Naperville mayoral candidate wants debates

It’s been a long time since there’s been a mayoral debate in Naperville.

Councilman and mayoral candidate Kenn Miller thinks it’s time to change that.

He has challenged his two opponents in the April 5 election — Councilman Doug Krause and Mayor George Pradel — to a series of three debates, the first of which would be a moderated forum Feb. 24 sponsored by the Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation.

Miller said he also wants the three to meet in an open forum and in a town hall-style meeting where the candidates would field questions from the audience.

“Debates are important if the public is interested in our mayoral race, or learning our points of view or what we each bring to the table,” Miller said. “They need to hear our solutions and points of view on issues.”

Miller said his request comes in the spirit of Pradel’s recent State of the City address during which the mayor said “Our successes and prosperity are the result of a long history of councils, community leaders and involved and caring citizens like all of you, whose vision for the future has become our reality.”

“I want to take the mayor up on this. The city has grown because of this kind of in-depth discussion by people who care about its future,” Miller said. “I hope we can have those public conversations over the next 60 days.”

Krause said he’s expecting the candidates to meet publicly many times during the next few months.

“I said any time, any place I’ll be there,” Krause said. “(Miller’s) trying to create something here, I know, but I have a feeling there’s going to be plenty of debates between us.”

Pradel, though, said between local township meetings and forums already scheduled by the League of Women Voters and other organizations, the three will have plenty of time to discuss the issues without debates.

“I will actively participate in all currently planned events, but I am not looking to get actively involved in any more events,” Pradel said. “We are all experienced council people. Everyone already knows where we stand.”