VFW, Chamber to hold candidate town hall forum

By Dylan Smith, Managing Editor • dylan@southerntorch.com

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — The VFW Post 6073, American Legion 30, and Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce will co-sponsor a non-partisan town hall forum featuring candidates from county and congressional races. The forum will be held Thursday, January 30^th at the Scottsboro High School Auditorium at 5:00 P.M.

All candidates seeking public office in Jackson County have been invited. Ten candidates have qualified to run on the Republican ballot. The Democrat Party had no candidates to qualify on their ballot.

Candidates running are as follows:

• Jeff Arnold — Revenue Commissioner (unopposed)
• Kevin Dukes — Superintendent of Education (unopposed)
• Chad Gorham — Board of Education, District 3 (unopposed)
• Melinda Gilbert — County Commission, District 3 (incumbent)
• A.J. Buckner — County Commission, District 3
• Mark Guffey — County Commission, District 3
• Mike Sisk — County Commission, District 4 (incumbent)
• Kevin McBride — County Commission, District 4
• Charles West — Board of Education, District 4 (incumbent)
• Robert King, Jr. — Board of Education, District 4
• Brent Benson — Circuit Judge, Place 2
• Daryl Eustace — Circuit Judge, Place 2
• Patricia Cobb Stewart — Circuit Judge, Place 2

Jackson County Republican Party Vice Chairman Dylan Smith will moderate the forum. Voters will have the opportunity to submit pre-written questions. Each candidate attending will be given three minutes for an introduction. Each candidate will then be allotted time to briefly answer written questions. 

In a statement, the VFW expressed the importance of being an educated voter. “Please remember that one of the rights our constitution grants you is the right to vote and elect leaders you believe can best serve and represent you, so please make sure you vote.”

For additional information or inquiries contact Larry Becker at (256) 656-9824.