OneSudbury debate invitation

I and other candidates for Board of Selectmen have been invited by Michael Troiano, founder of OneSudbury, to join a debate sponsored by the OneSudbury group.  Mr. Troiano will moderate the debate.  I am declining because I view it as a political event designed to highlight their candidates, at my expense. It is not intended to be a non-partisan debate such as the one hosted recently by the League of Women Voters.  OneSudbury is not an apolitical, independent source of information on the campaign and the candidates.  By their own admission they are an advocacy group with a mission to fill the two new openings on the Board of Selectmen with candidates who support their views.  When Mr. Troiano created OneSudbury group he made the following statement:  "Now the time has come to choose the individual candidates who will help us take the next step in that direction. . . .I've created a new "One Sudbury" group right here on Facebook, and I'd ask those of you who are ready to get behind a specific slate of candidates focused on effecting change in the way this town is run to join those of us who are already there right now."  Mr. Troiano has organized the fundraising for one of the Board of Selectmen candidates and he has campaign signs on his lawn for that candidate and one other.  That is certainly his right but in so doing I cannot accept him as the “impartial” moderator or his group as the “impartial” sponsor of a debate.  By their own publications they cannot be considered a non-partisan group and legitimate media should not be participating as if they are.  I would be happy to participate in other debates prior to the election providing that the sponsors and moderators were truly non-partisan as was the case with the LWV debate.

Chuck Woodard

32 Old Framingham Road