8 Local Candidates to Speak at Forum

Residents will have an opportunity to hear from all eight candidates for city office at a forum Wednesday in the City Council Chambers.

Matt Lynch, executive director of Build Rehabilitation Industries, a local nonprofit organization that trains mentally and physically disabled people for employment, will moderate the forum, which is sponsored by the San Fernando Chamber of Commerce. On March 4, voters will elect two of six candidates vying for San Fernando council seats and one of two candidates competing to be city treasurer.

“Two incumbents from the council are not running, so there is a wide-open field between the six candidates for those two spots,” said Joe Sandoval, a spokesman for the chamber.

During the forum, each candidate will be allotted three minutes for an opening statement and one minute for a closing statement. In between, they will answer questions posed by audience members, Sandoval said.

The council candidates include Cal State Northridge Chicano studies professor Jose Hernandez; retired businessman Donald Mauran; Virginia Mendoza, a registered nurse; Juana Mojica, project director for San Fernando Valley Partnership Inc.; Silverio Robledo, a bank loan officer, and Robert Villafana, a social worker. The candidates for city treasurer are Elvira Orozco, the incumbent, and Gerald Olmstead.

Wednesday’s forum, which is free, is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 117 Macneil St. Officials recommend arriving early because of limited seating.