Two Great Debates To Attend, Two, Not So Much

Time flies and events continue to brew when it's election season in our city.

I just got confirmation of a fourth debate slated for the upcoming November 8 election of three new Council members for the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.

The Rancho Palos Verdes Council of Homeowners Associations (CHOA) received confirmation from all eight candidates that they will participate in a debate.

On Wednesday October 5, at Hesse Park, CHOA is sponsoring a debate.

While some folks may wish to criticize the organization for its opposition to having on-campus housing built at Marymount College, it is one of the fairest organizations we have in our city, made up of our residents, in my opinion.

This debate is just one week before the debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters, again being held at Hesse Park, beginning at 7:00 PM.

After some pondering on my part and my learning of some greater ugliness brewing in our city, I have decided to alter my views a bit.

I am altering my views with full disclosure that I support and endorse Mr. Dave Emenhiser becoming one of our city's new Council members.

However, since there is some real ugliness by certain individuals criticizing having a debate on what can be considered Dave's home turf, I think it might be best for our residents in total to cancel the debate on September 7, 2011, sponsored by the Long Point HOA, scheduled to be conducted at P.V.I.C.

Of course and naturally, should the powers that be decide to go ahead with that debate, I'll be there, my camera ready and fully charged.

Likewise, if the September 7 debate is canceled, I would strongly urge supporters of the October 13 debate, scheduled to be held on the campus of Marymount College, to also be canceled.

But sure enough, should that debate still take place, I'll have emptied my cards in my camera and recharged the batteries, for that debate.

Both CHOA and the League of Women Voters are offering the most fair and open debates that we would likely see, for this election.

One slate of candidates has already has some supporters of those candidates vent their displeasure concerning the September 7. debate.

To be sure, some representatives and supporters of the other four candidates, the ones opposed to Marymount College having approval to build on-campus housing, are quite concerned about a debate at Marymount College.

So, it seems to me that there are two groups that offer the most impartial forum for debates and two groups that MIGHT be viewed as having agendas, hidden or not.

I don't know if more than two debates are necessary. I do think that having just two debates sponsored by CHOA and the League of Women Voters would benefit both slates in that lots of problems, real or imagined, would be eliminated.

Now, I hope to see all interested residents attending the CHOA debate on October 5 and/or the League of Women Voters debate on October 12.

If Dr. Michael Brophy, the President of Marymount College or the President of the Board of Trustees of Marymount College still go through with plans for a debate on dates other than Oct. 5 and Oct. 13, that should telegraph to all residents that they may not be offering the fairest and most impartial forum on the campus of Marymount College.

I would also hope that the officers of the Long Point HOA truly consider canceling their sponsorship of the September 7 debate unless they feel Marymount's representatives would hold their debate no matter what the HOA decides.