For the City Times

TOWN OF ROME – To aid in voter education for the April 7 spring election, the Romemakers HCE will sponsor a voters’ forum on March 31 at 6 p.m. at the Rome Municipal Building.

Candidates for the Rome Town Board and the Nekoosa School Board will participate.

Written questions for the candidates need to be submitted prior to the forum. Questions can be submitted to a forum box located in the receptionist’s area at the Rome Town Hall or at the Rome Library. The deadline to submit questions is noon on March 27.

Questions should deal with issues, not with personalities. A committee of residents will screen the questions for clarity and to avoid duplication. Each candidate running for a particular position will have the opportunity to respond to each question.

The format for the forum models forums held by the League of Women Voters. Each candidate will have a chance to introduce him/herself to the audience, then the question-and-answer period will begin.  Final questions to be presented to the candidates at the forum will be selected from those submitted ahead of time. Each candidate will be given two minutes to respond to each question. At the close of the session, each candidate will have an opportunity to make a closing statement.

Terry Whitmore, district administrator of the School District of Nekoosa, will also make a short presentation, regarding two school funding referendums on the April ballot.