Hear The Candidates
Updated: Sep 26
Correction: This post was corrected on Sept. 24 to clarify that all candidates will participate in the Sept. 30 forum, but not all candidates have agreed to participate in the Oct. 8 forum. It was updated again on Sept. 26.
All six candidates running for El Cerrito City Council plan to participate in at least one of two candidate forums at the Veterans Memorial Hall, 6401 Stockton Ave. The first forum will be Wednesday, Sept. 30, and the second on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Ballots for the Nov. 3 election will be mailed out on Oct. 5, according to the Contra Costa County elections office. Voters will choose two council members for positions that are currently held by Mayor Gabe Quinto and council member Carolyn Wysinger.
Quinto and Wysinger are running, as are Forrest Lanning, Kimberly White, Mary Ann Jawili, and Wally Nowinski.
Sept. 30 Forum
The first candidate forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters for West Contra Costa County, is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, It will also be on Zoom. All six candidates have confirmed that they will participate.
To join via Zoom that day, go to <http://tiny.cc/ECforum>.
No registration is required.
Candidates will answer community-submitted questions on key local issues. Candidates also have the option of attending in person or on Zoom.
The forum is co-sponsored by the El Cerrito Senior Action Committee and the West Contra Costa Adult Education Program at Christ Lutheran Church. The meeting will be recorded and the video made available through the League of Women Voters.
Each person can submit more than one question, but organizers ask that only one question be submitted on each form. Submit your questions by Sunday, Sept. 27, to https://forms.gle/LQcZe5CpBPi1e5Vi8
Oct. 8 Forum
A second forum, sponsored by El Cerrito/Richmond Walk&Roll, Trail Trekkers, and the El Cerrito Firesafe Council, will be held at the Veterans Memorial Hall from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.
Janet Byron, a co-founder of Walk&Roll, said on Sept. 24 that all six candidates were invited, but only four confirmed they will participate. Nowinski said on Sept. 25 that he and White told organizers they could not attend in late August or early September, and again on Sept. 10 when asked a second time by a different organizer.
An announcement of the forum that was posted on Facebook included a graphic with photos of all six candidates. Nowinski said he was concerned that the photo “implied participation when organizers knew we would not be there.”
Byron said the graphic was posted because it showed images of all the candidates. She said it was removed after a request to remove photos of candidates not participating was received.
Byron said organizers of the Oct. 8 event plan to send questions to all six candidates early next week and intend to “share the responses of all candidates with the forum audience, including those who are not in attendance who choose to provide answers.”
According to Facebook, free pizza and childcare will be provided. An RSVP is not required but is requested to give an idea of how many pizzas to buy.
The forum will also be broadcast live on Zoom or another platform, Byron said. Only people who register will receive a link for the live broadcast closer to the event date. The event will also be recorded.
The link to register is https://luma.com/elmkuk6n.
Oct. 12 Meet and Greet
The candidates have also been invited to a ‘meet and greet’ at Christ Lutheran Church from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12. The event is sponsored by the West Contra Costa Adult Education Program which meets at the church. The group requests an RSVP from people who want to stay for lunch.
E-mail carollkehoe@yahoo.com.
Oct. 1 Question and Answer Session
The two incumbents, Gabe Quinto and Carolyn Wysinger, are expected to attend a Q and A session at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Veterans Building. The event has been organized by the El Cerrito Senior Action Committee. The committee interviewed the four other candidates at previous meetings. The meeting starts at 3 p.m. and candidates will arrive at 3:30 p.m.
Update on Veterans Building Work
Contra Costa County’s Veterans Building in El Cerrito is undergoing the final stages of a $1.2 million renovation upgrade project, according to Supervisor John Gioia.
The completed interior work included repainting, new lighting, new floors and stage, new window coverings, and renovation to certain walls on the main floor.
The work currently underway, expected to be completed by the end of this year, is repair of the badly damaged concrete exterior which will then be totally repainted. Extensive wet weather could affect the schedule.
