The forum will be held on Sept. 29 at the Atascadero High School Gym

By Blake Ashley Frino-Gerl

ATASCADERO — The San Luis Obispo County District 2 Supervisor and Atascadero City Council Candidates Forum will be held on Sept. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Atascadero High School Gym. Voters are welcome to attend, ask questions, and learn about each of the candidates. 

The forum will be moderated by the League of Women Voters and include District 2 candidates Bruce Gibson and Bruce Jones, along with City Council candidate Susan Funk.

A total of five candidates are running for city office, and nine candidates are running for Atascadero Unified School District School Board. Four seats are open for the city offices, while just two seats are available for City Council. Those two are currently held by Heather Newsom and Funk, and both are running for re-election. Local businessman and writer Are Heinemann is also running for a seat.

Mayor Heather Moreno is unchallenged in her re-run for Mayor of Atascadero. Also unchallenged to keep his seat is current Treasurer Gere Sibbach. 

Positions on the ballot are for one mayor with a term of two years, two members of the City Council for a term of four years, and one treasurer for a term of four years. 

AUSD also has four four-year terms seats open. Tami Gunther and George Shoemaker are running for re-election, while Rebekah Koznek, Tracy Ellis-Weit, Dan L. Hathaway, Denise McGrew Kane, Chris Collins, Scott Staton, and Vy Pierce have qualified to run for the election as well.

The Candidate Forum encourages voters to educate themselves on the candidates so that they can put their own knowledge into their votes.