With so much at stake in the Warfield byelection - three seats are open for a five-member council - the district chamber has stepped forward to host a community forum on Thursday, Feb. 9.
“We have had a lot of interest from Warfield residents contacting us in the past week, asking for a forum,” Audry Durham, executive director for the Trail and District Chamber, told the Trail Times. “And part of our mandate is advocacy at the municipal level, as well as provincial and national levels.”
The community is invited to the Warfield hall when doors open at 6:30 p.m. that evening, the forum will call to order at 7 p.m. with closing remarks and adjournment slated for 8:30 p.m.
Following the former mayor’s resignation in December, two sitting councillors resigned from their seats with the stated intention of running for mayor.
Diane Langman and Brett Rakuson are running for the head position.
Following the January nomination period, four men put their names forward to fill the former councillors’ seats. They are Bradley Jansen, Ronald Joseph, Raymond Masleck and Wesley Robilliard.
The Trail Times will run the six candidate profiles later this week.
The event will begin with a two-minute introduction of candidates and opening statements. The format is Q&A from the public with an open microphone.
Durham reminds guests that questions may be submitted to the moderator that night, and all queries must be directed at one candidate.
Each question cannot take longer than one minute to ask and answers must be completed within two minutes.
Rules dictate that the moderator can dismiss any question deemed inappropriate,m offensive or derogatory or that would seem to attack the integrity of the candidate or bring the chamber’s reputation into disrepute.
If a question to a specific candidate also includes another candidate, the moderator can allow that candidate to respond to the question as well. Additionally, the moderator will rule out of order any person who attempts to use the meeting as a personal platform for expressing a prejudicial point-of-view.
Advance voting opportunities will be available at the village office on Feb. 15 and Feb. 22, or on Feb. 25, general voting day.
According to BC Civic info, Warfield is home to approximately 1,400 eligible voters. Electors not already on the list, may register at the time of voting by completing the required application form at the voting place.
For more information, contact Chief Election Officer Jackie Patridge at 250.368.8202.