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TOMS RIVER — A judge has scheduled an April 10 hearing on two legal challenges to the re-election endorsement of Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Stephen Reid by the Point Pleasant Beach Regular Republican Club.

Ocean County Superior Court Judge Marlene Lynch Ford ordered the hearing on Tuesday after reviewing two complaints that dispute the validity of a March 25 club vote favoring Mayor Reid over Councilman Paul Kanitra by a vote of 115 to 110.

One complaint was filed by Mr. Kanitra and the other by Republican Club Chairman Kevin Riordan.

Both seek to void the March 25 vote, claiming that the Point Pleasant Beach Regular Republican Club violated the membership requirements and voting procedures of its own bylaws.

Mr. Riordan had unsuccessfully sought an injunction from Judge Ford that would have canceled the March 25 meeting and prevented the club vote.
On Tuesday, however, the judge imposed a temporary

restraining order on the club’s endorsement, ruling that “the public has a right to know” that an endorsement vote that could influence the outcome of the June 4 primary “would be done in a fair manner.”

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