The University of Olivet and Olivet Community Schools is co-sponsoring a Candidate Forum on Thursday, Oct. 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Olivet Community Schools Auditorium, 255 First St., Olivet.
All candidates running for mayor and city council have been invited to participate. Mayoral candidates are Deb Maxwell and Laura Barlond-Maas. Running for city council are Gary Peterson, James Frohm and Pam Bess.
The forum will be co-moderated by Steven M. Corey, Ph.D., president of The University of Olivet, and Rocky Aldrich, superintendent of Olivet Community Schools, and will give voters the opportunity to get to know the candidates before heading to the polls on Nov. 7.
Before the event begins, each candidate will draw a number to determine the order in which he or she will participate. The forum will consist of three parts: opening statements, moderated discussion, and opportunity for the public to present questions.
“As the educational leaders in the Greater Olivet Community, The University of Olivet and Olivet Community Schools are committed to an educated citizenry and fostering active civic engagement, which strengthens our community for today and for a vibrant, sustaining future,” said Corey. “Every vote at the local level matters and has a direct impact on our community.
This forum is intended to give the citizens of Olivet the information they need to confidently go to the polls and cast their vote for the candidates they believe will best serve our community.”
Aldrich added that local elections should be viewed as important – or even more important – than our federal elections. “It’s your local elected officials that act on your behalf when it comes to such things as public schooling, public safety, transportation and taxes. It’s also our local officials that represent us at the state and federal level on many important issues that directly impact each of us. Electing local officials committed to communicating with citizens is vital to the growth and prosperity of the Olivet community,” he said.
The city of Olivet has a population of 1,692 and is home to The University of Olivet, which has a student body of 1,040.