To The Leader

 

Citizens for An Improved Orange will host a forum for people to learn about the candidates for the two contested City Council positions in Orange on Thursday, April 11. The event will be held at the Lamar State College-Orange new Shahan Event Center, between Green Avenue and Front Street in downtown Orange.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for an early meet and greet with the candidates and for the community to submit their questions for the candidates. The forum starts promptly at 6 p.m. and will end about 8 p.m.

 Questions for each of the candidates have been prepared and additional questions may be submitted by attendees before the event.

 “This event will give the people of Orange a chance to meet and listen to all of the candidates for the two City Council seats. It is so important for people to see and hear candidates before they vote. It is so important for people to vote!!” said Terrie Salter, currently a member of the City Council and one of the hosts for the program.

 Dave Derosier, another host for the program, said, “This is an opportunity not only to meet the candidates but also to meet the senior folks at the College and to see the Campus. Orange has a great asset here with LSCO. Another reason Orange is so good.”

Terrie Turner and Dave Derosier are volunteers with an informal group organized for this event, which is called “Citizens for An Improved Orange”.

They stated that there will be an opportunity from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the community to write down their questions for the candidates.

“What do you see as important to improving Orange? Jobs? Better roads and drainage? Economic Development? It’s your chance to hear and decide on who will represent you in the next few years,” they added.

 

The candidates are:

At-Large Position:

• David C. Bailey
• Caroline Mazzola Hennigan
• Bill Mello*
• Charles Ray Thomas

 

District 4 Position:

• Mary McKenna
• Alan E. Mesecher
• Annette Pernell*

 

* Incumbent

 

Early voting at the Orange Public Library is the week of April 22. Election Day is May 4, 2019.