The anti levy group in Berkeley Springs knows one way communication.
They are constantly writing letters to the editor against the school levy. (The levy will be on the May 13 Morgan County primary ballot.)
They will soon flood the county with anti-levy yard signs.
And just last week, they put up four large blazing yellow billboards — two on Rt. 9 and two on US 522 — that say “Vote Against the Levies, Save Tax $.”
Last month, Jeannie Ford, wife of Morgan County Commissioner Bob Ford, and leader of the group Citizens Against the Levy, finally agreed to engage in two way communications. (Bob Ford was against the levy last year when it went down to defeat 56 percent (1,672) to 44 percent (1,323).)
Jeannie Ford agreed to a debate someone from the pro-levy group.
The South Morgan Fire Hall was secured for April 2 at 7 pm.
The debate would be sponsored by Morgan County USA.
The pro-levy group, Morgan County Citizens for Successful Schools, put up local attorney Margaret Gordon to debate Ford.
Then, earlier this week, Ford started to back out.
Ford started out saying that the reason should couldn’t debate was she was too busy running her business, Bob’s Big Beef.
“I can’t do it in April,” Ford said. “I’m busy as hell come April 1. I’ve got a lot of caterings here in April.”
Ford then said she will try and see if anyone else in her group will debate.
She calls back.
“Nobody wants to debate,” she says.
Ford said she checked with Eric Pritchard and he wouldn’t do it.
Ford said she checked with Frieda Ickes and “she’s not that excited about it.”
What about Brooks McCumbee?
“No, I don’t want Brooks doing it,” Ford said.
Will your husband, Commissioner Bob Ford, debate?
“No, he don’t want nothing to do with the levy,” Jeannie Ford says.
Why did Jeannie Ford agree to a debate and then back out?
As it turns out, it wasn’t just about her busy schedule running Bob’s Big Beef.
“I would debate if it would have been with a school board member,” Ford finally says. “But I’m not doing it with Margaret Gordon. Absolutely not.”
“I’m not going to debate Margaret Gordon,” Ford says. “What does she know?”
Well, Margaret Gordon is with the pro-levy group, and the group said she is the person who will debate.
“I don’t care about her group,” Ford says. “I care about somebody who knows answers. Every time I go to the school board and ask for answers, they don’t know nothing.”
Well, then why will they know something during the debate?
After a few minutes, it’s clear that Ford’s answer that she’s too busy with Bob’s Big Beef doesn’t hold water.
She just doesn’t want to debate Margaret Gordon.
“I will debate somebody from the school board,” Ford says matter of factly.