Ocean County Scanner News Conducted the below Interview with Point Pleasant Beach Republicans For Change. The team is compromised of Councilman Paul Kanitra, Arlene Testa and Doug Vitale.

Point Pleasant Beach Republicans For Change Team will be challenging The Point Pleasant Beach Republican Team compromised of Mayor Stephen Reid, Councilman Tom Vogel and Councilman Tom Toohey in the June 4th primaries.

Ocean County Scanner News has made multiple unsuccesful attempts to contact Mayor Stephen Reid for comment/interview. If Mayor Stephen Reid or any member of The Point Pleasant Beach Republican Team is interested in reaching out to OCSN they can do so by emailing Julianne: [email protected]

1. Why did you feel it was important to add 2 additional members to your team? After the recent Republican Club meeting, it became very clear to myself and most in Point Pleasant Beach what kind of extreme and desperate lengths the current leadership would take to remain in power. When no one from the Reid team spoke up to do what was right and fair, I came to the realization that I needed two fighters by my side to help me take back this town for the residents.

2. Why did you choose Douglas Vitale and Arlene Testa? You would be hard pressed to find two more well respected individuals than Doug Vitale and Arlene Testa. Their connections throughout the school system and with the young families in town will go a long way in ensuring that we always have the pulse of the community and can act in its best interests. With Arlene, we’ll have the first female Councilwoman in a very long time and that perspective is sorely needed on a governing body of all men. She’s held leadership positions in the PTO, Boosters, Cooks Tour and other groups that help keep Point Beach such a vibrant place for our kids and families. With Doug Vitale, we’re bringing in someone that possesses an incredible network and skillset in security to help keep this town safe. His background in cybersecurity and social media tracking have already proven vital in uncovering what goes on at the massage parlor in town and just last summer he assisted the police in tracking and monitoring some potentially very disruptive activities on our boardwalk.

3. Why did you decide to run for Point Pleasant Beach Council alongside Mayoral Candidate Paul Kanitra?

ARLENE: My family and I moved to Point Pleasant Beach 14 years ago because we fell in love with its small town feeling and amazing sense of community. We wanted our son to be a part of that community and the great school system too. I knew right away that I wanted to get involved with his school and extracurricular activities. I joined the PTO and started volunteering almost immediately. I took my responsibilities very seriously and worked hard to make sure everything was completed fully and efficiently. When I was approached to see if I would be interested in running for town council, I knew I could help make a difference on an even greater scale in our beautiful beach town. I am not a politician, but a mother and wife who cares about the town’s needs and concerns. I look forward to work alongside Paul Kanitra and Doug Vitale paying attention to details and getting the job done.

DOUG: When my family and I moved into town we instantly fell in love with the town and people.  I wanted to become active in the community and decided to leverage my professional expertise by volunteering to be the Safety Officer with the Little League. I also joined the Recreation Committee because of the focus on family activities that my kids and others could benefit from. I actually met Paul during his campaign for town council in 2018 when he knocked on my front door. I brought up several issues at that time and he has addressed all those concerns during his time on the governing body. A few months later, Paul asked me to help him bring back the beach bonfire which was a huge success last September and we worked really well together. I’ve always known my security background could help town government, but it wasn’t until I became familiar with the inner workings of the mayor and council that I realized a change was needed and decided to throw my hat in the ring.  I am excited to run for council alongside Paul because I admire him as a politician and being that I am new to politics it is a great opportunity for me to be mentored by him. Paul is very detail oriented and reactive to all the issues in town. We’re all going to make an amazing team!

4. If elected to Council what change do you hope to be a part of?

ARLENE: I plan on being a big part of the process to make sure our town contractors are held accountable to get their jobs done correctly in a cost effective and timely manner. I also plan on listening to the concerns of all our fellow residents and being able to respond quickly to them with real solutions. Keeping this town beautiful and maintaining our character will be a major focus for me.

DOUG: Because of my professional experience I recognize the importance of giving police additional social media and intelligence resources to keep the town even safer. I also will work hard to ensure our mayor and council are more proactive  and observant to issues in town such as the illegal prostitution at the massage parlor and the overall look, feel and aesthetics of our neighborhoods.

5. What message do you have for the residents, families and children of Point Pleasant Beach?

ARLENE: My message is clear; I will work tirelessly for the people of this town. I will jump in when needed and I am not afraid to get my hands dirty. I am invested in this town and as a resident with my own family I can relate to your concerns. I will continue to uphold the beach traditions and keep Point Beach pride going strong!

DOUG: Point Pleasant Beach has been a wonderful place to live and raise my family and I plan on doing everything in my power to ensure that same opportunity for those who come after me. When I am elected to the town council I will continue to promote initiatives that increase community and family involvement while leveraging my unique security background to keep us all safe.

6. What message do you have ahead of the June 4th Mayoral Primary for Point Pleasant Beach Residents, Families and Children? Expect more from this town and from your elected officials. Imagine what this great town could be if we paid attention to the details, had a cohesive vision for what we want the town to be and worked towards it without the influence of special interests holding us back.