"We can do better" has been Eric Schwaab's mantra for this campaign. Yet, when faced with opportunities to "do better" he absolutely refuses to do so.
The Hyannis Civic Association has scheduled a "Meet the Candidates Night"/Debate for this Thursday (September 26). However, there is a special Town Council meeting that falls on that same night. Sitting councilors are being forced to decide which event to attend - the job that they have been elected to do and want to keep doing or the nice candidates' night that might help get them re-elected.
The question is - Why can't one group or the other simply change the date of their event?
The Council cannot lawfully cancel their Council Meeting because they have been advertising its existence. To cancel it now would be a violation of public meeting laws. It would basically be lying to the citizens of Barnstable. Obviously, that is not a good option. Changing the time of the meeting would also violate those laws.
The Hyannis Civic Association (HCA) CAN lawfully cancel their meeting, but they have been advertising it and people might show up to a cancelled meeting and be unhappy. HOWEVER, you would think that it would be in the best interests of the HCA to have ALL candidates able to attend their meeting.
Neither side is going to back down. This is VERY disappointing.
What is more disappointing is the response of Candidate Eric Schwaab. Instead of putting his "We can do better" mantra to use to find a realistic solution to the problem, he is more than content to leave Councilor Munafo out of this forum and crash on him for not being there. Instead of being a "hero" (that's a little strong, but you get the idea) who found a solution to "bring everyone together", Schwaab is actively campaigning to have the event go forward without serving incumbents.
Sounds to me like Eric Schwaab is scared of his opponent.
Every candidate faces the choice of which event to attend. I applaud the Councilors who ARE going to the Council meeting. (That includes the Precinct 3 Incumbent - Jim Munafo, as well as Hank Farnham [running for re-election in Precinct 9] and Gary Brown [running for Town Collector].) That's where they belong. We elected them to do a job. We don't expect teachers to skip school whenever there's a job fair in another school district...
Actually, Mr. Schwaab and the others running for Town Council should be at ALL the Council meetings ALREADY! If they want to get elected to go to Council meetings for the next 4 years, then they should show at least some interest in current Council meetings. If they can't handle going to the meetings just to watch, how can they handle running them???
The right choice is clear - No matter how much embarrassment it causes them, the Hyannis Civic Association should move their debate. This is not a couple Councilors who are going to miss the event because of a fishing trip or other lame excuse, this is Councilors simply trying to do their jobs for the people of Barnstable & Hyannis...
Eric Schwaab could be setting himself up as a uniter, but instead, he has chosen to be a divider... Will he be like this IF he's elected to the Council?
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