3 candidates for presidency of Jersey City NAACP branch appear in forum marked by tension and harsh words

Tuesday, November 09, 2010
By KARINA L. ARRUE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

In a forum that rippled with tension, the three candidates vying to be elected president of the Jersey City NAACP branch appeared last night at the Claremont-Lafayette United Presbyterian Church.

The candidates include the incumbent branch president, Kabili Tayari, who is also a deputy mayor with the city; Bill Braker, a former Hudson County freeholder who has served time in prison for extortion; and Erma Greene, a retired educator.

In response to a claim members were not being notified about meetings, Greene, who retired from the Hudson County Schools of Technology in 2003, told the roughly 50 people in the audience that she would post the information in the branch office and have it listed on Comcast Channel 51.

Tayari said if the branch raised $1,452 a month for postage, some 330 members could receive one piece of correspondence every month.

When someone from the audience asked about the activities of the branch's youth committee, Tayari spoke about youth summits that the branch has sponsored and an upcoming black colleges bus tour for students.

Braker accused Tayari of living in a dream world.

"You know I love you as a person," Braker said to Tayari, "but my momma told me to tell the truth in church, and none of the committees function."

Several people raised questions about membership cards not being received in time to nominate candidates or vote in next Tuesday's branch election.

Tayari explained that national bylaws don't allow for local memberships to take effect until the branch receives an $11 remittance from the national office in Baltimore. He suggested trying to have the national bylaws amended.

That didn't go over well with Yvonne Hatchett, a former executive board member who is running for secretary next week.

"It should not have to ever get to the point of having to change national bylaws if we do the right thing at the local level," said Hatchett, adding that she is running to help "straighten out some of these membership issues."

Several other key positions, including, first, second and third vice presidents, as well as treasurer are up for grabs next week.

The branch elections are scheduled for next Tuesday, 2 to 8 p.m., at Emmanuel Pentecostal Church, 49 Kearney Ave. Only members in good standing will be allowed to vote.

Complaints swirl as Jersey City's NAACP branch moves toward Nov. 16 election of leaders; candidates forum Monday

Saturday, November 06, 2010
By ASHLEY STRAIN
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A group of disgruntled members of the Jersey City branch of the NAACP have railed against the organization's leadership for some time. With the election of president and other key positions less than two weeks away, they are raising their voices again.

Their primary complaints are claims of voter suppression, financial mismanagement, lack of communication and numerous issues regarding membership cards.

"The complaints of the chapter members are falling on deaf ears," said the Rev. Reginald McRae of Mount Pisgah AME Church. "The NAACP was established to fight for the rights of the African-American community, and this chapter is disenfranchising its own people."

The branch president, Kabili Tayari, who is also the deputy mayor of Jersey City, refused to discuss any of the complaints with a reporter.

"We have struggled with process, policy and procedure, but we addressed this at the last meeting and made progress," he said.

McRae said he wants more transparency in the organization and will host a candidates forum Monday night at the Claremont-Lafayette United Presbyterian Church, at Claremont and Rose avenues. At the forum, which is to begin at 6:30 p.m., members can meet and ask questions of the three candidates for president - Bill Braker, Erma Greene, and Tayari.

McRae said it's a bit ironic that he has organized the forum because he currently isn't allowed to vote. He said he and others have paid for lifetime memberships but never received membership cards. He also said some people were given membership cards with bogus information on them.

"If the membership card isn't registered or if the number is wrong, then you can't vote - and right now I can't vote," McRae said.

The election is slated for Nov. 16 at the Emmanuel Pentecostal Church, at 49 Kearney Ave., from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Chapter nomination committee members Virginia Miller and Harry Laurie said the branch officers, in violation of the bylaws, attempted to usurp the committee's responsibility of nominating executive board candidates.

Miller said she is hoping that all members who deserve to vote in the election will get the chance.

"We have to be able to voice our opinion," Miller said. "We aren't trying to take over the chapter for political reasons, we just want a fair election and the chapter to run properly."