Scheduling Snafu Spoils Monroe's First Selectman's Debate

Candidates traditionally trade jabs on issues leading up to Election Day, but the electorate always looks forward to seeing the top of the tickets going toe-to-toe in a debate. The League of Women Voters hosts Monroe's first selectman's debate, an event where members of the public can ask questions about the issues they care about ... but it won't happen this year.

After both candidates, First Selectman Steve Vavrek, the incumbent Republican, and his Democratic Party challenger Dan Hunsberger, agreed to square off in a televised debate at Masuk High School on Oct. 17, a scheduling conflict nixed those plans.

The Monroe Economic Development Commission's annual Monroe Means Business event is on the same night.

"It's unfortunate that the dates didn't work out," Vavrek said Wednesday. "They had given us the list of dates and Dan and I chose this one, and it was the same day as Monroe Means Business — unbeknownst to me. And Dan's campaign manager came to me and said he wanted to be at Monroe Means Business, so did I. We both threw out dates and unfortunately nothing worked out."

Vavrek said he sometimes double and triple books events and meetings.

Myrna Mills Albino, who organized Monroe's debate for the League of Women Voters, shared the email exchanges to show how the debate fell through. In an email to Albino on Sept. 23, Vavrek wrote: "When I agreed to the LWV debate date, I forgot that our EDC Monroe Means Business event is the same night."

"We had confirmations from both candidates that October 17th was acceptable," Albino said Wednesday. "We had videographers. It was fairly late after Monroe Means Business was scheduled that we heard there was a conflict. Steve Vavrek said he could do the 22nd and 23rd, but we already had conflicts with other scheduled debates. He could only give us two dates. Dan said any time, anywhere, he would make himself available."

On Sept. 24, Albino emailed the first selectman letting him know that Hunsberger was agreeable to starting the debate at 6:30 or 7 p.m. to allow both time to get to Monroe Means Business afterward.

Vavrek responded: 

The October 17th date is off. As the mmb event starts at 6:30, as FS, even when we had a EDC Director I was asked to be there from the beginning to greet vendors and attendees, to network and intro people and then give a welcome speech. As EDC director and First Selectman my job must take precedent over politics.

Reached for comment on Wednesday afternoon Hunsberger said, "I appreciate the League of Women Voters attempting to schedule a debate. I think it's critical and fundamental to the election process that citizens get to meet the candidates and ask questions of the candidates and get to know them on a more personal level. It's done across the country hundreds of times a year. It's always been done in Monroe as far as I know. Steve debated against Phyllis Kansky. He debated against Tom Buzi. 

"His excuse, to me, epitomizes why he should not be in office. Steve is a nice guy, but he is not a leader."

Hunsberger said Vavrek's talking about growing business in town being a priority, then forgetting the date for Monroe Means Business does not add up.

"If he was so in tune with governing and leading the town, there would be no question he would remember it," Hunsberger said. "If that's the way he comprehends things, then how can we trust him with more complex things than a date. I think the bottom line is he doesn't want a debate and didn't want a debate, and when he was cornered he made an excuse that no dates would work at all. I said, 'Any time. Anywhere.'

"You're gonna tell me he's so busy that he doesn't have time to give the public an hour for a debate?"

On Wednesday, Vavrek said he did not try to avoid facing Hunsberger in a televised debate.

"I've never ducked anybody," he said. "I'm working this job 24/7. Numerous times people ask questions and they know where I am. I answer questions 24/7. There is no excuse. The dates did not work. I'm busy with my town events and my campaign and town business. Unfortunately the dates didn't work.

"Of course there's disappointment, but the voters ... know who I am. Of course by now they know what I've done and will continue to do."

'Horribly Disappointed'

Members the LWV expressed disappointment that Monroe won't have a debate this election year. 

"I am horribly disappointed," said Jean Rabinow, who had moderated several Monroe debates over the years. "It's one of the few things the league can do for the community and to not be able to do it, I find very frustrating. It's one of the few things you can do to give both candidates a level playing field. We work very hard to make sure the debates are very fair and impartial — and it's killing me that we aren't able to do it."

Albino said in her 15 years of living in Monroe, she can't remember a municipal election in which there wasn't a League of Women Voters debate for the first selectman candidates.

"People really look forward to those," she said. "I do feel we let the public down. The school was very accommodating and student volunteers were available to tape the debate. It does take some effort to line this up, so when someone forgets about another commitment it makes it difficult for us, especially late in the game."

Pizza & Politics

There is still one chance to see Vavrek and Hunsberger answering questions side-by-side. The Monroe Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Pizza & Politics event at Roberto’s Restaurant, 505 Main Street, on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m.

It costs $20 to attend and the evening includes pizza, salad, soda and coffee. Registration can be done online by Oct. 21. 

Hunsberger also wants voters to know that he and fellow candidates from the Democratic Party slate reserved space at Edith Wheeler Memorial Library for a meet the candidates event on Nov. 3 (The only date that was available, according to Hunsberger) from 2 to 4 p.m.