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WORLAND – A political candidate forum/debate has been scheduled for Wednesday at the Worland Community Center Complex starting at 6 p.m. with Worland mayor, city council, District No. 1 school board candidates and state legislative candidates invited to attend the event.

Organizer and mayoral candidate Keith McDonald said he organized the event, but the event is sponsored by 10 local businesses. WCCC Executive Director Steve Hunt will be the moderator for the forum.

“Originally, I had challenged my opponent Jim Gill to a debate and he respectively declined to attend that and I still wanted to move forward with speaking to people and answering our constituency’s questions at a public forum,” McDonald said.

In a letter addressed to McDonald, Gill said, “In regard to the debate session you set up and invited me to, I respectively decline. I plan to continue to devote my time and effort toward the general election knocking on doors and visiting directly with our Worland constituency.”

McDonald said he extended the invitation to council candidates, school board candidates and state legislators, and so far council member Marcus Sanchez, school board candidates Dean Dupree and Chris King and state legislator candidate Wyatt Agar have committed to the forum.

McDonald said anyone running for elected office is invited to attend.

“The way I envision it … we’re going to have a few minutes for the people running for contested office and if they’re not running for contested office to give them a couple of minutes to tell them (the audience) about themselves,” McDonald said.

The format of the event will be similar to the mayoral primary election candidate forum held at the Worland Senior Center, but it’s going to be more questioned-based from the crowd, McDonald said.

Residents who are unable to attend, but would like to submit a question can submit it at [email protected]