The Mayoral Debate of Deltona, Who’s on Third
By: Maynard Joseph Deltona, FL (July 16, 2010) -The desire to hold a debate for Deltona’s Mayoral candidates has turned into an Abbot and Costello script of who’s on first, what’s on second with I don’t know about third, quickly followed by an episode of Whose Line is it and ending with Father Knows Best.
The call went out from a self-anointed political activist, and ardent supporter of David Santiago, to hold a mayoral candidates debate for the upcoming 2010 Deltona election. Shortly after the initial challenge, candidate Santiago was the first to respond within minutes. Thereafter, both other mayoral candidates Robert Desmond and John Masiarczyk agreed to participate. Like all well planned events, this debate had no scheduled date, no location or anyone that would actually host or sponsor the event, no rules or guidelines.
Fade in the Abbot and Costello script -
No one is certain how it transpired, but suddenly it was decided that the Deltona mayoral debate, which now is being called a forum, would be hosted by the Republican Club of SW Volusia on July 20, 2010 in DeBary. Quite strange and mysterious why Deltona debates would be held in DeBary. The president of the Republican club shortly thereafter announced that the debate had been canceled. Shortly thereafter, an email from Cindy Carson, Secretary of the Republican Club of Southwest Volusia surfaced indicating, “As Secretary of the Republican Club of Southwest Volusia, I hereby notify all members that the CANDIDATE FORUM is happening! This is a corrective email in regard to the previous, erroneous notice that the Forum was cancelled.”
However, yet another email was sent from Tim Ready, President of the Republican Club of Southwest Volusia, stating as follows. “Let it be known to all that the Republican Club of Southwest Volusia (RCSWV) has not authorized nor is it the sponsor of any candidates event or any public or private forum.
Fade in – Whose Line is it –
Candidate, Robert Desmond, in an effort to understand the rules of this upcoming, on again off again debate discovers that the coordinator, Jamie Jessup, is not even a member of the RCSWV and therefore has no authority to answer any questions or speak on behalf of the club. Desmond was instructed to contact Deltona District 2 Commissioner, Herbert Zischkau, as he will introduce the candidates, manage the timer and recognize audience members for questions asked of candidates.
Furthermore, Carson also outlined that, “this is a RCSWV-sponsored event. No media will be allowed to participate or attend once we get under way.” Leaving many candidates uncertain as the media coverage, if any.
Queue up Father Knows Best –
During the June 21, 2010 regular Deltona commission meeting, Commissioner Zischkau brought forth a motion stating, “What the Ordinance would do is specifically prohibit the City Manager and City Attorney from participating in political activity.” The motion failed. The unanswered question however is how Commissioner Zischkau could justify such a motion, when he himself is politically involved to the level of being a moderator of a debate while wanting to limit the Charter Officers who in theory work for him? Zischkau is also a supporter of candidate Santiago that raises many questions of impartiality.
At this point, nobody is sure if there will be any sort of debate/forum in Deltona, or DeBary as the residents and electors try to figure out who is on first and how they got to second with players who are not members of the club that wants to keep the media away.
