Ward 5 City Council Candidate Cook-off Challenge
The race for Ward 5's open city council seat this year will feature a kind of contest less commonly seen in electoral politics: a candidate cook-off.
Instead of dishing out partisan rhetoric, candidates Lenora Travis (I), Ben Traverse (D) and FaRied Munarsyah (I) will bring home cooked meals and, quite literally, serve the community. Mac n Cheese, Chicken Curry, Smoked Brisket, Grilled Tofu & Tempe with various sides and fixins will be served this Friday 2/11 at the People's Kitchen weekly distro site, intersection of Baird St. and South Meadows St starting at 5pm.
"I'm really looking forward to this Friday's candidate cook-off," said independent Lenora Travis, "it's a really great way to bring people together through good food and coming up with good ideas by having good conversations."
"True community engagement requires that our elected representatives come to the community where they are," said candidate Ben Traverse. "All of the Ward 5 City Council candidates are running with a commitment to ensure all of our neighbors' voices are heard, and this cook-off with my fellow candidates is a great step in that direction," Traverse added.
People for Democracy project volunteer FaRied Munarsyah echoes the sentiment, "for folks who may not be able to watch debates or attend meetings, not having to worry about family dinner makes it that little bit easier to participate". Munarsyah hopes to collect petition signatures supporting a charter amendment granting Burlingtonian voters the same powers to propose and pass ordinance as voters in every other Vermont town. "Democracy is like a community feast, the more the merrier."
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Contact: Lenora Travis (lenora@lenoraforward5.com), Ben Traverse (bentraverse@gmail.com), FaRied Munarsyah (faried@peoplefordemocracy.direct)
Dec 4, 2024, 2 to 3:30 PM
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