Citizen Portal
Sign In

Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!

Jefferson mayoral and alderman candidates outline plans on tourism, infrastructure and public safety

Jefferson Candidate Forum (hosted by Jefferson Gemplicute) · April 17, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

At a Jefferson candidate forum hosted by Hugh Lewis of the Jefferson Gemplicute, mayoral and alderman candidates emphasized tourism, pursuing grants for water and sewer repairs, and finishing a long‑promised fire station; no formal actions or endorsements were made.

Moderator Hugh Lewis opened a public candidate forum for Jefferson’s upcoming May 2 elections, set the rules for written questions and introduced elected officials in attendance. Six candidates — three for mayor and three for alderman — gave opening statements and answered audience questions on tourism, infrastructure, water, animal control and municipal facilities.

Mayoral hopefuls emphasized different strengths. Kerry B. Hester Jr., citing prior service as mayor and council member and years in local emergency services, framed his campaign on experience and improving ordinances and planning. “I would like to see the council unite and...build on what we have,” Hester said, urging a focused approach to ordinances and planning.

Hunter Manis, a five‑year resident who framed himself as a newcomer with tourism and events…

Already have an account? Log in

Subscribe to keep reading

Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.

  • Unlimited articles
  • AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
  • Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
  • Follow topics and more locations
  • 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
30-day money-back on paid plans