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Editor, the Asbury Park Sun:

As an open-minded, thoughtful and informed voter, I did not want to believe the negativity surrounding the A-Team. I had heard rumors that they are a divisive force in the community and that they use unethical campaign methods. It is my opinion that their ticket does not represent the diversity that makes our city great, even though they talk about uniting Asbury Park.

On Friday, March 15, I witnessed two people entering Asbury Tower. Only residents and guests of residents are allowed to enter Asbury Tower. These two people were not residents and did not appear to have walked in with a resident.

They approached two Hispanic residents and told them to sign voter registration forms. I feel they were bullying the two residents. I approached them, told them soliciting was not permitted, and also informed them that another resident and I had planned a nonpartisan voter registration event for residents the next day. Residents were notified of that event in our building’s newsletter.

They responded, “Who are you for?” I told them it didn’t matter who I was for because my registration event would not include any campaigning. They said they were “with the A-Team.”

The two senior citizens they approached are Hispanic and speak little English. The residents seemed confused about what they were signing and handed it back. One of the two representatives yelled, “Just sign it! My signature doesn’t count on it!”

Signs reading “No Soliciting” are visible on the building’s doors. The guidelines of Asbury Tower prohibit soliciting and political campaigning in common areas, although campaign events are permitted inside private apartments.

The apparent intruders jumped on the elevator to elude Security when I began to dial my phone.

On Saturday, March 16, I saw A-Team candidate Nora Hyland and a companion enter our building. They approached a number of volunteers of Asbury Tower to register them to vote. They began campaigning.

When asked to leave, they left the room, but not the building, even when asked by Security. They entered the vestibule and appeared to be recording names and apartment numbers of residents from the registry. Security once again asked them to leave. I believe they used residents’ names to try to gain re-entry, stating they were guests of a resident who wasn’t in the building at the time.

After this display of apparent disrespect for the Asbury Tower residents by the A-Team and years of what I believe to be empty promises by the incumbents, I am reaffirming my support for the One Asbury ticket. Amy Quinn, Myra Campbell, Joe Woerner, John Moor, and Talesha Crank are people of integrity that have been working for our community for many years. They have often visited Asbury Tower as a community resource over the last five years, respected the rules, and stayed away while campaigning. One Asbury represents people who serve the community because they are committed to the betterment of Asbury Park, not because of a political agenda. Please consider supporting One Asbury and be sure to vote on May 14, 2013.

Michele Rachelson

Asbury Tower Resident

Past President, Asbury Tower Residents Association

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[EDITOR’S NOTE: Because of the specific implications raised against a council candidate in this letter, the Asbury Park Sun afforded candidate Nora Hyland a chance to respond to the allegations. Hyland was invited to respond only to the allegations made specifically against her in the two paragraphs in the second half of Rachelson’s letter. She chose to write the following letter to the editor as a response.]

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Editor, the Asbury Park Sun:

Neither I, nor any member of the A Team, have any desire to upset city residents or break the rules about solicitation established by any household — including Asbury Towers — which is why this resident’s letter is so confusing to me.

On March 16, when a campaign volunteer and I entered Asbury Tower to visit his uncle (who wasn’t at home), the only residents we saw or spoke to during our five minute visit were three women volunteering at a “voter registration drive” in a nearly vacant common room. When we introduced ourselves, they informed us about their rules against political solicitation. In spite of the large stack of One Asbury campaign cards they had displayed at their registration table, we honored their non-solicitation rule.

After a brief conversation with them, my volunteer and I promptly left the building and did not contact or speak to any other residents. However, what seems more concerning than our attempt to visit a volunteer’s uncle at Asbury Tower, is that the resident volunteers for the One Asbury ticket are attempting to use their own non-solicitation rules to monopolize and control the information available to residents under the guise of a “voter registration drive” — and furthermore, are misrepresenting the actions of me and my campaign worker. Even in this election season, which seems to have brought out the worst in some of our residents, one would be hard pressed to characterize what we did as anything but respectful of the rules.

Nora Hyland

A-Team Candidate

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[All letters represent the opinion of the writer and are not representative of any opinion of the Asbury Park Sun staff. All are welcome to submit Letters to the Editor for our consideration. For guidelines on letter-writing and submission, click here.]

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