Pike County Candidates’ Forum To Be Held Oct. 16

Candidates for Pike County elected offices are being invited to participate in a free public forum.

The event starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, in the third-floor courtroom of the Pike County Courthouse on the square in Bowling Green. Disabled access is available.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. and residents are encouraged to attend. Pens and paper will be available so that the audience can submit questions that may be asked of candidates. The election is Nov. 6 and the last day to register to vote is Oct. 10.

Unopposed office seekers Treasurer Patti Crane, Circuit Clerk Jerri Harrelson, Collector candidate Tara Morrison Eskew and Prosecuting Attorney candidate Alex Ellison will each be given up to three minutes to address the audience, if they choose.

Then, a question-and-answer portion will begin. Questions will come from the news media and the audience. The moderator will be Louisiana resident Brent Engel, an award-winning print and broadcast journalist, author and public relations professional who has been involved with political forums for more than 30 years. Following are the candidates for contested offices:

*County Recorder: Kim S. Martin Luebrecht and Sherry Crow McCarty.

*County Clerk: Michelle (Missy) Hunter Jaeger and Melissa Kempke.

*Associate Circuit Judge: Milan Berry and Mark Fisher.

*Circuit Judge: Patrick S. Flynn and Adam M. Burkemper.

*Presiding Commissioner: Chris Gamm and Clark Pointer.

The following procedure will be used during the forum:

*Candidates will be seated in ballot order according to the race in which they are participating. Microphones will be used. The news media will attend and may record for broadcast, online use or print.

*Candidates will be given two minutes each to make opening statements, then alternate on taking inquiries.

*Candidates will be given two minutes to answer each question. Opponents will then have two minutes each to respond. A signal will be given when candidates have 15 seconds remaining.

*The moderator will interrupt candidates who exceed the time limit and proceed to the next question.

*At the end of each question-and-answer period, candidates will be given two minutes each to summarize their campaigns.

*Candidates may not ask direct questions of each other and are asked not to submit questions.

Candidates are encouraged to bring supporters, who certainly may wear endorsement clothing, pins or hats. However, no political signs or banners will be allowed inside the building. The audience will be asked to hold its applause until the end of each segment.

Following are general rules not mentioned above:

*Questions of a libelous or lascivious nature will not be considered.

*Candidates are asked in their summaries to state their intentions if elected and avoid personal attacks against opponents.

*Due to the short time period allowed for questions, some inquiries may not be answered, but candidates will be assured of having a chance to answer each asked question.

*Candidates are welcome to stay after all races have been covered to meet with constituents and the public should they choose to discuss specific issues or provide greater depth to answers.

The forum is slated to be broadcast live by The People’s Tribune on our website and will be archived at www.thepeoplestribune.com.