Letter: Debate organizer promises fairness in Oct. 6th school board candidate forum

To the editor,

On October 6, 2022 at 6 p.m., the Nelson County America First PAC will be holding a Town Hall-style debate for the Nelson County School Board candidates.

While Ashley Hollingshead and Adam Gossom have publicly stated they will not attend the debate because they believe I am biased, we will insure them fairness. What we can’t insure against are hard questions from the public or the debate moderators.

Amanda Deaton, David Norman and Kelly Pulliam have graciously agreed to attend and put themselves out there for public questions.

This is an extremely important election for Nelson County taxpayers. With some projections of the merger construction going up to $100 million (taking into account inflation and other factors), there is a lot at stake in the school board races.

The goal of these debates are to get honest answers and let the voters decide. If candidates fail to attend that is simply a disservice — not just to their own campaigns, but to the voters as well.

As in the previous debates we put on for Judge-Executive and Magistrates, I will promise fairness and equal time. There will be seats for both Mrs. Hollingshead and Mr. Gossom if they change their mind.

The debate begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, at the Thomas Nelson High School auditorium. If Mr. Gossom and Mrs. Hollingshead have a scheduling conflict and would like another day the other candidates have agreed to make changes and be there on any day they are willing to debate. I encourage supporters of Hollingshead and Gossom to ask them to reconsider this opportunity to answer questions that voters have.

Don Thrasher
Nelson County America First PAC