VENTURA : Council Candidates Invited to Forum

All 14 of the candidates who will vie for three seats on the Ventura City Council this fall have been invited to take part in a forum sponsored by the political arm of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce.

The debate will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Doubletree Hotel in Ventura.

“We feel very strongly that an informed public makes better decisions on candidates,” said John Walters, general manager of the hotel and chairman of the chamber’s political action committee. “This way we can wade through the political flyers and get to some of the issues.”

The committee’s first forum was held in 1993 and drew more than 200 residents. By September, the committee will have interviewed each of the candidates and will issue endorsements, Walters said.

Each candidate will be asked a series of questions drawn from a survey given to chamber members last month. They will also take questions from the audience and be allowed brief opening and closing statements.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 643-6000.