One of the most used words during this year’s Biddeford election cycle is the word “Transparency”
It has a nice ring to it, and it sounds very noble when used by political candidates hoping to curry favor with disgruntled voters. I mean, really – – who is opposed to more transparency in local government?
That’s why I was a bit stunned when I stumbled upon a planned “candidates’ open house” on Facebook.
The post comes from the campaign page of Abigail Woods, the political newcomer who is taking on John McCurry in the battle for the Ward Two city council seat.
According to information publicly shared by Woods, she and at-large city council candidate Nasreen A Sheikh-Yousef are hosting their own “open house” event on Sunday, Oct. 12.
They didn’t send out a press release, and they also declined to provide the location of this forum, telling those who may be interested that they were required to RSVP before organizers would provide the location of their somewhat secretive meeting.
I find this event to be soaking wet in irony. Two of the most vocal and ardent supporters of increased public participation and transparency in political affairs, don’t want the public to know where they are holding their event.
What happens if they win their respective elections?
Will we now need to RSVP if we want to attend a city council meeting? Will members of the press need a secret decoder ring in order to provide news coverage for Biddeford residents?
I’ll chalk this mistake up to inexperience, but people who want the public trust really should be at a place where they can trust the public.
The last thing Biddeford needs from its elected leaders is more secrecy. It’s just not a good look, especially if you’re going to demand transparency from others.
NOTE: An earlier version of this story misspelled the last name of Nasreen A Sheikh-Yousef. We apologize for the error.
____________
Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com
c.) 2025 All Rights Reserved
Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!
THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE 