Blame it on a toothache.
One of five candidates vying for three seats on Cape Canaveral’s City Council did not attend this evening’s Candidate Meet & Greet event held at the Radisson Hotel in Cape Canaveral.
When Madam Pro Tem still hadn’t shown up after 15 minutes beyond the 5 p.m. start time, our perplexed host/event organizer polled the candidates who were there to ask if we should nevertheless get underway.
Given that we four of the five were there well in advance of 5pm and had our campaign literature ready and waiting for the tardy candidate, we gave her grace for a few minutes, but when the clock showed 15 minutes past start time, we moved forward without her.
“A toothache.” “A tooth pulled.” “A swollen mouth.”
That was the reason we were told by one of her supporters who stepped to the microphone and advised attendees that though Madam Pro Tem was unable to talk, she would still available to take your call, and would be happy to discuss concerns. All that, despite a swollen “mouf.”
Who schedules a visit to the dentist for a tooth pull on the day of a Candidate Meet and Greet? Someone who is suffering from a toothache? A swollen mouth, or fear of confrontation? After all, she is being accused of violating a state statute that prevents her from discussing city business with other candidates outside of a public meeting. Could that be the reason she was a “no-show.”
Who knows?
But it didn’t go unnoticed that Madam Pro Tem’s no-show did not include the courtesy of alerting the event organizer that she would not be attending, much less the courtesy to urge the proceedings to go on without her.
Guess her “mouf” was too sore…
A sincere thanks to the following for helping us make this Candidate event possible.
They are:
Bob Baugher Founder, Baugher Hotel Group
Debbie Knight, General Manager, Radisson at the Port
Jennifer Torres, Catering and Sales Manager, Radisson at the Port, who lent us her personal sound equipment
And Tania and her team who led the Jamaica room set up and provided refreshments.
Andrea King for City Council!
My remarks to the gathered assembly:
My Message to the Cape Canaveral Voters
Looking ahead, Cape Canaveral needs visionaries on the council—not bureaucrats. We must act, not merely react.
We need the foresight to seize opportunities that put us on equal footing with the Port and Spaceport, rather than remaining a stepchild or staging area for the exploding cruise and space industries.
Appointed to council last December, I have seen our City face tremendous challenges.
My goal has been to keep Cape Canaveral sustainable without damaging its structure or reputation.
We must stop reacting with uncertainty and fear of past mistakes.
Earlier councils acted on the best information they had, yet sometimes overlooked long-term costs.
This council has swung too far the other way—overly cautious and often paralyzed. Neither extreme serves us well.
We should listen to the wisdom of our professional advisors, the City Attorney and the City Manager.
I deeply appreciate our dedicated employees, many of whom juggle three, four, or five roles after financial setbacks and the layoff of 2/3 of our City workforce.
Thank you to our citizen volunteers serving on committees and making our community better.
Just as visionaries launch humanity toward the moon, Mars, and beyond, we must live up to our heritage as the birthplace of the space program. Let us invite and embrace those who share a bold vision for Cape Canaveral’s potential.
Why am I willing to serve? There are days I ask myself the same—especially during those long five- and six-hour meetings that frustrate citizens and council alike.
That chronic paralysis is our weakness, as seen recently with the Brevard Cultural Alliance’s proposal for the CAPE Center.
As my friend Lynda Weatherman of the Economic Development Council has said so well: Our little city is known the world over. We have something no one else can claim—our name. We are Cape Canaveral.
Let’s show the world how we shine. Thank you for your support. I appreciate your vote.
Andrea King for Cape Canaveral City Council
