A field of strong women candidates for seats on the GRF Board of Directors out shined the apathy or arrogance of those candidates who chose not to show up for the 2nd Annual Town Hall Candidates Forum held in Leisure World’s Clubhouse Two on Monday, April 23.
Mike Supple was the only full-term incumbent and the only male candidate to participate in the forum. Ronde Winkler, the GRF representative for Mutual Ten just recently installed to fill the GRF Board vacancy created by the death of George Early, also participated.
Incumbents Mary Milhone of Mutual Two, Clarence Fuqua of Mutual Eight, and Tim Bolton of Mutual 16 did not attend. Bolton gave notice that he had “other things to do.” Neither Fuqua nor Milhone provided any notice or explanation for their failure to attend the candidate forum.
The seven candidates who were on hand ably presented themselves to an attentive audience of about 150 Leisure World shareholders.
Many attendees of the event expressed negative impressions toward the no-show candidates. The common sentiment was to the effect that if a candidate for the GRF Board is too self-important to accept an opportunity to face voters, that person may also be aloof from interacting with constituents on issues of importance to shareholders.
The “Town Hall” meeting was co-sponsored by the Concerned Shareholders of Leisure World, the Leisure World GOP Club, We The People Club, and Where We Live Club. John Harper of Mutual Five served as the moderator of the forum, and Martha Destra of Mutual Fourteen coordinated the submission of questions directed to the candidates from shareholders.
Each candidate was allotted four minutes to present their background and platform. Moderator John Harper then asked the same question of each of the seven candidates. Their answers were generally well received by an enthusiastic audience.
