Hi! I’m Scott Fybush, a resident of Brighton for most of my 53 years and a recovering journalist.

After more than three decades in the local news business in Boston and here in Rochester, I’m spending most of my time these days as a radio industry consultant and engineer.

I’m also still engaged with what’s happening in my hometown, though. And after all those years in the news business, I’m deeply worried about what’s missing right now in so many places, including Brighton.

There’s no reporter or newsroom covering Brighton politics as a regular beat. The old Brighton-Pittsford Post is long gone, the Democrat & Chronicle provides only very occasional coverage, and the local TV and radio stations try to do their best, but they’re often understaffed and overwhelmed.

That’s bad news (literally and figuratively) at a time when so much is at stake in our town and in the wider world around us. If you’re a registered Democrat in Brighton, you have an opportunity this June to choose among three candidates for two slots on the November general election.

Here’s where I think I can come in.

In a news desert, all of us who want to be informed voters need more information. So I invited all three candidates to come to my dining room table and sit down for an hour-long conversation to hear about their ideas for Brighton and their thoughts on what is, and isn’t, going right in our town.

I’m pleased to say that all of them immediately said yes, and all of them had a lot of interesting things to say about what’s happening in Brighton.

As you’ll hear, we had a few ground rules: there was no editing, except for a stray cough or Sadie the dog barking in the background. No candidate received any advance questions. I solicited some questions on Brighton’s social media sites, and tried to ask as many of the same questions to each of the three candidates as seemed appropriate.

I hope this is a valuable service to the town I’ve called home for decades. My table and microphones are open to all candidates, and I’m looking forward to hearing from our uncontested candidates in the primary and all of the general election candidates this fall, if there’s interest.

For now, there’s absolutely no business model here. I’m donating my time and equipment and the expenses of putting up this podcast. (And thanks to my talented voice-over friends from the world of radio who contributed intro and outro segments!)

If you find value here, there’s a Ko-Fi link at the bottom of the page where you’re welcome to leave a tip.

I am working on adding transcripts of each of these podcasts for accessibility, and hope to have those up here shortly.

And as a reminder: if you’re a registered Brighton Democrat, you can cast a vote for up to two of the three candidates in this election for the two seats on town council.

Early voting takes place June 14-22 at sites that include the Winter Farmers Market on Westfall Road. Election day is June 24, and some polling places have moved this year, especially if you voted at Town Hall. (You can find all the election information you need at the Monroe County Board of Elections.)

I’m eager to hear your thoughts on this project. Please email me with any comments or questions as we all work together in hopes of building a Better Brighton!