Candidate Fears Unfair Advantage

Mayoral candidate Al Snook’s allegations that Chamber of Commerce members might leak questions to their favorite candidates before a televised election forum next month has touched off a political row at City Hall.

Snook made his remarks during a meeting earlier this week after chamber officials discussed changing the format of the forum. In the past, all of the candidates were given an advance list of questions to be asked.

But this year, officials are considering keeping the questions secret from candidates until the night of the forum--a development that Snook says could lead to cheating. Snook said some chamber candidates might tip off their favorites to give them an unfair advantage over the rest of the field.

However, Brad Martin, the chamber’s chairman of government affairs, dismissed Snook’s comments Wednesday, saying that the chamber does not make endorsements in local races.

He said the chamber’s board would meet next week to determine the final forum format.

City Councilman Frank Kessler, who will oppose Snook in the mayor’s race, has no doubts about the format.

“I can’t believe the chamber would stoop that low to give questions to the candidates,” he said.

The candidates’ night forum for mayor is scheduled Oct. 19. The program for the 12 City Council hopefuls is scheduled Oct. 26. At the forums, each candidate will be asked to respond to a number of questions about city issues.

The programs will be taped and broadcast at various times on a local cable television stations until the election.

Snook, locked in a battle with incumbent City Councilmen Kessler, Mark Leyes and J. Tilman Williams, contends that the chamber has already tapped Leyes and City Council candidate Diane Donovan as its favorites.

Snook urged the City Council to opt for “honesty and integrity” by opposing the proposed new forum format.

But Leyes denounced Snook’s comments.

“This is very insulting, and the insinuation is quite offensive,” he said. “The integrity of the Chamber of Commerce is challenged.”

Mayor W.E. (Walt) Donovan, who twice told Snook to sit down as the dispute became heated, told him: “If you have a bone to pick, do it with the chamber.”

Snook said he preferred having the candidates field questions from residents on the night of the forum. But if the questions are to be produced by the chamber, he said, he wants all the candidates to get them in advance so everyone “will be on a level playing field.”

However, Martin said that when residents asked the questions at previous forums, the sessions lasted until 2 a.m. The change in format was made to control the time, he said.