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Resolution approving parameters for 2024 candidate forum for Alderperson and Mayor to be hosted and sponsored at City Hall by the Wauwatosa West Allis Chamber of Commerce
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BE IT RESOLVED THAT appropriate City officials are hereby authorized and directed to support the Wauwatosa West Allis Chamber of Commerce in hosting and facilitating a forum for 2024 candidates for the offices of Mayor and Alderpersons for the City of Wauwatosa, to be held in the Common Council Chambers inside Wauwatosa City Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, 2024, with informal follow-up portions of the event to be held in Council Chambers and nearby spaces as necessary; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the conduct and format of the event shall be as follows:
1. The event will be hosted by the Wauwatosa West Allis Chamber of Commerce (“Chamber”), to be facilitated by that organization’s Board President, or such other person designated by the Chamber, who will introduce the event and the event format, including a statement about the Chamber’s neutral political intention in hosting the event. The chamber representative shall explain at the beginning of the mayoral portion of the forum the method by which questions were drafted and selected for the event.
2. Each candidate for the office for Alderperson will be able to give a two-minute statement about why they are seeking office. Candidates who are unable to attend in person shall be permitted to submit a video statement for replay at the time of the event.
3. Each Alderperson who is unopposed will have an opportunity to present or surrender their time to the Mayoral debate for additional questions.
4. Each candidate for Mayor will be able to give a two-minute statement about why they are seeking office.
5. Each Alderperson, except those seeking the office of Mayor, will submit two questions for the Mayoral candidates. The topics of the questions shall focus on the areas of responsibility of each of the four Common Council standing committees. Each Alderperson submitting questions shall identify the committee/topic area of the questions they submit.
6. For the Mayoral portion of the forum, each candidate shall answer eight questions, two from each category. The candidates shall have two minutes to answer each question. The candidates will alternate responding first and second and the candidate to answer the first question first will be selected by a coin flip. Mayoral candidates will each answer the same questions.
7. During any timed statements, the moderator will provide a 15-second warning signal to the candidate in a manner which does not interrupt the answer, such as by holding up a sign.
8. All candidates will be invited to remain after the formal program for questions from voters.
9. After the formal portion of the event concludes, members of the public can approach individual candidates for office to speak with them or ask questions in a one-on-one format. Additional City Hall spaces will be utilized for this purpose should the Common Council Chambers not provide sufficient space.
The city will record the event using the existing AV technology in the Council Chambers and provide a link to watch the formal portion of the event (numbers 1 to 7, above) until the election.
By: Government Affairs Committee
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Recommendation: Approve 6-0