FAYETTEVILLE -- A mayoral forum went on as scheduled Wednesday night despite the absence of the incumbent candidate and the hosts having to cancel hours beforehand.
RELATED ARTICLES
http://www.arkansas…">Obama casts Comey letter as like a 'leak' http://www.arkansas…">Poll shows Trump lead big in state http://www.arkansas…">Voter-roll purge in N.C. 'insane,' U.S. judge says http://www.arkansas…">3 file lawsuit, cite confusion at state's polls http://www.arkansas…">ACLU again seeks voter-roll data http://www.arkansas…">Election commissioner in PB accused of voter intimidation http://www.arkansas…">Commissioners approve cell-use policy after national ballot-selfie hubbub http://www.arkansas…">Fayetteville candidates report campaign contributions, expenses
The Fayetteville High School Young Democrats and Young Republicans on Oct. 27 announced their intention to host a forum for the city's mayoral candidates at the University of Arkansas' Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences Building. Developer Tom Terminella and former Wal-Mart employee Ron Baucom committed, but Mayor Lioneld Jordan had previous campaign engagements.
The club representatives, both 17, said they finalized the time and location about two weeks before the forum and contacted the candidates.
Jordan said he couldn't back out of his previous commitments but offered to send a representative, Stephen Smith, in his place. Initially, the students were going to allow Smith to provide opening and closing remarks but not answer questions.
Jordan said he filled his schedule for the days following the start of early voting Oct. 24.
"It's not that I don't want to do it, but from now until next Tuesday I can't tell you how full it is," he said.
About 5 p.m. Wednesday, one of the students notified media they received notice from the high school they had to cancel the event because all three candidates wouldn't be there.
In the afternoon Smith posted to Facebook a timeline of the exchange between him and one of the students. In it he posted an image of a woman kicking a man in the rear end.
"Needless to say, I am disappointed that I will not have the opportunity to represent Mayor Jordan in the 'forum' or even be allowed to give opening and closing remarks," Smith posted. "It will surely be 'fair and balanced.'"
Members of the university's Young Democrats and Republicans clubs served as moderators instead. About 40 people attended.
Terminella and Baucom opened the forum with statements from questions the high school students submitted. The two largely agreed on most points.
The forum became testy at times during the question-and-answer portion. Audience members went back and forth among themselves after a question about the city's civil rights referendum which voters approved last year.
The question was whether the candidates would seek to repeal the ordinance if elected.
"I don't think there should be special classes or special laws. Period," Terminella said.
Baucom said he wasn't aware of discrimination before the referendum and enforcing it could lead to "further misuse of the taxpayers' dollars."
Terminella asked why Jordan hadn't attended the forum. A woman in the audience spoke and said he had previous commitments.
Young people who wanted to become involved in local politics set up the event and Jordan could have made time instead of campaigning, Baucom said.
Baucom characterized Smith's comments as bullying. Terminella said Smith had a history of being belligerent and had wanted the forum canceled.
"I actually feel sorry for that man," Terminella said. "I pity him."
The mother of the student in question spoke during the forum and said high school administration instructed the students to cancel the event late in the afternoon.
NW News on 11/03/2016