Neighborhood Council candidate forum Thursday evening

Melinda Rakoncay, president of the Neighborhood Council of St Augustine, Inc. announced to local Historic City News reporters today that the non-profit community organization has rescheduled the 2016 City Commission Candidate Forum for Thursday, October 20 at the Willie Galimore Center, 399 Riberia Street.

This year there are many issues that concern the people of St. Augustine and this will be a great opportunity to hear the different stances of the candidates before voting. Candidates running this year are: Seat 1: Roxanne Horvath vs. Ron Stafford; Seat 2: Leanna Freeman vs. Susan Rathbone; Seat 3/Mayor: Nancy Shaver vs. Kris Phillips.

Doors open at 6:30 pm to mingle with the candidates and there will be a slide show consisting of fun trivia questions on St. Augustine’s lost past. John Versaggi will be the moderator and will ask the questions, which were selected from over 95 questions sent in from all over the City. Questions were carefully gone over by the Forum Committee, and blended to combine similar issues. Questions are being closely guarded and will not be given ahead of time to the candidates.

This year the questions will be “candidate neutral,” meaning the same question will be asked of both candidates running for the same seat, instead of “candidate specific”. To avoid planted questions designed to help candidates, no questions will be taken from the audience. The Forum questioning period will last 100 minutes, and there will be time afterward for people to speak with the candidates on a one on one basis. So put this important event on your calendars and make plans to attend.