Commissioner candidates confront dueling debates on same night
The four Fayette County commissioner candidates have been invited to attend two separate debates in the same town on the same night.
The debates are being sponsored by the Fayette Patriots and the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, and both are scheduled for Thursday evening in different parts of Uniontown.
The Fayette Patriots debate will be held at the East End United Community Center, while the chamber debate will be held at the chamber office on Main Street.
David Show of the Fayette Patriots previously said his group’s debate would begin at 6:30 p.m., and it will be a “meet and greet” for the public to meet both county commissioner and Uniontown mayoral candidates.
That event is scheduled for broadcast on a local television station.
Show did not return requests for comment on Friday.
The chamber debate for commissioner candidates was initially scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
However, Muriel Nuttall, the chamber’s executive director, said Friday afternoon that she had made an offer to compromise and start the chamber debate at 7:30 p.m. if the Fayette Patriots debate starts at 6 p.m.
The four candidates seeking the three commissioner seats include Democratic incumbent Vincent Zapotosky; Republican incumbent Angela M. Zimmerlink; Democratic candidate Al Ambrosini and Republican candidate Dave Lohr.
Nuttall said she has confirmation from Zapotosky and Lohr and received confirmation from Zimmerlink that she will attend if the compromise is reached.
“We will run our event at 7:30 and it will be aired live on Fayette County TV (Atlantic Broadband Channel 77) and WMBS will be airing it live, as well,” Nuttall said.
Show previously said he had confirmations from Ambrosini and Zimmerlink for his event.
Initially, Ambrosini committed to attend the Fayette Patriots debate, but said Friday that he has been attempting to have the times changed so he and the other candidates can attend both forums.
Ambrosini said he keeps his commitments, so he will go to the Fayette Patriots debate, but also wants to attend the chamber debate. He noted that the two sites are only five minutes apart.
Ambrosini said upon learning of the chamber debate and realizing he couldn’t attend both, he spoke with the organizers of the two events, and “started the mediation ball rolling” to see if the starting times could be altered.
“I am doing everything I can to mediate. I think it is important for as many people in all parts of the county to either see or hear the debate,” Ambrosini said. “I think we can do it if the parties are willing to compromise.”
Zapotosky said he initially committed to go to the chamber debate, but would attend the Fayette Patriots debate if time allows.
“I will do my best but I will not miss the chamber debate,” Zapotosky said.
Zapotosky added that he has yet to speak with anyone from the Fayette Patriots and only received information at his office in the courthouse.
Zimmerlink did not respond to a request for comment and Lohr did not return a phone call seeking comment.