All 19 active contenders for the eight open Naperville City Council positions will appear in the trio of back-to-back candidate forums set to kick off next weekend.
The Rotary Club of Naperville announced Thursday afternoon, after The Sun story outlining the forum plans had gone to press, that planners had succeeded in confirming candidate Thomas O’Hale’s participation in the Rotary-sponsored events. O’Hale will be one of seven office hopefuls featured on Feb. 16, the second of three consecutively scheduled forums at Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873, 908 W. Jackson Ave., Naperville.
Open to the public and also scheduled for live streaming online, the forums will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 15, 16 and 17. Admission is free.
More Top Picks Best Emergency Lanterns
Candidates slated to appear the first evening include Judy Brodhead, John Colletti, Kevin Coyne, Bill Eagan, Dick Furstenau, Paul Hinterlong and Stephen Purduski. Those scheduled for Feb. 16 are Becky Anderson, Kevin Gallaher, John Krummen, Joe McElroy, O’Hale, Steve Peterson and Dave Wentz. The Feb. 17 forum will focus on Rebecca Boyd-Obarski, Wayne Floegel, Patty Gustin, Robert Hajek and Nancy Marinello.
Twenty people initially filed for the council positions, but local restaurant owner Jimmy Bergeron announced late in January that he had suspended his campaign after learning that the city code currently prohibits renewal of his liquor licenses if he is in state or local office. Bergeron has said he will ask the city’s Liquor Commission to address the matter.
The Rotary also will host a forum featuring the four mayoral candidates during its Feb. 26 mid-day meeting at Meson Sabika, 1025 Aurora Ave. Chicago news anchor Alan Krashesky of WLS-TV Channel 7 will serve as the mayoral forum’s moderator. The cost for the lunch is $20, and reservations can be made at napervillerotary.clubexpress.com.