Despite Low Turnout LWV Forum Served Candidates Well

The seven candidates for city commissioner, sitting at The Table from which CITCOM rules, answered 10 or 12 questions in less than two hours. The audience received some idea of their thoughts and a hint of how they might perform if elected.

In terms of style, the six men and one woman ranged from pontificating through matter-of-fact to uneasy. In terms of substance -- given the limitations of the forum format -- their replies were necessarily conceptual, not detailed.

Had the seven been sitting as an elected body, most of their votes would have been unanimous. The one issue where the vote would have been 3-4 was their answer about enacting a Human Rights Ordinance. Kyle DuBuc, Mike Fournier, Scott Warheit are in favor; George Gomez, Peggy Goodwin, Rick Karlowski, Bill Shaw see no need for a local ordinance.

The League of Women Voters, sponsored by the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce, conducted its traditional forum, whose rules do not permit the candidates to have-at each other, so there was a pabulum flavor to replies about such diverse matters as attracting traditional retail, golf courses, Kroger, downtown, non-motorized plan, ordinances. The nearest thing to excitement was when they all weighed in against a city income tax.

The questions are written out, and an LWV volunteer groups and selects those which will be asked.. Many questions were being passed in even before they were asked for. That demonstrated that  the same formal and informal groups which are  influencing, or attempting to control the candidates behind the scenes were at work.

Of concern: I hope Shaw and Karlowski don't fall victim to the malady of becoming Johnny One-Note. Each has a near-obsession -- sustainability, in Bill's case, and analysis, in Rick's. They must guard against considering no agenda item trivial. Many are.

Benefiting most from the exposure were those four candidates with the lowest name recognition, whose name and picture have not appeared in the media over the years. Sadly, there were vacancies among the fewer than 90 available chairs. When you consider that many of the attendees were elected and appointed officials and friends and families of the candidates, there wasn't much of a voter turnout. Happily, the video of the forum will appear on the city's WROK and on the LWV's website.

Seven speakers . . .  answering a dozen questions . . . in about 90 minutes: Let's retain an LWV timekeeper for our city commission meetings. No more midnight sessions.

Campaign Developments & Observations
Included in the small talk as candidates mingled with the audience immediately after the forum were vigorous mini-debates about such matters as millages and the limits of transparency in government.

Newbie commissioners will be facing a mix of legislative effectiveness when they come to The Table. Thinking in terms of making things happen and in terms of personality, we have:

Jim Rasor has a forceful persona, but has proved so-so as a legislator. Jim Ellison is mild-mannered and "too nice" as chairman of CITCOM meetings, but is forceful as a legislator. Dave Poulton, studious to the point of self-effacement, has just recently begun to come alive. Quiet, but certainly not self-effacing, Pat Capello is now the strongest commissioner at The Table.

Peggy Goodwin begins an addition to her Versagi Voice page with: "As you know I am not providing comment on commissioners or candidates because I don’t believe it serves a “greater good” purpose in this venue, but I do want to take issue with labels."

Mike Fournier has added his picture to his page. Rick Karlowski has replaced his first picture. Bill Shaw has replaced his picture.

Street talk suggests that the Dem3 are not as vigorously demonstrating their Democrat-ness as earlier. A recent mailing promoting all three of them is paid for by the Committee for a Better Tomorrow. The group supporting two of the nonDem4 is said to be attempting to derail the other two.

Voters seem few and apathetic
"Drifting" was the term I used last week to describe the mood of the city. Readers tended to think I was referring exclusively to city hall. No.

Letters to the editor: I've seen two so far, one each in the Daily Tribune and on Patch.com. Drives through neighborhoods reveal few campaign signs. I've been told that of the 80 homes west of Woodward and south of Lincoln, which are in Royal Oak and where I live and which are thought by most people to be in Huntington Woods -- among those 80-plus home there are only 25 registered voters. The multiple small forums conducted in past years by service clubs seem absent. The low attendance at the LWV forum. 'Tis a challenge.

Frank Versagi is the editor of Versagi Voice.