OTTAWA — Ottawa candidates will get a chance to tell you why you should vote for them at two candidates forums in Ottawa Thursday night. The Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, Franklin County Farm Bureau and the Warren Black American Legion Post’s forums for city and school board candidates will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Franklin County Annex, 1418 S. Main St. The forum for city candidates will be at 7, with school board candidates to follow at approximately 8:15. In the city race, three commissioners and three challengers are vying for three seats. Incumbents are Rocky Fleer, Gene Ramsey and Linda Reed. The challengers are Shawn Dickinson, Helen Hood and Jeff Richards. In the school board race, Ottawa-area voters will get to pick at least one new school board member. Only two incumbents, Jeanette Lowry and Marge Stevens, filed for the three seats. Other challengers include Darrell Bourque, Brandon Jones, Roger Lawrence and Malina Manis. The public will be allowed to submit written questions to the candidates during the forum. Bill Henningsen will be the moderator for the forums. The spring election is April 7.
