The League of Women Voters of Manatee County scheduled a candidate forum for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach.
The event originally was planned to provide an opportunity for four candidates in two races in the Nov. 3 election — mayor and city commissioner — to discuss the issues facing the city. However, Rosalie Shaffer, league president, announced in a Sept. 16 email that Bradenton Beach Mayor Jack Clarke declined to participate.
His opponent, former Mayor Bill Shearon, is still invited to attend, Schaffer said. But the only discussion by candidates will involve incumbent Ward 3 Commissioner Janie Robertson and her opponent, political newcomer Ralph Cole.
“I’m just really disappointed,” Shearon said. “He doesn’t care to discuss the issues.”
Shaffer talked to Clarke Sept. 16 by phone. She said he agreed to participate in a future election debate, if he wins re-election. But, she said, he told her the issues in the city have not changed much in the past few months and saw no need for a forum.
The Islander received no response to efforts to reach Clarke.
“That’s a very incorrect statement,” Shearon said. “We don’t have a finance department. The new city clerk is now supervising four department heads. He’s changed the way the city does business. He doesn’t want to expose these actions to the citizens.”
Clarke and Shearon faced off in a candidate forum May 6, before the May 19 mayoral recall election. Clarke defeated Shearon by 13 votes.
For information on the BB and Anna Maria November elections, see pages 8-9.