Thank You Note from Tom Lynch, President Rockaway Republicans

7/16/2004

The Rockaway Republicans wish to express our thanks to all our guests and members (old and new) for the wonderful turnout for the president last night (July 15th) at the Belle Harbor Yacht Club. We have made great headway in getting the thank you letter to the president signed and have sent a message re: the strength of the Republican presence and interest in our community.

 

All of those who provided contact information to us (particularly e-mail addresses) and who have not yet joined the Rockaway Republicans are welcome to do so. All you have to do is answer this note in the affirmative and we'll consider you members.

 

At present there are no dues (though some time in the future we, as a group, will have to consider instituting that since we can't accomplish anything without some kind of official kitty). We also have not formally chartered or set up an organizational structure, officers or a formal mission. All of this, we believe, will come with time as we grow and begin to establish ourselves in Rockaway and South Queens.

 

Our primary common goals right now include:

 

1) Re-electing the president;

 

2) Re-establishing a strong Republican political presence in our community;

 

3) Finding and supporting good candidates for public office and getting them elected;

 

4) Establishing our organizational bona fides and full acceptance by the State GOP.

 

On this last question, we currently have before us an important question:

 

About a month ago we spoke with the Queens County Republican leadership in an effort to secure party recognition and affiliation. They indicated a desire to have us fully enrolled in the party structure however they would prefer to see a single club for all of South Queens, including Rockaway. They are offering us recognition and support on those terms.

 

We now must decide whether to accept this proposal, reject it or find some compromise that the party leadership and we can be equally comfortable.

 

We're asking all members to think long and hard on this question. We hope to discuss it at our upcoming August meeting. Essentially it boils down to the following:

 

1) Accept the County offer and shut down the Rockaway Republicans as a separate and distinct political entity and become part of a new South Queens club.

 

2) Reject this proposal and remain apart from the Queens organization for the time being at least, without either recognition (a club charter) or support from the leadership in the county.

 

3) Work out an arrangement with the leadership that will allow us to remain separate and autonomous in Rockaway but will also permit us to be enrolled in a larger structure for South Queens that will consist of several distinct and autonomous but coordinated clubs.

 

After discussing these alternatives, we expect to hold a vote on this and the decision of the majority will, of course, be binding. If there is only a very slim majority, however, we may want to vote again as this is a very important issue for the future of our organization and we believe the direction we take now should represent a significant majority opinion.

 

Your comments are welcome. Please respond to us with your thoughts and, if you are new to the group, with an indication that you wish to join so we can make the appropriate entry on our membership list.

 

Thanks.

 

Tom Lynch, Peter Stubben, George Greco, JoAnn Ambrosio, Stu Mirsky 

  for the Rockaway Republicans