Five local organizations, La Comunidad, Everett Community Growers, Everett Haitian Community Center, NAACP Mystic Valley Chapter, and the Brazilian Women’s Group hosted a City Council Candidate Forum Aug. 30 at the Edward Connelly Center.
Each candidate had the opportunity to speak directly with residents and answer their questions at tables set up inside the hall. The candidates then delivered individual remarks to the entire audience.
Seven of the 13 candidates running for councilor-at-large – Councilor-at-Large Stephanie Smith, Guerline Alcy, Katy Rogers, Maria Bussell, Shaskia Bosquet, David LaRosa Senatillaka, and Kisan Upadhaya – participated in the forum.
Six candidates in the ward races – Ward 2 Councilor Stephanie Martins, Ward 2 candidate Joetta Yutkins, Ward 3 Councilor Darren Costa, Ward 5 candidate Robert Van Campen, Ward 6 Councilor Al Lattanzi, and Ward 6 candidate Peter Pietrantonio – also participated in the forum.
Jose Rozo of La Comunidad thanked the candidates for their attendance and support.
“Thank you so much for being here,” Rozo said. “This is what choosing the best representative for us looks like, having the candidates speak directly to us and having us be here asking the questions.”
Rozo said the organizations will be sending additional questions to all the candidates and putting their written responses into “a candidates’ guide,” that will be released to the community.
“We’re going to make sure everybody [in Everett] has the great information to make the best decision for themselves to choose the best representatives, because if we don’t make these decisions ourselves, somebody else is going to come in and they’re going to make it for us,” concluded Rozo.
Everett voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, Sept. 19 for the Preliminary Election in the Councilor-at-Large, City Council Ward 4, School Committee Ward 4, and School Committee Ward 6 races. Early voting begins Saturday, Sept. 9.