As a service for the community, each election year the Ashland Chamber of Commerce hosts and sponsors Fall Legislative Candidate Forums. For the 2022 Election, the Ashland Chamber recorded Legislative Forums for the following positions: State Senator (District 3), State Representative (District 5), Jackson County Commissioner (Positions 1 and 3), Ashland City Council (Positions 2, 4 and 6) and Ashland Parks & Recreation Commissioner (Positions 3 and 5).
Questions for the Forums were created by the Chamber's Legislative Committee. The discussion was chaired by Ashland Chamber Legislative Chair and Ashland Chamber President, Gary Blake and moderated by Board Member, Anne Robison and Past President Mary Gardiner. They were filmed at the SOU Digital Media Center - RVTV Studios.
These videos can be watched below by clicking on the YouTube links.
The forums will also be broadcast on the following media outlets throughout the month of October until Election Day - November 8th, 2022:
Television Stations
The forums will be aired locally on the following channels:- RVTV Prime (Ashland TV channel 9, Charter channel 180)
- RVTV Civic (Ashland TV channel 14, Charter channel 181)
For the PRIME and CIVIC channels – Each Candidate Forum will be available for viewing at least twice per week per RVTV channel beginning October 1st.
RVTV programming schedules: rvtv.sou.edu/schedules
NOTE: This programming schedule is subject to change by the RVTV Studios. Schedules may be altered if LIVE government programs are previously scheduled. Please continue to check your local listings for the most current program schedule.
For more information, contact Dana Preston at the Ashland Chamber, (541) 482-3486 ext. 104.
The Ashland Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative mission is to provide an opportunity for our members and the greater community to learn about candidates for office and issues. Unlike traditional Chamber models, the Ashland Chamber chooses not to have a Political Action Committee that supports candidates for office. We are not current members of the US Chamber, nor are we involved in their political action.
The Ashland Chamber has many decades of long relationships within the business sector and through effective community partnerships with SOU, the hospital and OSF and with the City of Ashland. We promote business and the community by providing business resources, creating events such as the Festival of Light and 4th of July, promote tourism, the economy, improve the quality of life and serve as the welcome center for our city. Over 450 businesses are members of the Chamber representing thousands of employees and jobs and hundreds of community volunteers who are engaged citizens helping to make our community better every day. We believe in collaboration and effective relationships which we hold dear.
The Ashland Chamber is a private, non-profit mutual benefit corporation. We required that the candidates refrain from and sign a consent form to prohibit any form of speech that includes profanity, obscenity, hate, racism, or vulgarity or that is insulting or offensive to any ethnic, religious, political or other identifiable group or individual, as determined by the forum moderator.
2022 Fall Legislative Forums - Videos & Images:
STATE SENATOR (DISTRICT 3)
Candidate Senator Jeff Golden.
Candidate Randy Sparacino was unable to join us due to a scheduling conflict.
WATCH State Senator (District 3) HERE
STATE REPRESENTATIVE (DISTRICT 5)
and Candidate Representative Pam Marsh.
Candidate Sandra Abercrombie did not respond to our invitation to participate.
WATCH State Representative (District 5) HERE
JACKSON COUNTY COMMISSIONER - POSITION #1
and Candidate Denise Krause.
Candidate Commissioner Rick Dyer
did not respond to our invitation to participate.
WATCH Jackson County Commissioner Position #1 HERE
JACKSON COUNTY COMMISSIONER - POSITION #3
and Candidate Al Densmore.
Candidate Commissioner Colleen Roberts
declined participation in our forums.
WATCH Jackson County Commissioner Position #3 HERE
ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL - POSITION #2
Candidate Councilor Tonya Graham and Candidate Joy Fate.
WATCH City Council Position #2 HERE
ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL - POSITION #4
Candidate Jill Franko and Candidate Bob Kaplan.
WATCH City Council Position #4 HERE
ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL - POSITION #6
Candidate Jim Falkenstein and Candidate Eric Hansen.
WATCH City Council Position #6 HERE
ASHLAND PARKS & RECREATION -
POSITIONS #3 and #5
Candidate Jim Bachman (Uncontested for position #3) and Candidate Rick Landt (Uncontested for position #5).
WATCH Parks Positions #3 and #5 HERE
Photos by Sandra Slattery
Office Hours: 10am-3pm, Monday through Friday
