High-schoolers to stage debate

The Up Close program at Libby High School is following the tenets of civic duty by organizing and hosting a debate between Lincoln County commissioner candidates Anthony Berget and Jerry Okonski.

Libby lacks a Women’s League of Voters, which is the group typically in charge of such a forum. LHS educators Jeff Gruber and Jim May were concerned by the absence of a debate and believed the students and community would benefit from a public, political discussion.

“A classic government function is citizens coming to see candidates publicly address the issues,” Gruber said. “The county commissioners are the high-profile local race for this November.”

Up Close members sat down Tuesday afternoon with Lincoln County commissioners Marianne Roose and John Konzen to learn about the role of a county commissioner, and to receive a briefing on paramount issues to ask candidates at the debate.

“Glean as much information as you can about county government,” Gruber requested of the students.

May and Gruber believe that giving the students some ownership in the local political process may help create more civically active individuals.

“We are going to take this quite serious,” May told the group. “You students are providing a tremendous community service.”

The students will devise questions that a selected panel will then ask during the debate. The candidates will not receive the questions ahead of time.

“The goal is to inform the public of issues and what is important to Lincoln County,” Gruber said.

The Close Up program travels to Washington, D.C. every year, taking students to the front line of American politics. The annual outing is for students to meet with elected officials, policy experts and media, and live and learn with peers from across the country.

The forum is slated for Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m., in the Libby Memorial Center, and is free and open to the public.

Berget is the lone candidate on the ballot. Okonski is running as a write-in candidate.

A candidate’s debate is also scheduled for Oct. 27 in Eureka. It will feature county commissioners and Montana House of Representatives candidates.