Several Joliet candidate forums coming up

Joliet neighborhood groups and pastors have scheduled candidate forums ahead of the April 4 election.

Several Joliet neighborhood associations have organized a series of candidate forums that start Thursday and run through March 28 at the downtown Joliet Public Library.

Meanwhile, pastors will host a mayoral candidates forum on March 25 at New Canaan Land Christian Church.

The forums at the library, 150 N. Ottawa St., will be in The Burnham Room.

“It’s such a good room, and this gives our residents a good chance to see it,” said Eric Moon, treasurer for the Cathedral Area Preservation Association. Moon noted many people have not yet seen the library since the interior was remodeled.

CAPA is among the neighborhood groups that have organized the forums, which will feature City Council candidates in three of the five council districts covered by the organizations.

Each forum runs 6-8 p.m. with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. The format allows candidates to make statements. But they also will be posed questions from the neighborhood representatives.

The series begins Thursday for Council District 4 candidates: Rosa Hernandez, Christopher Parker, Cesar Cardenas and William Ferguson.

It continues on March 14 with District 2 candidates: Quinn Adamowski, Pat Mudron, Bob Wunderlich and Glenda Wright-McCullum.

Then, March 16 is for District 5 candidates: Jim Lanham, Suzanna Ibarra, Michael Carruthers and Terry Morris.

A March 28 forum is for mayoral candidates Terry D’Arcy, Tycee Bell and Bob O’Dekirk.

The March 25 forum at New Canaan Land Church, 225 E. Clinton St. is targeted particularly for pastors, the Rev. Lonnie Posley, the church’s pastor, said. It will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“It’s open to the public, but we definitely want the pastors because they have so much influence over their congregations,” Posley said.

The forum has been opened up beyond city limits to Will County pastors, and 40 were coming as of Thursday, Posley said.

Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled the last name of District 5 candidate Jim Lanham.