Dr. Austin Serves as Moderator for Candidates Forum

LITCHFIELD, Ill. - March 19, 2017 - PRLog -- The local Chamber of Commerce organized and hosted a Candidates Forum for the city's citizens on the evening of Tuesday 3-14-17 at Lincoln Land Community College in the school's auditorium. Approximately 100 members of the general public were in attendance.  The purpose was to allow the voters to learn more about the candidates running for Mayor, City Council and City Clerk.

Dr. Todd Austin of Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden was asked by the Litchfield Chamber to serve as Moderator for the evening's Forum.  Austin is a veteran member of Toastmasters International who currently serves as the VP of Membership for the Montgomery County Toastmasters Club.  The Mont-Co Club recently relocated from Hillsboro, IL to the nearby city of Litchfield.  Austin has earned the title of DTM or Distinguished Toastmaster with Toastmasters International, the highest designation in Toastmasters.

Past President of the Litchfield Chamber Steve Bryant welcomed all attendees, explained the forum's rules and then introduced Austin.  Dr. Todd then asked questions of the 8 total candidates present.  All of the questions were either prepared in advance or given to him by audience members who wrote them on index cards .

Photo caption: Litchfield Chamber of Commerce Past President Steve Bryant (right) welcomed and introduced Dr. Todd Austin (left) of Virden as the Moderator for the Litchfield Candidates Forum on 3-14-17 in the Auditorium at LLCC / Lincoln Land Community College's Litchfield location.

In section 1 of the forum, Dr. Todd asked questions of Litchfield City Clerk Candidates Carol Burke & Mary Ann Frerichs.  During Section 2 of the event, Austin delivered questions to the four Litchfield Alderman / City Council candidates from the city's two uncontested wards: Marilyn Sisson & Russell E. Beason from Ward 1 and Ray Kellenberger & William E. Borkland of Ward 4.

During the final part of the 2017 Litchfield Candidates Forum, Austin asked questions of the two candidates for Mayor, incumbent Steven F. Doughtery & challenger Johnny Leonard.  These questions included those addressing their future plans for the city's vacant historic Carnegie Library building, their future vision of Lake Lou Yaeger and their plans for bringing more businesses, residents and jobs to Litchfield.

The event lasted for approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes.  Many Litchfield citizens should now be much more informed about where the aforementioned candidates stand on the issues when they cast their vote on 4-4-17.

For more info about Toastmasters which is a worldwide educational organization dedicated to helping people develop and fine tune their communications and leadership skills, please contact Dr. Todd at 217-965-3100 or draustin@royell.net .  The Mont-Co Toastmasters Club meets the 1st Thursday night each month from 7 to 8 PM at Litchfield's own St. Francis Hospital in the Conference Room next to the Cafeteria.  Guests and new members are always welcome.  The club website is: http://1252478.toastmastersclubs.org/