GVR sets February candidate forums

Green Valley Recreation members will elect four new members to the board of directors this year, and there will be a pair of meet-the-candidates forums next month.

Details of those forums came at Tuesday’s GVR board meeting, where plans for a new volunteer center were also announced.

There are six candidates vying for the four positions that will open this year.

Board member Chuck Catino said one of the forums will be at 2 p.m., Feb. 14, at the Canoa Hills Center, and the other at 9 a.m., Feb. 21, at the Anza Room at the Springs.

Catino, noting that only six GVR members were in the audience, said the forums will be a good chance to meet and hear the candidates’ views on issues.

Ballots will be mailed Feb. 22 and deadline to return them will be 4 p.m., March 19.

President Lou Lovat introduced three new board members, named to replace three who resigned late last year.

The new members are Eddie Peabody Jr., Jim Molski and Joseph Schechter.

They were runners-up in the last election and succeeded recently resigned members Les Shipley, Frank Kalis and Angelika Alfson.

Those members resigned citing differences with President Lovat.

The six candidates for the four pending vacancies are Linda Sparks, Stan Riddle, Mike Banks, Bob Barry, Al Crawford and Joe Roth.

GVR Recreation Manager Alison Brown said the idea to have a volunteer sign-up location in the lobby of the West Center is because it’s a busy place and potential volunteers may become aware of the need to donate time.

Brown, in a short interview, said an estimated 1,800 to 2,000 people volunteer for GVR every years, doing such things as taking tickets and ushering at large entertainment programs, monitoring activities at the swimming pools and helping organize some of the activities at physical fitness centers.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749