Cudahy mayoral debate set for February 12th

As Randy Hollenbeck of CudahyNOW is reporting, plans are coming together to hold a primary debate for the Cudahy mayoral candidates on Friday, February 12th 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at the Cudahy Middle School auditorium. Former CNI/My Community Now photographer Charles Auer, a Cudahy resident, will serve as moderator for the debate, and yours truly will be coming up with the questions to be asked of the candidates, while Randy Hollenbeck will help pull together a panel consisting of a Cudahy homeowner, a Cudahy renter, and a Cudahy business owner.

The debate will be formatted as follows:

Two Rounds for a total time of 1.5 hours

Candidates will not see the questions in advance. Only the main topic will be known!

Sitting order for the candidates will be picked out of a hat in front of the audience that day. The candidate on the audience’s left side will be number one and will start first. Left to right.

Each candidate will get a chance to answer the same question and once the candidates have finished answering the question, each candidate will get a thirty-second rebuttal. Again, starting with candidate number 1. Left to right.

Candidates do not need to use up all of the allotted time if they choose not to or if the question’s answer doesn’t warrant it.

Prior to the start of the rounds, each candidate will be given two minutes for opening statements.

Total time (2 minutes x 3 candidates) = 6 minutes

Each candidate will be given one-minute answers for each question, thirty-second rebuttals to follow once each candidate has a chance to answer the question.

Round One (approximately 45mins): It consists of questions, three (3) questions from the moderator and two (2) questions from each of the three (3) panelists.

(Panelists will consist of a Cudahy Business Owner, a Cudahy Homeowner, and a Cudahy Renter)

Total time (3 questions x 3 candidates x 1.50 answer time) + (2 questions x 3 panelists x 3 candidates x 1.50 answer time)

(13.5 mins + 27 mins) = 40.5 minutes for 9 questions

Round Two (approximately 45mins): This will be the high point of the forum when the candidates will be allowed a “crossfire round,” providing them confrontations via the face-to-face opportunity to ask another candidate a question and then be allowed a rebuttal.

Again, starting with candidate number 1. Left to right.

At the end, each candidate will be given a two-minute closing statement/final thought.

Total time (2 minutes x 3 candidates) = 6 minutes

Mayoral candidates Tony Day and Kevin Fech have confirmed they will be in attendance, while Mayor McCue has yet to confirm he’ll be in attendance.

If you’re a resident of Cudahy and you’re reading this entry, I hope you’ll strongly consider attending the debate, because this will be your opportunity to hear directly from the candidates on issues you are most concerned about.