CRESTVIEW — Three public forums will allow voters to meet candidates for Crestview and Laurel Hill municipal offices and hear them debate issues.
The North Okaloosa Republican Club's Feb. 17 forum features the four Crestview mayoral candidates; its Feb. 24 forum will feature the six Laurel Hill city council candidates.
Crestview's candidates include incumbent David Cadle, Landrum Edwards, Tom Gordon and Jeremiah Hubbard.
Laurel Hill's candidates include Debra Adams, Daniel Lane, Scott Moneypenny, Joan Smith, Randy Tickle and Willie Mae Toles.
Community activist Mae Reatha Coleman on Monday requested a fee waiver to use Warriors Hall, a city facility, for her Feb. 16 forum, which she called a “non-partisan political meeting.”
NORC President Wendell Beatty said the group's forums are also non-partisan.
“These are non-partisan forums because they are non-partisan elections," he said.
Though the City Council, as a matter of policy, took no action on her request, Coleman vowed to press forward and seek outside funding to pay the $100 hall rental fee and $100 refundable deposit.
Regardless of the election's outcome, she said, she wants to promote civic involvement.
“This is not for me, but I want to energize Crestview,” Coleman said. “Somehow we have gotten turned away from voting.
"You can’t speak for yourself if you don’t vote.”
WANT TO GO?
You can learn more about Crestview and Laurel Hill's candidates at these three forums:
•Crestview Mayoral Candidates Meet-and-Greet: 6 p.m. Monday, Warriors Hall, Stillwell Boulevard, Crestview. Organized by community activist Mae Reatha Coleman
•North Okaloosa Republican Club Crestview Mayoral Candidates Forum: 6 p.m. Tuesday, American Legion Hall, 898 James Lee Blvd. E., Crestview. Submit questions for debate to Cal Zethmayr, calz-waaz-wjsb@cox.net.
•North Okaloosa Republican Club Laurel Hill City Council Candidates Forum: 6 p.m. Feb. 24, Laurel Hill First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 3972 Second Ave., Crestview. Submit questions in advance to calz-waaz-wjsb@cox.net.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: ELECTION: 3 municipal candidate forums scheduled this week