Oak Park residents will get a chance to meet candidates running in the April elections Wednesday, March 18.
“Normally, during an election year we endorse in the fall and those candidates usually go off and crate their own slate and run their own campaign,” said Lynn Kamenitsa, president of the Village Manager Association (VMA).
The VMA is a political organization in Oak Park focused mainly on finding and selecting candidates they think will support accountable and responsive government, ongoing and inclusive diversity and balanced and sensitive economic growth. During election season, the VMA endorses these candidates as a slate, aids in the creation of a party, and supports their election.
This year, because none of the seats on the Village Board is are contested, the association endorsed candidates last fall but then decided to turn its attention to Oak Park’s other elected boards.
“We thought it opened an opportunity for us to help voters to get info on candidates in other races that are contested,” said Kamenitsa. “But we don’t have any skin in the game, we’re not endorsing anyone in these races. We just think more information leads to better decisions and that leads to better government.”
She said the event Wednesday will allow voters to talk to the candidates in small groups or one-on-one.
“So library candidates will be in one corner of the room and park candidates will be in another,” she said. “The idea is that it’s more personal than a forum. It’s not better or worse, but the smaller interaction allows us to have almost all the candidates in one place. So if they only have one night they can devote to this they can meet them in a small group.”
And because a there are a sizable number of citizens running in this year’s election, many of whom are first-time candidates, the VMA hopes to give Oak Park voters a chance to meet them and hear their views on the issues, as well as to air their own concerns.
Oak Park voters interested in meeting the candidates are invited the VMA at Trattoria 225, at 225 Harrison St., from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on next Wednesday, March 18. Hors-d’oeuvres will be served and a cash bar will be available.
Oak Park voters can get more information regarding the event and about the VMA in general at Facebook.com/VillageManagerAssociation and vma-oakpark.org.
The following candidates have confirmed their attendance:
Oak Park School District 97 (4 open slots)
John Richard Abbott
Sandra Arguello-Dyck
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Hueland Richard”‘Rick” Boultinghouse III
Marcus Croom
A. Rupa Datta-Nemana
Rita Khan
Jim O’Connor
Jay Schulman
Robert Spatz
Holly Spurlock
Park District of Oak Park (3 open slots)
Paul Aeschleman
Victor Guarino
Mary E. O’Keirsey
Bruce Samuels
Qiana Carswell
Kathleen Porreca*
Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 (3 open slots)
Frederick D. Arkin
Guillermo “Gil” R. Cabacungan, III
Jennifer Cassell
Sara Dixon Spivy
Sharon Patchak-Layman
Oak Park Public Library (3 open slots)
Theodore N. Foss
Lane Hart
Janet Kelenson
Carmenza Millan
*A representative will appear on behalf of the candidate
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A previous version of this article that appeared online and in print misspelled the name of a candidate for the Park District of Oak Park. Her name is Qiana Carswell.