2009 Congressional Candidates & Community Interactive Dialogue on Open-Government
The Mayor of Walnut Creek, Gary Skrel welcomes everyone to our Candidates Forum in the heart of District 10.  We would like to take this opportunity to extend an invitation ALL Political Party Candidates and Voters for the 10th Congressional District to attend and participate interactively, in a Candidates Forum, which would be hosted at the Walnut Creek Elks Lodge, 1475 Creekside Dr. Walnut Creek CA.  We will start the event at 2:00 PM and end at 5:00 PM. We will hold the forum on August 16th.

Date    Sunday August 16, 2009

Time:   2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Location: Elks Lodge, Walnut Creek

Street:  1475 Creekside Dr

City:   Walnut Creek

RSVP Early to be added to the Will Call List.  {Please note: if you reserve two seats - inlcude two names so that both are on the Will Call List.}

2009 Congressional Candidates:

Joan Buchanan, Assemblywoman                         YES

Chris Bunch                                                                 YES

Gary Clift                                                                        YES

Jeremy Cloward                                                           NO

Jerry Denham                                                               YES

Mark DeSaulnier, Senator                                          YES

John Garamendi, Lieutenant Governor

Adriel Hampton                                                             NO

David Harmer

Mark Loos                                                                       YES

Mary Mcilory                                                                    YES

David Peterson                                                             YES

John Toth

Anthony Woods                                                             YES

EVENT FORMAT 

The World Café has been used by thousands of groups, including large multinational corporations, small non-profits, government offices, community-based organizations, and educational institutions.

We chose this format to support a deeper dialogue to engage with what President Obama outlined in his Transparency Memo and to consider what it means for us in our district. 

The cafe will be led by a team of skilled professionals who will guide us through three rounds of dialogue.  Conversation highlights will be captured and published after the forum. 

 EVENT INSPIRATION

President Obama's commitment to creating an unprecedented level of openness in government. 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/TransparencyandOpenGovernment/

Government should be transparent. Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing.  Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset.

Government should be participatory. Public engagement enhances the Government's effectiveness and improves the quality of its decisions. Knowledge is widely dispersed in society, and public officials benefit from having access to that dispersed knowledge.

Government should be collaborative.  Collaboration actively engages Americans in the work of their Government. Executive departments and agencies should use innovative tools, methods, and systems to cooperate among themselves, across all levels of Government, and with nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals in the private sector.

CLOSING STATEMENTS BY CANDIDATES

Following the World Cafe and citizen reflections on the dialogue, each candidate will have 3 Minutes to make a statement on the record.

Each campaign may video the statement made by their candidate and is free to post  www.Youtube.com .  We encourage this posting within 24hrs of the event. 

Campaigns may video other closing statements as they wish.

No Flash photography during the candidate statements please. 

Attire: Business Casual for Attendees and Candidates

           Please do not include Campaign Wear  & buttons

           A Small table will be provided at the entrance for Campaign Flyers