Low Key Chamber of Commerce Meet and Greet Turns Controversial
Three candidates for public office in Putnam County were asked to re-give speeches during an Aug. 28 Putnam County Chamber of Commerce Meet and Greet for Candidates Forum.
Challenger Kevin McConville in the Sheriff’s race, along with District 9 Democratic candidate Bernie Kosberg, were cut off in the middle of their speeches and asked to start over, in which Kosberg was the only one to agree. Democratic challenger for Kent Supervisor Maureen Fleming was able to complete her original speech, but also agreed to give another one later in the night so it could be broadcast at later dates.
All three candidates were asked to make second speeches because the Chamber of Commerce perceived the first one as too negative, a tone the event was attempting to avoid.
An advertisement about the event said each candidate would get a three-minute period to “present themselves in a positive, non-confrontational manner to the business community and the press.”
“This is not meant to be a debate-style atmosphere,” the advertisement went on to read.
The McConville campaign released a statement after the event defending the candidate’s presentation.
“It’s unfortunate that the Chamber chose to cut Kevin off when he simply tried to contrast his positions with Don Smith’s fairy tales, made up crime stat and record of mismanagement,” a statement from the McConville campaign read.
Kosberg said he was stopped halfway through his speech, but said he never mentioned his candidate by name. In his prepared speech, Kosberg listed what he considers major problems in the county government, noting poor management decisions made by the county executive and her department heads and limited oversight by a “Republican-dominated Legislature.”
Kosberg is going up against Republican candidate Kevin Wright for the District 9 seat.
“I wasn’t attacking anybody, but I stopped,” Kosberg said. “I was all taken aback.”
“I thought what I was saying was really pretty interesting, especially to the business community,” Kosberg added.
Kosberg ended up giving another speech, extemporaneously, which would be put online at a later date.
Fleming was able to give her full speech, but was told if she wanted it to be put online, she had to give it again. While she was told beforehand she couldn’t be negative, Fleming makes the point that because she isn’t the incumbent in the race she would have to talk about her opponent’s record, current Kent Supervisor Katharine Doherty.
In her speech, Fleming mentioned multiple problems within the town government including her problem with a sewer plant treatment location and how money was being spent and distributed.
“I didn’t think I was being negative,” Fleming said. “I thought I was being factual. I hadn’t said anything that couldn’t be fact-checked.”
On Putnam’s Chamber of Commerce website, a statement reads that the Meet and Greet was “not a debate—rather it was designed to allow candidates to share ideas openly and focus on the important issues of the day, not politics.”
About 20 candidates spoke throughout the night, and Chamber of Commerce president Jennifer Maher said the forum was refreshing because it focused on the issues rather than a negative campaign platform.
“Ultimately everybody who attended our meet and greet will have leadership in our county, whether they win or they don’t win,” Maher said. “And our goal at the Chamber of Commerce is create as much teamwork amongst the leadership whether they are elected or not to create progress for the business community.”
