Staff Report
Area residents will have a chance to hear from local political candidates at three upcoming forums presented by the Oneonta Area League of Women Voters.
Forums will take place in the Craven Lounge of Morris Hall at the State University College at Oneonta. Each forum will start at 7 p.m. and is expected to end by 9:30.
No campaign material will be permitted at the forum, but the Oneonta LWV Voter&aposs; Guide will be available.
The forums will include a local media panel. Panelists will be Sam Pollak, editor of The Daily Star; Gary Wickham, program director for public radio station WUOW, and Brett Moore, news director of the Central New York Radio Group.
Forums are open to the public and will be broadcast live on public access Channel 23, presented by the SUNY Oneonta creative media services crew. The forums will also be re-broadcast shortly before Election Day. The live broadcast will also be streamed online at www.oneonta.edu/academics/irc.
Anyone watching the debate may call in with questions. The phone number will be provided during the broadcast, presenters said.
The forum series will begin Tuesday with Oneonta city judge candidates Lucy Bernier and Michael Getman, who will give statements of their qualifications. Their statements will be followed by a debate between the three candidates for mayor of Oneonta: Republican Erik Miller, independent Richard Miller who is running as a Democrat, and independent candidate Jason Corrigan.
The second forum, scheduled for Monday, Oct. 26, will feature candidates for Oneonta town offices. Incumbent town Supervisor Robert Wood, a Democrat, will face off against his Republican challenger, Tony Natalini.
The three candidates for the two vacant seats for Oneonta Town Board, John Frisch, Scott Gravelin and Bill Mirabito, will answer questions next.
The three candidates for Oneonta town justice, Philip Hosley, Andrew Liddle and Bruce Smith, will give statements of their qualifications and candidacy at the end of the program.
The third and final forum is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27, featuring candidates for positions at the county level.
District 12 challenger Craig Gelbsman, a Republican, will debate Democratic incumbent Cathy Rothenberger. District 12 represents the Third and Fourth wards of Oneonta.
District 13 incumbent Scott Harring-ton, a Republican, will debate Democratic challenger Linda Rowinski. District 13 represents the Fifth and Sixth wards.
District 4 incumbent Richard Murphy, a Democrat, will debate Republican challenger Janet Hurley-Quackenbush. District 4 represents the town of Oneonta.
At the end of the night, Otsego County treasurer candidates Dan Crowell, a Democrat, and Edward Keator, a Republican, will give statements of their qualifications and candidacy.
Tuesday&aposs; forum will be rebroadcast over the weekend of Oct. 23-25 at a time to be announced, presenters said. The college plans to rebroadcast all three forums the weekend before Election Day, also at times to be announced.
For more information about the LWV or its forums, call 436-4050, e-mail lwvoneonta@gmail.com or visit www.lwvoneonta.org.
