EDITORIAL: Thanks to Coker, Center for Research for forum

Thanks are due Coker College and the Center for Research in Leadership and Community Development at Coker for sponsoring and hosting Tuesday night’s public forum for the candidates for mayor of Hartsville.

Hartsville radio station WHEZ 95.9 and The Messengercosponsored the event.

Clearly there is great interest in the race between Pam Sansbury and Mel Pennington to lead this city for the next four years as the forum was well attended.

Sansbury is a former member of Hartsville City Council and the former finance director for the city. Pennington is a businessman and vice chairman of the Hartsville Planning Commission. Both are well qualified for the job, and both care deeply about Hartsville and its future.

Tuesday’s forum, moderated by Coker Professor Dr. Jim Lemke, director of the Center for Research in Leadership and Community Development, saw some thoughtful questions, including questions submitted by audience members, and some thoughtful and sincere responses from the candidates on a wide variety of issues.

Not many communities this size enjoy the resources afforded us by Coker College. Tuesday’s event was just one example of how the college contributes to Hartsville’s civic life.

Dr. Robert Wyatt, Coker College’s new president, said he wants to integrate Coker more deeply into the day-to-day life of the city and strengthen the relationship between the college and the community. He also said the decision to host the forum was a part of that effort.

Coker has a vested interest in Hartsville and its future, just as Hartsville has an abiding interest in Coker’s future. So of course the college has an interest in doing what it can to help ensure that voters make informed decisions.

As Dr. Wyatt said in his introductory remarks at the forum: “As Hartsville goes, so goes Coker College.”

Let’s hope that whoever is elected on Nov. 3 shares that view and works to build on that relationship.

Jim Faile is the editorial page editor for The Messenger and can be reached by phone at (843) 332-6545 ext. 14 or by e-mail at .