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Two forums set for City Council candidates

Candidates for Grambling City Council will have an opportunity to present their platforms and answer questions from citizens at two political forums.

Both forums will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Grambling Community Center on King Street behind the fire station. Citizens will be able to submit written questions following brief candidate presentations.

The first forum will be held Sept. 21 and the second Sept. 30.”We want to give the citizens of Grambling the opportunity to listen to and talk to the City Council candidates in person,” said Barbara McIntyre, president of the Greater Grambling Chamber of Commerce, one of the sponsoring organizations.

“It is important that when we take part in this civic process of electing public officials, we do it as informed citizens. That is our goal.”

McIntyre said because there were 17 City Council candidates, two forums had to be scheduled.

The following City Council candidates have been invited:First forum – Toby Bryan, Roosevelt Bryant Jr., Birdex Copeland Jr., Yanise N. Days, Elaine DeBerry, Nettie Goree, George M. Hamlin, Cathy Holmes and Cullen Jackson.

Second forum – Roy L. Jackson, Coach Michael Jiles, Flynn A. Ludley, Carl McCarter, Ervin McIntyre, Charles H. Owens III, Lugene Smith Sr. and Shirley Wesley.

The 17 candidates are vying for just five seats. Many residents say this is the largest field of City Council candidates they can remember.

“We hope we get as much or more citizen participation in these forums as we got in the mayoral forum two weeks ago,” Barbara McIntyre said.

“These forums will be like the one we hosted for mayoral candidates. Presentations will be timed. Citizens will submit written questions after candidates present their platforms. The questions will then be presented to the candidates by the forum moderators.”

The forums will be moderated by Obadiah Simmons of Grambling State University and Reginald Owens of Louisiana Tech University. McIntyre said the forums should last for about an hour and a half.

For more information, contact McIntyre at 318-243-1858 or Doug Porter, 318-247-6934. Porter is president of the Northeast Grambling Homeowners Association, a co-sponsor of the event.

The primary election is on Oct. 2.