It looks like Sea Bright has three candidates running for the two council seats, incumbent Sam Catalano who has already proven he can do a good job and takes the time to listen to the people so that he can obtain the information necessary in order to act carefully and wisely. I have not had the pleasure of meeting the other republican candidate Marcella Tomasaetta but I hear from sources who know her she is a very nice lady. But I did meet Heather Gorman and love her enthusiasm, ideas and energy for Sea Bright. Hearing her tell so many wonderful stories to me and showing me her interest in the borough and the time she has to help it when the town celebrated its victory over Super Storm Sandy Saturday, makes me think she’ll be pretty darn great as a councilwoman.
Perhaps Ms. Tomasetta would be as well, but I wonder whether she even has the time to help, let alone be devoted 100 per cent to Sea Bright. In a cursory check because I was trying to locate her and find out more about her other than the one flyer I saw on Facebook, I learned she must be successful in business, whatever it is. She and her husband give their address on some sites in Freehold, another great town. Then I saw where they just purchased a $ 12.75 million estate in the state of Washington.
As nice as that is for the Tomasettas, it is also a fact that makes me wonder about giving 100 per cent to running Sea Bright.
With three homes in two states, which is really home? Where is the most time spent? I’ve spoken with neighbors in Sea Bright who say they never see her. I know she’s been on recent council meetings on ZOOM, but you can be on ZOOM from anywhere and to the best of my knowledge she never has spoken. Surely if she were in Sea Bright for those meetings she would have been at the meeting and made her presence known in person.
I looked for her Saturday after I spoke with the other candidates, but I could not find her nor could anyone tell me she was there for that wonderful celebration. I asked if she had been at the Fall Festival, that traditional fundraiser for that magnificent Library always held in October. But I don’t think she was there either.
So I would ask Sea Bright voters. Do you think it is important for your council members to be available in town? Do you think it’s a good thing that they are present at fundraisers for things like the library? Or at celebrations as you all can justifiably hold when it comes to beating Superstorm Sandy? Do you think it is important for them to attend regular council meetings and be in town at times of emergencies? Ask yourself these questions.
Sea Bright, you’ve come so far, you do so much, you work so well together. You indeed do need people on your council who will continue everything you always do, will be available for the fund raisers, as well as the fun, the business and the listening.
It seems this might be the perfect time to let an Independent like Heather Gorman step up and continue to work with everyone to keep Sea Bright the Sea Bright we all know and love.
