Oswego Chamber hosting forum for village’s Republican candidates Wednesday

The Oswego Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a “Meet the Candidates Night” for the Republican Party on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at Village Hall in advance of this month’s primary election.

Doors open at 6 p.m., the event will begin at 6:30 p.m and will end at 8:30 p.m. Village Hall is located at 100 Parkers Mill.

The event will be a Q&A style forum, in which candidates will be sequestered until their turn, during which they will each have time to respond to the same questions, according to the chamber.

The forum will begin with introductions. Each candidate will draw a number to determine the order before being sequestered.

In turn, each candidate will come into the board room and have 5 minutes to detail why they are running. After candidates give their introduction, they may then sit in the audience until all candidates have gone.

After introductions, the candidates will redraw numbers and be sequestered again for a round of questioning.

All candidates will be asked identical questions, and will be allowed two minutes for each response. After their turns, they can again sit in the audience and listen to the other candidates’ responses.

Audience questions will not be taken, but residents will be able to talk with candidates who choose to stay in the lobby after the forum.

Several Republican candidates are on the Feb. 28 consolidated primary election ballot.

Incumbent Village President Troy Parlier will face off against current Village Trustee Brian Thomas.

Incumbent Republican Village Board candidates James Marter II and Terry Olson will be challenged in the primary by Robert Lockwood, Michael J. Wirtz, Sarah Zemeda and Jason Kapus, for the three seats whose terms expire this year.

The winners will challenge Democratic candidates for village president and trustee in the April 4 general consolidated election.