The North East Vienna Citizens Association (NEVCA) has a tradition of hosting a candidate forum for Vienna Town Council candidates. They don’t hold this when candidates are unopposed. But this year, with three contested Town Council seats, I have been assured that, in fact, NEVCA will hold a candidate forum in April 2019.
And if I can ever figure out when and where, I’ll let you know. Because, as with so much that goes on in the Town of Vienna, it looks like you just have to know the right people, or know exactly the right place to look, in order to know what’s happening.
I have been diligently making audio recordings of Town of Vienna public meetings so that anyone can hear what goes on. For each such meeting, I provide a recording and index available via public link on Google Drive. But that’s not going to happen with the NEVCA candidate forum. Shelley Ebert, of viennavotes.com, asked for permission to tape it, and was denied. Nor will NEVCA itself tape it and make that available. If you want to hear what the candidates have to say, you’ll have to show up in person. If you can figure out where they are holding it. And when.
I’m having a hard time figuring this out. Bear with me.
Obviously, the place to start is NEVCA’s website. That’s located here. If there is any mention of the 2019 candidate forum on that website, I have not been able to find it. NEVCA has a Facebook page, located here. Again, no mention of this. When I click on the events link, all I get is the information that there are no upcoming events.
Well, OK. I have heard this is going the be held either at the Fire Station or the Community Center. Checked the VVFD web page and Facebook page — no mention of it. (But Taste of Vienna is coming up soon.) Went to the Town of Vienna website. No mention on the Vienna Town Calendar. I searched for them on the Community Center activities calendar — no go.
Hmm. Resorted to Google, and finally found a notice, posted not by NEVCA, but by Councilman Howard Springsteen, at this location. And that plainly states the date (Thursday April 11) and location (Vienna Volunteer Fire Department). But it gives the start time as 6 PM.
Based on a tip from an associate, I found the following notice at the bottom of Page 9 of the April edition of the Town of Vienna Newsletter (.pdf)., where it is listed for: 7-9:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11 at the Vienna VFD.
So I’m going to have to accept that as my best guess.
NEVCA candidate forum:
Thursday, April 11, 7:00 – 9:30 PM
At the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department.
Honestly, even though this is open to the public, you’d almost think they didn’t want people to attend. Please show up if you want to hear what the candidates have to say.