A neighborhood group is hosting a debate Tuesday featuring the six candidates vying for the Louisville Metro Council District 1 seat in the upcoming primary.Last year, the council appointed Attica Woodson Scott to the position after it removed former councilwoman Judy Green from office due to ethics violations. Now five opponents from across the district have lined up to challenge Scott in the May 22 Democratic primary.The debate was organized by the Chickasaw Area Federation. President Donovan Taylor says residents are itching to be heard because they felt shut out during the Green ethics and removal hearings, as well as the appointment process."This is the first time that the residents have had an opportunity to voice their concern as far as the leadership in District 1 should go. And I think they are very anxious and I believe that they feel the previous process that they were not engaged enough when the vote was to select a candidate for District 1. And a lot of people don’t feel the vote was in their interest," he says.The challengers are former police officer Ray Barker, local businesswoman Rosa Macklin, JCPS substitute teach Janis Carter Miller, University of Louisville employee Stephen Colston and James Ponder, a vice president at Chase Bank.The debate is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the West End School, located on 3628 Virginia Avenue.No Republican is vying for the seat.
