Chamber’s Town Candidates Forum relatively calm – compared to what?

On Wednesday night, September 30, for the first time all candidates in the November Town election showed up at the same time, in the same place to answer questions and state their priorities if elected to either the mayor’s seat or one of three Front Royal Town Council spots on the line this year. That’s right, sports fans all 11 – three mayoral and eight council – candidates together, at least physically, likely for the only time in the run up to November 3^rd.

Responsible was the Front Royal-Warren County Chamber of Commerce, annual host of the event held in the main meeting room of the Warren County Government Center. Bryon Biggs served as moderator, with Niki Foster Cales and Tina Tolliver holding the flank.

Moderator Bryon Biggs sets the stage for Wednesday’s Chamber of Commerce Town Candidates Forum as from left, mayoral candidates James Favors, Mike McCool and Chris Holloway listen. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini – Royal Examiner Video by Mark Williams

And speaking of holding the flank, the evening’s lightest moment drawing considerable laughter, was independent council candidate Darryl Merchant’s closing comment commending the Chamber for its hosting of the event and his fellow candidates’ for their generally polite, non-adversarial tone “after that travesty last night” reference to the first presidential debate that left its moderator, FOX Sunday news anchor Chris Wallace scrambling to maintain order.

Wednesday evening’s only testy moment came during mayoral candidate Chris Holloway’s closing comments when he referenced rival Mike McCool’s ownership of this news outlet, among other gripes.

“People want change, well as for the Royal Examiner, every time you read the Royal Examiner it’s nothing but hate. The council seems like it can’t do anything right,” Holloway said.

Uh oh, are those two getting ready to take it ‘out back’ Favors to left, may be thinking as mayoral forum proceeds into final remarks.

That led Examiner publisher McCool to pull his one-time available red challenge card to respond. However, moderator Biggs informed the candidate that the challenge card was not usable during the closing comments portion of the forum, only during question-and-answers.

That led the two mayoral rivals to continue their conversation in the WCGC hallway during the break to the council portion of the forum. It appeared they agreed to disagree on the factual basis of Royal Examiner’s content, particularly as it applies to the town government.

But mayoral candidates McCool and Holloway only took it to the hallway and didn’t even need Gary Kushner, joining below, to referee as while remaining at odds, the candidates remained relatively cordial compared to the previous evening’s presidential duo.

That second, council portion of the forum was observed by only two of the three mayoral candidates, as Holloway was noticeably absent from sight for the forum of those seeking to join him for the next two years in town government. Holloway’s council seat is not up for re-election this year, so were he to lose the three-way mayor’s race he would retain his council seat for the next two years before facing re-election. Recent Frederick County transplant, but long-time Front Royal-Warren County visitor he noted, James Favors is the third mayoral candidate.

Rather than run the risk of being labeled the author of a “hate-filled” or slanted story on the forum – though it may be too late for that – I will simply recommend that readers go to the video to see both forum segments, first the mayor’s and then council’s and judge for yourself how the candidates did and what they had to say in response to the submitted questions, and why they deserve your vote whenever between now and November 3 you cast it. Those questions included ones on the Town’s relationship to the County and existing EDA and the pending creation of a second, unilateral, totally Town-funded EDA; the best path forward in Tourism marketing for this community; growth and water availability; how to approach road and other infrastructure needs; and the fate of the Confederate soldiers statue on the courthouse lawn.

The council candidates, from left, Josh Ingram, Scott Lloyd, Joseph McFadden, Betty Showers, Gene Tewalt, Bruce Rappaport, Lori Cockrell and Darryl Merchant.

Watch and judge for yourself as the candidates seeking to represent all the town’s citizens explain their perception on these and other issues and challenges facing the town government in coming years: