Annapolis Capital Punishment

I am not sure if it would be appropriate for me to write much other than fluff about the debate last night, so here it comes........Perhaps Gil Renaut said it best when he mentioned how President Gerald Ford said how nice it can be when those who disagree remain friends. (Did I paraphrase that correctly?). It was just great to see six candidates talking, answering questions and really showing the voters who they were and how they were different--and sometimes similar. At the end we gathered, shook hands and had a bit of a mutual love fest. I am being poetic, but truly it was a positive evening and thanks to all who participated, assisted and attended.

We had a crowd of about 70 people, based on a quick scan of the Fellowship Hall at The Calvary United Methodist Church, where we were welcomed by Reverend Byron P. Brought. I was pleased when I asked for a show of hands to see a lot of hands go up when I asked the audience how many had not yet made up their minds about their choice for mayor. I have no idea how that show of hands might have changed at 9 p.m....but there are a few weeks left.

Four candidates heartily support the city manager form of government (Fox, McFall, Renaut and Shropshire) while two are opposed (Cohen and Pierre) and they exchanged their views. If I recall, I believe that every candidate opposes the annexation of the Annapolis Roads property. Every candidate expressed dissatisfaction with the city's bus system, while some might consider privatization while others tend to oppose that idea. "Pot holes" in the abstract sense were high on the list as was air-conditioning on the city's buses. Each candidate thinks he or she has the personality and demeanor to improve relations with the county.

Each candidate has strengths and weaknesses but it is uplifting to see how a group of bright, committed, experienced people can be devoted enough to take on this challenge. Regardless of who becomes our next mayor, he or she will have a brain trust in-waiting with the also-rans.
CP hopes to hold a similar debate prior to the general election.

After the debate/forum/discussion a group of us headed to Rams Head for beer and conversation where we were also surprised by a visit from House Speaker Mike Busch.
The evening will be available soon on COA TV and a video should be posted here at CP as well.

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