By MELINDA J. OVERSTREET
for Glasgow News 1
Candidates for the nine seats on Glasgow’s city council will have an opportunity next week to show a different segment of their community who they are and why their names should be the ones selected on this year’s general election ballot.
Though it appeared that the vast majority of those in attendance at this past Monday’s candidate forum organized by a group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Barren County appeared to be older than 40, an event scheduled for Tuesday, less than a week before Election Day, has “young professionals” as its specified audience.
Young Professionals of Barren County, organized and relaunched just a few months ago through Barren Inc., The Barren County Chamber of Commerce, is hosting this event specifically for individuals like them. Membership is not required in either Barren Inc. or YPBC, or even interest in membership for attendance, though. Any Glasgow resident who considers themselves a professional person – generally working in, doing business in or even hoping to get into a career field here – in the age range of 21 to 40 is invited.
Erin Hiles, programs and events coordinator for Barren Inc., is a member herself and is among those helping to plan what they envision as more of a meet-and-greet plus a town-hall meeting.
“It’s an opportunity for our young professionals to meet the candidates for Glasgow city council,” she said.
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., roughly the first 45 minutes is designated for casual social chatting and mingling among attendees and candidates, she said.
Switching to a town-hall-type format, questions will be asked of the candidates more formally by a moderator. Hiles said the YPs were being asked to submit some questions in advance, and if time permits, the floor will be opened for questions from the audience. The event is scheduled to go until 8 p.m. in the community room at Western Kentucky University in Glasgow’s campus off Trojan Trail, to the right of the main foyer.
YPBC has a leadership committee that somewhat steers its direction, and the suggestion to do this came up during one of that group’s meetings, she said, “to give YPs the opportunity to meet candidates in a setting where they may be more comfortable.”
Advance registration is preferred at this link, but it is not required. There is no charge to attend this event, despite the standard wording on the registration webpage about “special pricing” for those who log in.
Hiles said that with this being their first time hosting such an event and with the time they had, they are focusing on only one event just for the Glasgow council race this time, even though Cave City has a council race this year, too, and Park City has a commission race, although with no real contest because they have the same number of candidates as seats. YPBC has high ambitions, though, hoping to have candidate events for all the local races two years from now, she said.
More about YPBC
In recent months, some of the younger members on the Barren Inc. board of directors saw a need to get more YPs involved in the community again and to provide them with opportunities to get a foot in the door, so to speak, Hiles said. The hope is that the connections formed through more involvement with this and with some of the nonprofit organizations they work with will encourage them to want to stay in Barren County, she said.
Hiles noted that an independent young-professionals group that was active and did a great job several years ago had eventually fizzled out, especially once the COVID pandemic hit. She believes that being connected with the chamber will help keep it on track and continuing. That said, a person doesn’t have to be a chamber member to be YP member. YPBC members have a $30 annual membership to help cover costs like food, trainers that may be brought in and other miscellaneous related items.
The group of about 25 current members is focusing on three overall initiatives – professional development opportunities, community engagement and network building.
An example of how the first of those is being implemented is that they had a panel discussion/workshop on basic public speaking and communications skills at the last meeting. On the community engagement front, they select a nonprofit each quarter to work with; the current one is the South Central Kentucky Cultural Center, with a focus on helping to digitize some of the records there.
Network building is done through various social gatherings at local restaurants. She said one larger event that is in the works for early 2025 is a roundtable CEO luncheon. With top executives in Barren County present, the YPs will be able to rotate tables, ask questions and hopefully even gain a mentorship.
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