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Astoria council sets hybrid format, chooses Ward 4 meet‑and‑greet venue
Summary
The Astoria City Council agreed Nov. 3 to hold a hybrid candidate event for the Ward 4 council vacancy at Peace First Lutheran Church, with brief candidate statements, three identical moderated questions and a post‑forum meet‑and‑greet; staff will manage logistics and question collection.
Astoria City Council members on Nov. 3 settled on a hybrid meet‑and‑greet and moderated forum for prospective candidates to fill the Ward 4 vacancy, and identified Peace First Lutheran Church as a likely venue that can hold about 140 people.
City Manager Spence briefed the council on options, saying Peace First’s congregation hall was available and within Ward 4. Spence outlined three possible formats — an informal meet‑and‑greet, a structured town hall with a neutral moderator, or a hybrid of the two — and asked councilors how they wanted candidates to present themselves.
Mayor Fitzpatrick said she wanted the event to focus on candidates rather than becoming a contentious public forum. “I would like it to strictly be based on the candidates that we have at the time,” she said, urging structured questioning and limited personal attacks.
Councilors agreed on an approach staff estimated would run roughly 90–120 minutes depending on the number of candidates: about three minutes per candidate for a short introduction, three identical questions submitted in advance and posed to each candidate (about two minutes per answer), a one‑minute closing per candidate and roughly 30 minutes for a public meet‑and‑greet afterward. Spence said staff would collect submitted questions (written on arrival or in a collection basket) and suggested the city provide a neutral moderator.
Council members discussed who should ask the moderated questions. Mayor Fitzpatrick said she would open and close the event but preferred a neutral staff member or department head to moderate; the city librarian was proposed as one option. Spence suggested building 20–30 minutes for candidate introductions, about 30 minutes for submitted questions and time for meet‑and‑greet, with flexibility depending on turnout.
Spence also reminded the council that Nov. 17 remains a key date in the vacancy process for submitting council questions and that Nov. 24 will include a work‑session discussion of the city charter. No members of the public spoke specifically to the proposed format when the council opened the floor for comment.
The council did not take a formal vote on the format; staff will proceed with planning and return with final logistics.
