League of Women Voters Holds Candidates Forum Monday

The five candidates running for three city leadership seats will be under one roof Monday for a League of Women Voters candidate forum at 7 p.m.

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City Council positions

In the council races, incumbent Mike Lennon, who has been on council since 2004, is running against newcomers Sherry Wells and . Mayor Pro Tem Kate Baker, whose seat is up for election this year, has decided not to seek a second term.

Wells has been a Ferndale resident for 23 years. She was chair for two of the three years of the Ferndale Charter Revision Commission in the '90s, which was an elected position. Wells has been a lawyer, publisher, author and public speaker and performed a three-minute standup routine at her church. Wells said that if she is elected, she would like to see equity among businesses, residents and the government.

Martin is president of the and has lived in Ferndale since 2004. This is his first foray into an elected position in Ferndale, but his work with the Ferndale Community Foundation, a nonprofit group that gives microgrants to residents or local organizations that are affecting Ferndale or its residents in a positive way.

Race for mayor

Dave Coulter, who was after is running to retain his position.

"I'm proud of what I've accomplished in the short amount of time that I've been on council," Coulter told . "I feel we've laid a foundation for Ferndale to grow, and we're just getting started. This is the beginning of our work."

Coulter is running against resident Ray Willis. This is Willis' first jump into local politics.

Willis is a father, former business owner and currently delivers pizza.

He said he's running for the mayor's seat because he said likes to fix things.

"I was always the guy that was sent to fix things," he said in August. "I like helping people. I follow politics. I'm not a lawyer, but I listen to people's problems."

The forum starts at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 300 E. Nine Mile Rd.