Dunwoody Controversy Bubbles up Over Cancelled Debates

Two cancelled City Council candidate forums that were to be moderated by the Dekalb League of Women Voters have created a stir in Dunwoody.

Belinda Pedroso, president of the Dekalb League of Women Voters was scheduled to moderate a debate on Thursday [Oct. 3] and Oct. 10 at Dunwoody Baptist Church.

Posts on the Save Dunwoody website, a grass roots civic group, state that cyclist Joe Seconder is the reason for the cancellations. 

Calls to Pedroso were not returned, however, Patch obtained an email, sent Tuesday, from Pedroso to Tea Party Leader Norb Leahy and Seconder, who is also an environmentalist activist, explaining the following:

Recent activities by Dunwoody residents have demonstrated that certain members of the community vehemently object to the League moderating these candidate forums. These protests have caused considerable confusion and only serve to mar the LWVDK’s reputation as an impartial moderator. It is unfortunate because only the community is being deprived of hearing all candidates’ views represented.

The LWVDK is a non-partisan, grass roots organization who mission is to promote voter education and voter service. We conduct, moderate and participate in voter education forums to promote a non-partisan venue for citizen education. While we respect an organization’s personal and political beliefs, we believe that these issues should not bleed over into an impartial forum. Nor does the League “endorse” a candidate seeking political office. Our recent experiences with planning the Dunwoody forums lead us to believe that the LWVDK is being pulled into a local community dispute. We do not want our presence at a voter education forum to be misinterpreted as engaging in this dispute. 

We wish you well with your candidate forums in the City of Dunwoody.

Last week, blogger Dunwoody Farmer Bob titled a post, “You know when a group is desperate when they rig their own Candidate Forums.”    

Bob’s post said that the “Clean Sweep Candidates” believed the debate questions were being leaked to the incumbents candidates. Patch has also heard the opposite viewpoint suggesting pre-prepared written questions benefitted the first time candidates.

In any event, Seconder has been caught in the crosshairs, in website, Twitter and Facebook posts.

Give us you take on the political tone in Dunwoody, considering the impasse in Washington, D.C. and the shutdown of the federal government. 

See also:  

If Elected Heyward Wescott Says He Would Encourage More Public Input

'Clean Sweep Candidates' Take on Roadwork and Intersection Improvements

The 'Clean Sweep Candidates' Want to Shake-up Dunwoody City Council