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Two public forums for commissioner candidates in Dewey Beach focused on similar issues, but they addressed different audiences.
The structure of each debate left the candidates answering similar questions, but in one, the audience was largely residents, while the second focused on business owners. Nonresident candidate Paul Bauer said he heard similar questions at each debate, but it was vital to speak to both crowds to get his message out.
“You do get the same questions over and over,” Bauer said. “The audiences can interpret it differently.”
Both debates featured a question-and-answer session in which each candidate was given one minute to answer a question, with each candidate getting a chance to answer first one time. Both debates also featured questions from the audience.
“It’s really hard to form a decent formula in a minute, and it depends on where you are in the lineup so you don’t sound like a parrot,” said Commissioner Claire Walsh. She went through the same process last year while she was running.
The time was short to some, but others said that with six candidates, it would make for a long day if the time was longer.
“Maybe a minute and a half is enough,” Mayor Dell Tush said. “I don’t think anyone wants to hear a candidate get on their soapbox.”
Dewey Beach Civic League President David Main said the time limit works well and most of the issues have been talked about long before the forums.
“None of the questions were unexpected,” he said. “They have been on the table and they had enough time to think about them.”
The forums were sponsored by the Civic League and the Rehoboth Beach/Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce. The league focuses more on the residential aspects of Dewey, while the chamber forum is geared towards businesses. The league held its debate Aug. 18, a Saturday. Weekends are good for residential voters, but bad for business owners, who make most of their money on the weekends. So a second debate was held Thursday, Aug. 30.
“In the past we have had some of the forums as a cooperative effort and it worked out fine, but we decided that each of us wanted our own this year,” said Rob Marshall, a board member of both the civic league and the chamber, who moderated the second debate.
Both Main and Marshall said they received positive feedback from the candidates as well as people in attendance.
The controlled format allows the candidates to speak their minds, Main said. With the redevelopment of Ruddertowne being an explosive topic, Main added that it was important for all the candidates to have their say on the matter.
There has been a heated debate as the town faces two options: the 68-foot hotel/condo hybrid presented by Harvey, Hanna and Associates or the 48 townhouses proposed by Highway One.
“Some people were a little surprised that the tenor of the debate was as calm and controlled with these issues,” he said. “It allowed them to focus on the substance of the issues and not the emotions.”
Walsh said the bottom line is that each candidate gets a chance to speak to the public, and that makes it all worthwhile.
“I think it’s really nice of both of these groups to take the time and money to put that on consistently,” Walsh said. “To get the people out there and be heard is nice.”
Dewey Beach voters will head to the polls 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Lifesaving Station on Dagsworthy Avenue.
Contact Eddie Phillipps at eddiep@capegazette.com
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