The Independent Advisory Association hosts its first of two Sequim city council forums next week.
The first event begins at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1, in the city council chambers at the Sequim Civic Center, 152 W. Cedar St. The second event is scheduled for the same time on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
Up for the five open seats are: city council Position 2: Sarah Kincaid, incumbent, Kathy Downer; Position 3: Mike Pence, incumbent, Vicki Lowe; Position 4: Rachel Anderson, incumbent, Daryl Ness; Position 5: Brandon Janisse, incumbent, Patrick Day; Position 6: Keith Larkin, incumbent, Lowell Rathbun.
So far, only one race, position 5, Janisse and Day, has both candidates tentatively scheduled to appear on Sept. 1.
Anderson, Downer, Lowe and Rathbun declined to participate for various reasons stated below.
On the association’s website, Kincaid, Pence, Ness, Day and Larkin are listed under “Our Candidates.”
Rathbun said he declined the invite because he believes the forums will unfairly highlight the association’s endorsed candidates, and that there is “little or no chance of being impartial or non-partisan.”
“I have no confidence that (Hall) and his group will not manipulate the ‘forum’ in a manner that will make his candidates look favorable and their opponents look bad,” he wrote. “I do not want to be a party to events which I believe are not being conducted in good faith toward the public.”
Lowe also declined, saying she intends to participate in a League of Women Voters forum because “they are a trusted organization in our community.”
Anderson said she is not going to attend because there isn’t a virtual option for people unable to participate in-person due to the pandemic, and she doesn’t believe the group is “independent.”
“It’s two men that hold leadership roles within the Clallam County Republican Party, so it’s far from independent in my eyes,” she said.
Donnie Hall, one of the association’s founding principals, said he had a conversation with Downer and she declined to come because she preferred a debate over a forum format.
He said several people turned down being the forums’ moderator, so he will take on the role too.
“We hope as a result of the September 1 forum, some of the people who declined to come will participate on October 14,” Hall said.
His plan was to send out questions for candidates on Tuesday, at least one week prior to the first forum so there aren’t any “gotchas,” he said.
A few of the questions, Hall said he intends to ask are: “What would you do to improve the quality/timeliness of emergency health care in Sequim?” “What are the lessons City Council should take away from the Medication-Assisted Treatment Clinic controversy?” “What do you propose to do to improve the transparency of government operations in the City of Sequim?”
Logistics
At the forums, Hall said they will follow city/state guidelines and require masks inside unless speaking. Politicking is not allowed inside either, such as literature, demonstrations and/or T-shirts. Attendees will be limited to City of Sequim residents, too, Hall said.
The forums will not be virtual, he said, but attendees can record the events so long as not being disruptive.
Candidates’ opening statements and responses to questions will run 2-and-a-half minutes with 1 minute rebuttals and follow-ups.
Hall said in a press release that the moderator may ask followup questions if he feels answers are incomplete, but there will be no targeted questions at specific candidates or audience questions.
Ballots go out Oct. 13 for the Nov. 2 General Election
The Independent Advisory Association was founded by Hall and Jim McEntire with more information at restore clallam.com.
