Two Events This Week For Howell Mayoral Candidates

There is still a month to go until Election Day but this week the three candidates running for Mayor of Howell will have a chance to share their views with the residents of the township. 

On Wednesday morning at 11:45 Deputy Mayor William Gotto will address a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce at The Cabin. This is the third and final meeting in a series hosted by the Chamber that also included Independent candidate Elaine Taylor and Democratic candidate William Field. 

Wednesday night Field and Taylor will meet at a debate being held at Georgian Court University. The debate will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 in the Little Theatre on the school's Lakewood campus. 

Sponsored by the school's Department of History, Geography and Political Science Professor Scott H. Bennett said the event will include questions from a student panel and members of the audience. "Many GCU students, faculty and staff live in Howell Township and the forum will give them the opportunity to meet and listen to the candidates," he said. 

Gotto was invited to take part in the debate but said he declined for several reasons. "As a candidate for Mayor, I am certainly prepared to debate my opponents on issues that affect the residents of Howell Township," he said. "I have been more than accommodating to Mr. Field's interest in conducting a debate, however having a debate in another town not easily accessible to our residents makes no sense."

He also said he would have liked to have seen the debate include Edward Guz and Suzanne Wolff, the two candidates running for seats on the council. "The community deserves to hear from all candidates and coupling a mayoral debate with a council debate in our town is the most efficient use of candidates' and the public's time," he said. "By scheduling a mayoral forum in Lakewood, it appears that Mr. Field is more focused on politicizing the debate itself than discussing the issues that affect all of Howell's residents." 

Upon learning that Gotto had declined to take part in the debate Field said he was "very disappointed that he is unwilling to face the public in an open setting."

Field said he would have liked to have had the event in the township but that a location could not be found that fit into everyone's schedule and would be a suitable setting. "One problem we have in Howell, there's not really a public community space that we could use for these things," he said. 

Without Gotto taking part in the debate Field said the voters will not get the chance to hear everyone's full platforms. "The voters lose three people answering the same questions," he said. While the three candidates figured to get questions at events like the chamber luncheons, Field said they would not be the same and would only be heard by a limited number of people. "Not having all three candidates at the same time hearing the same questions, offering their own answers, of course there's a major loss to the community," he said.

Wednesday's debate is not the only one scheduled prior to the November elections. On Oct. 15 the candidates running for seats on the Howell Board of Education will hold their own forum at the old Southard School. 

Those interested in attending Wednesday's Chamber event are encouraged to RSVP to the chamber. 

For more information about the upcoming elections check out our election guide.