The Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce will host a political forum later this month to give those running for elected office in Greenwood a chance to detail their platforms while providing an opportunity for residents to learn more about the candidates.
“We just feel that as a community organization we want to make sure that the public is informed before they go out to vote,” Beth Stevens, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, said.
The public forum will be held May 27, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the Leflore County Civic Center.
All candidates running for mayor of Greenwood or City Council have been invited to attend, even those who are unopposed, since the event will give the candidates a chance to explain their ideas for moving the city forward, Stevens said.
Although the chamber has held municipal candidate forums in the past, the upcoming forum will be the first time the public is invited to submit questions, Stevens said.
Candidates will be asked questions from residents that are randomly drawn from a hat, Stevens said.
Those interested in submitting questions are asked to email them to lwoodard@greenwoodms.com by May 25.
The chamber will vet all questions to ensure they’re appropriate and relevant to the upcoming municipal elections, scheduled for June 8, Stevens said.
Those who would have a question for a particular candidate should specify the candidate in the email, Stevens added.
Those running for mayor are incumbent Carolyn McAdams, an independent, who was first elected in 2009; Kenderick Cox, a ninth grade STEM teacher at Greenwood High School, who is running as a Democrat; and Nathan Wright, a volunteer coach at North New Summit School who’s running as an independent.
Candidates running for the Ward 1 seat on the City Council are incumbent Johnny Jennings, a Republican who was first elected in 1993 and who is a photographer and owner of commercial property in the city, and Anthony Gary, a Democrat who is a school attendance officer for the Mississippi Department of Education.
Candidates running for Ward 3 are incumbent Ronnie Stevenson, a Democrat who was first elected in 2003 and is the manager of Credit Plan, a finance company in Greenwood, and Nick Onyshko a seventh grade math teacher at Greenwood Middle School and rental property owner who’s running as an independent.
Democratic primary elections were held last month for three seats on the council.
All the incumbents — Charles McCoy of Ward 4, Andrew Powell of Ward 5 and Carl Palmer of Ward 7 — won the primaries handily and will face no opposition in the general election.
Ward 2 incumbent Lisa Cookston also is unopposed, as is Dorothy “Dot” Glenn, who will be taking the place of retiring Ward 6 Councilman David Jordan.
- Contact Gerard Edic at 581-7239 or gedic@gwcommonwealth.com.
