a moment of your time to express my profound disappointment with the way I and a few other elected officials were treated at Saturday's Convention.

I was aware that, as an elected official, I would not be permitted to vote, but the Rules that were circulated certainly implied that elected officials would be permitted to attend.

When I checked in at the District 12 table, I was advised to speak with Mayor DiMaso at the entryway to the room. When I tried to approach her, I was rudely confronted by a gentleman with no form of identification on his person, other than a sticker that said 'Volunteer'. He made it clear in no uncertain terms I was not getting into the room.

I attempted to explain who I was, but it made little difference. I was soon joined by elected officials from Spring Lake and Howell, as well as an additional elected official from Fair Haven, and we all were asked to wait in a holding area before we were permitted to view the proceedings from the cafeteria doorway.

Throughout this time, we were all shown shockingly little respect by the 'volunteers'. We were treated no better than Joe Lochriccio for goodness
sake.

Adam, you and I have been somewhat acquainted since our Monmouth County Young Republican days of the early and mid 1990's. I was supportive of your ascendancy to the Chair's position. I felt that you were supportive of my campaign for Mayor of Fair Haven last fall, and I have tried to remain positive during the ensuing three months of turmoil at the County level.

Unfortunately, the time has come for you to decide what kind of leader you want to be. The days of iron-fisted rule and secretive proceedings are supposed to be behind us. We were supposed to be entering an age of transparency and welcoming all for full participation. The "circle-the-wagons" mentality that was clearly on display on Saturday does not instill respect for our organization. Instead, it serves to alienate those of us who are loyal Republican elected officials, something I do not
believe you can continue to afford to do.

The handling of the screening process and the treatment I and others were exposed to on Saturday does not bode well for our Grand Old Party.

Please re-think your approach to leading our party, and lead by setting an example of respect for Republican elected officials.

Thank you for your time and attention to these matters.

Michael I. Halfacre
Mayor, Borough of Fair Haven
http://www.mikehalfacre.com/