Council candidates will field citizens' questions

Candidates for Sisters City Council will field questions from local citizens in a forum leading up to the November 2 election.

The Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a public forum featuring the city council candidates on Thursday, October 21, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Sisters High School

Auditorium.

Three of five council seats will be filled in November's election. Mayor Lon Kellstrom and Councilor Pat Thompson's terms continue through 2012, while the terms of Council President Bill Merrill, Councilors Sharlene Weed and Jerry Bogart expire this year. Weed and Bogart are running for reelection, while Merrill has chosen not to run.

The four new candidates who have filed to run for a council seat are Wendy Holzman, David Asson, Virginia Lindsey, and Jacki Shepardson.

Jim Cornelius, editor of The Nugget, will serve as moderator for the public forum. The event will include "frequently asked questions" solicited from Sisters Country residents. (Questions must be e-mailed to [email protected]

bendbroadband.com; deadline Monday, October 18.) Each candidate will have an opportunity to address the audience and each will be asked the same questions by the moderator.

The forum's format is modeled after Sisters' successful forum two years ago. After a short introduction by the moderator, each candidate will have two minutes to introduce themselves and explain why they are seeking a city council seat.

Following the initial two-minute introductions, each candidate will be asked the same questions and will have two minutes to respond to each question.

The general public and media will not be allowed to ask questions of the candidates during the event. The forum is designed as a "listen and evaluate" event. It's also not designed to be a debate; the candidates will not interact with each other on platforms or issues.

Following the question-and-answer sessions, all five candidates will participate in a "lightning round" set of questions. Each candidate will be asked for either a "yes" or "no" response. No explanation or additional discussion will be permitted.

The Sisters High School Auditorium is located at 1700 W. McKinney Butte Rd. on the west side of Sisters.

For more information contact Erin Borla, executive director of the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, 541-549-0251, or e-mail [email protected] Candidate questions should be e-mailed to [email protected]