By Staff Writer Dave Domezik
PELHAMAThe Shelby County Chamber and Shelby County Newsmedia Inc., the publishers of the Pelham Reporter and the Shelby County Reporter, will conduct a forum soon where citizens will have the chance to hear from local candidates as Pelham gets ready for its 2025 municipal election.
The Pelham Civic Complex will host the 2025 city of Pelham Candidates Forum on Tuesday, August 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. All of the competing races in the city’s next election, set for Tuesday, August 26, will be highlighted at the forum.
Each set of Pelham City Council candidates will be introduced according to the seat they are vying for during the forum. Depending on the number of candidates, two to three questions will be asked of each council election, and candidates will respond to the same questions in a revolving alphabetical sequence. There will be a two-minute limit on each response.
David Coram and Michelle Power, the contenders for Place 1, will open the sequence, which will then move on to each contested seat:
- Place 2: Chad Leverett and Will Blake
- Place 3: Cathy Cartagena, Tim Reddock and Chris Townes
- Place 4: Darius Foster, Ron Griggs and Markus Snowden
- Place 5: Michael Harris and Russell Platt
Each applicant will have two minutes to make a closing statement following their responses to the assigned questions. Before each group starts, a random drawing will be used to decide the sequence of closing speeches.
Current City Council members Rick Wash and Maurice Mercer, the two mayoral contenders, will take the stage after the forum’s City Council segment. Without knowing the questions beforehand, each will answer four questions in a different order. Each question can be answered in up to two minutes, and each will conclude with a closing remark that lasts three minutes.
To ensure fairness, all candidates are advised to refrain from using their phones during the event. To assist candidates with time management, a timekeeper from the Shelby County Reporter will keep track of responses and carry countdown cards.
Pelham voters must make a number of important choices this election cycle, including choosing between Mercer and Wash for mayor since incumbent Gary Waters is not running for reelection. The first Monday in November will mark the inauguration of all newly elected politicians.
Go to Pelhamalabama.gov/177/Voter-Election-Information to learn more about the 2025 Pelham Municipal Election.
