Barge Under the Gun

At last night's forum, unfortunately I picked #1 position out of the hat. My answer was "I will refrain from answering until I am elected to review the policies." When the question was asked I started thinking "how in the world do you answer this in 60 seconds!" After watching our current administration and council not conforming to their own policies I found it rather amusing to answer this in 60 seconds and stumbled on my answer. I apologize to all the citizens and MiddletownUSA. AND YES nerves got me at first. !!!!  But put yourself under that gun without being groomed. I shot from the hip and then ran with it.

smartman

Gary,

Gary,

I was at the forum and couldn't believe the time they gave you candidates to answer complex questions with multiple topics included. The one question that was asked was asinine to say the least. The question "What qualifies you to manage a $100 million dollar budget and how would you go about it" or something to that affect. Ridiculous question!!!!!! No one in that room- no one but the Procter & Gamble/major corporate CEO would be "qualified" to manage and run a $100 million dollar budget!!!! Whoever decided to use that question was way out of line.

Gary- don't worry about it. You did fine as the forum went along. No one, including Armbruster and Marconi felt they had enough time to answer the questions satisfactorily. The forum was handled poorly from a time perspective. I would have rather seen the audience be allowed to write their own questions, walk up to the podium, face the candidates and point blank ask the same question to each candidate and give that candidate at least 4 minutes to think and answer the question. These questions should have never come from a pre-selected panel because the questions asked may not have been the ones that are of interest to the majority of the citizens. Again, an attempt by the city to control the process without the citizen's input. This is the very reason why all incumbants, Gilleland and certain identified problem children need to be removed from their positions. Control of/non-participation of the general public must be stopped.

Presentation definitely matters.

I was at the debate or whatever you want to call it. I noticed something that no one has mentioned. Greg Pratt as we all know is a supporter of Mr. Armbruster and was on the panel. That alone is something we should be discussing. But at the start of the meeting it was said that names had been drawn to decide who would ask the first question  and to which candidate it would go too. I found it funny that the Greg asked the first question to the man (Gary)who is running against the man (Armbruster) that he supports. What are the odds? Not only that the first question was a tough one that any one that has not served on council could not give a adequate answers. 

I think Gary needs some work speaking, but as many have said that will come with time. This city needs a change, some new ideas and I think most of us agree that the current council has done nothing to save this town. I will be voting for Gary.

Wasteful--no one is a born speaker.

Mr. Gary Barge
I thought your interview with the Middletown Journal was excellent.
http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/election/candidate-brings-persistence-to-council-table-338836.html