Forum to feature candidates

By FRANK PHILLIPS
frankphi@hotmail.com
Clay County candidates’ forums tend to draw large crowds and tonight should be no exception.
As far as most voters are concerned there are only two real races in the May 2 primary/school board election. There are two candidates for sheriff in the Democratic Primary. Sheriff Mike Heaton is unopposed in the Republican primary. But there are several candidates to choose from in Clay Community Schools board election.
Because school finances are tight and teachers are working without a contract, interest in the school board election (it is not a primary) is running high.
Most school board candidates have not really said exactly what they will do if elected to school board. One candidate favors giving teachers a raise. Another candidate favors creating a separate school district for Clay City schools.
Hopefully, candidate aims will become clear during tonight’s candidates’ forum at the 4-H Fairgrounds. School board candidates will take written questions from the public starting at 6 p.m.
The school board election tends to confuse voters, for unlike the primary election to choose candidates for the November general election, voters will choose school board members on May 2.
The Democratic candidates for sheriff will be questioned at 8 p.m.
Also, candidates on the ballot in Clay County will have the opportunity to speak for up to two minutes.
The public is invited.
The forum is sponsored by The Brazil Times, Clay County Farm Bureau and the Clay County Chamber of Commerce.
This series of forums began in 2001 and has been conducted each year there was an election in Clay County.