Community Awareness Panel to host mayoral forum at Alton VFW

ALTON - A newly-formed organization dedicated to providing citizens of Alton with awareness of public programs and community events is hosting a mayoral forum tonight  at the Alton VFW Post #1308, located at 4445 N. Alby. 

The Alton Community Awareness Panel started nearly a year ago, panel member Cedric Parker said. The panel consists of Parker, Charles Walker and Trish Cooley. Parker said the purpose of tonight's community forum was to allow people from the community to ask their questions to each of the four men running against each other for the position of mayor. Parker said Brant Walker, Scott Dixon, Dan Rauschkolb and Joshua Young responded to his invitation positively. 

"All candidates are going to be there tonight," Parker said. "We've previously had the city council there, and the mayor and chief of police. We had the community ask them questions and see what needs changed." 

Parker will be moderating tonight's forum, which starts around 5:30 p.m. Doors are opened at 5 p.m. He said the candidates will be asked a wide range of questions from the community, and questions will not be screened before asking. Parker said he will be monitoring the event to ensure the same questions are not asked in repetition. 

"We're talking to the candidates about what changes the can make and what changes they are going to make," Parker said. "It's open to the public, so pretty much the community can ask them their questions directly." 

Besides hosting tonight's mayoral forum, Parker said the Community Awareness Panel also helps keep young people and people in need aware of their options. 

"We have a purpose to inform the community of what is available for them," Parker said. "We mostly help young people with financing, college money and housing. We're trying to make them aware of what's going on around here." 

Riverbender.com will be live streaming the Alton Mayoral Forum tonight on our Facebook page

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