Lemon Grove City Council Candidates Forum Set for Oct. 29

All politics is local, the saying goes, and there’s nothing more local than Patch.

To connect Lemon Grove voters with the contenders in the City Council race, Patch will host a candidates forum Oct. 29 in the middle school auditorium at the Lemon Grove Academy for the Sciences and Humanities. All six candidates have agreed to participate in the 90-minute forum, which will give the community an opportunity to explore key issues in the race.

Candidates are vying for two open City Council seats on the Nov. 6 ballot. One is seeking re-election, while the others are either making a first run for public office or trying their chances again. They are:

• Incumbent George Gastil, a community college teacher and former Lemon Grove School District trustee who is seeking a second term.

• Racquel Vasquez, a planning commissioner in Lemon Grove and public information officer for the City of San Diego’s public works department.

• Mark Gracyk, an account manager and chairman of the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee for Proposition W.

• Matt Mendoza, a Boeing Satellite Systems operations manager who in a field of six contenders came in third behind England and Shirley Weber for a place on the November ballot in the 79th Assembly District race.

• Lou Melendez, a Caltrans engineer who took fourth place with 15.65 percent of the vote in the 2010 city council race in which Howard Cook was elected and Jerry Jones was re-elected.

• Michael Richards, a purchasing manager for Western Radio Electronics and Air Force veteran who sought a seat on the council in 2008.

Patch will moderate the Q&A-style forum focused on local government issues.

Join us from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29, in the Roberto Alvarez Auditorium located on School Lane at the Lemon Grove Academy for the Sciences and Humanities, formerly Lemon Grove Middle School. You can also watch the forum live online.

Refreshments will be served.