Fortenberry Sits Out Debate, Citing Moderator's City Connections

Tuscaloosa AL

22 February, 2021

9:09 PM

Description

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A local nonprofit hosted the second mayoral debate in the run-up to the March 2 Tuscaloosa municipal election, but only two of the three candidates were in attendance. The debate saw incumbent Mayor Walt Maddox and former Alabama football player, radio personality and pastor Martin Houston take on issues. However, the event started on a passionate note from the debate's moderator — Ransey Odaniel, the president of 10-4 Corporation. Click here to subscribe to our daily email newsletters and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices for free. You can also support local journalism by donating as little as $5 a month to become a supporting member or by downloading our free Patch mobile app. Odaniel said he reached out to mayoral candidate and University of Alabama faculty member Serena Fortenberry to invite her to participate. Fortenberry, who participated in the first debate on WVUA 23 last Thursday, would decline and provided her reasons why. In her response, Fortenberry told Odaniel she could not view him as a neutral moderator due to his vocal support of Maddox on social media and his organization's past work for the city of Tuscaloosa. Click here to watch the full debate. "When Mr. Odaniel asked me to participate in a debate several weeks ago, I told him that I would participate in a debate if there were a neutral moderator," Fortenberry told Patch following Monday's debate. "He then told me he would be the moderator. At that time he was publicly vocally supporting Walt Maddox for mayor on Maddox's Facebook page. I told him that because of that, and because of his $10,000 contract with the city to provide diversity training for TPD last summer, which Maddox wished to award to his company without issuing an RFP or considering other applicants, I could not consider him a neutral moderator." Odaniel read Fortenberry's initial invitation response to begin the debate, then followed with his own, citing his integrity and ability to be impartial, while also acknowledging that the nonprofit had indeed been contracted with the city for the TPD training. The nonprofit, 10-4 Corporation, describes itself as a human rights organization that focuses on racial reconciliation through addressing issues specific to race within the Tuscaloosa community and beyond. In August, the Tuscaloosa City Council unanimously approved a $7,200 contract for 10-4 Corporation to conduct the Tuscaloosa Police Department's Diversity Seminar Initiative. "I would never be partial to you or anyone ma'm, that was my response," Odaniel said during the debate. "Let me reiterate and articulate that the Tuscaloosa Police Department training was implemented from Chief [Brent] Blankley and me, it was his idea." Odaniel was candid in saying that after a large-scale peaceful protest against police violence in Tuscaloosa over the summer in the wake of the highly-publicized death of George Floyd, he and representatives from his organization met with Blankley, Assistant Chief Steve Rice and Deputy Chief of Community Policing Sebo Sanders to discuss the training program, before 10-4 was eventually selected over two other organizations. "However, Mayor Walt Maddox supported it whole-heartedly," Odaniel said of 10-4 Corporation handling the training after the contract was approved by the City Council. "He didn't implement it, but he did support it and that's enough of that right there." Tuscaloosa's mayoral election and other municipal races will be held on March 2, with polls opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 7 p.m. April 13 is set aside in the event of a potential runoff. Follow Patch here for updates or on Facebook and Twitter.