Candidate forums should be provided for all districts

The citizens of Lind are going to be treated to a candidate forum. It appears the candidates there wish to explain themselves. Is this sort of thing still legal in eastern Adams County?

The citizens of Ritzville have not been treated to a candidate forum in a very long time. One reason for this is the lack of contested positions. In the past two or three council elections there have been one maybe two contested races. The mayor has been quite active in filling vacant positions so at election time there are no open positions.

We could have had a candidate forum four years ago when the mayor decided to run a write-in campaign to return to office. The word on the street was the Mayor refused to defend her record so there was no candidate forum. The candidates for city government at that time did not offer any reason why we should be pleased to have them hold public office.

Two individuals who will appear on the ballot this year have been recently appointed to the council. None of the folks on the ballot face a competitor for office so it is unlikely any of them will not be sworn in as mayor or members of the Ritzville City Council. The ballot will include men and a woman who have volunteered to serve the citizens of Ritzville. Each of them ought to be willing to stand before the public explaining why we should welcome them as overseers of our city. Silence is not a virtue.

Barry Boyer, Ritzville