Seventeen candidates seeking election in four vital Beaumont-Cherry Valley area races took part in a forum presented Wednesday night by the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce.
Scores of residents and registered voters came to hear and watch candidates for the Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District board, the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency board, Beaumont City Council and the Beaumont Unified School District board.
The audience far outnumbered the candidates, but there were a number of empty seats in the auditorium at Beaumont Civic Center.
Four candidates for two spots on the Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District board were present Wednesday night: Lindsey M. Burcham, John Melvin Halliwill, Ken Ross and Daniel J. Slawson.
Burcham and Ross are running for the Division 2 seat, and Halliwill and Slawson are running for the Division 3 seat, according to Riverside County Registrar of Voters sample ballots.
Four candidates for one spot on the San Gorgonio Pass Agency board of directors were present: Blair Ball, Paul Clark Lewis, John Machisic and Mary Ann Melleby.
Three candidates for two seats on the Beaumont City Council were present: incumbent Jeff Fox, incumbent Nancy Gall and business owner Brenda Knight.
Six candidates for two seats on the Beaumont Unified School District board were present: Edward Brown, Wayne Hackney, Gunnar Hardy, Steve Hovey, David Sanchez and Lloyd White.
Anita Worthen of Beaumont, chair of the Candidates Forum Committee, gave introductions. Sheri Bogh of the Beaumont Chamber presented rules and procedures. Jim Walling of Inland Community Bank served as moderator and Bruce Merrill served as official timekeeper.
Stay with Banning-Beaumont Patch for more on these races and other elections in the San Gorgonio Pass as Nov. 6 approaches.
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