OAKHURST, CA – Voters in eastern Madera County will soon have an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates hoping to represent them, as a District 5 Candidate Forum is set for April 28, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the Oakhurst Community Center.

The event is being hosted jointly by the Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce and the Oakhurst Community Center, with organizers emphasizing that the forum is intended to promote informed civic participation and give residents a chance to compare candidates side by side before the election.

Scheduled to participate are four candidates seeking the District 5 seat: Brook Allen, Melanie Barker, Frank Bigelow, and Mark Reed. The discussion will be moderated by Wade Wheeler.

Organizers say the format will allow each candidate to outline their priorities, respond to community concerns, and address questions submitted by attendees in advance. Questions are expected to focus on issues affecting District 5 residents and will be screened to ensure the conversation remains respectful and issue-driven.

A District With Unique Challenges

District 5 covers a vast and geographically diverse portion of Madera County, stretching from foothill communities into the Sierra Nevada mountains. The region includes tourism-driven towns, rural residential areas, and forest-adjacent neighborhoods that face challenges not always shared by more urban parts of the county.

Wildfire preparedness continues to rank among the most pressing concerns for residents. In recent years, destructive fires across the Sierra foothills have heightened awareness of evacuation planning, defensible space enforcement, emergency communications, and forest management practices. Candidates are expected to address how the county should partner with state and federal agencies, utilities, and local fire districts to reduce risk while protecting property owners from excessive costs or regulatory burdens.

Infrastructure is another persistent issue. Residents frequently cite road maintenance, snow removal funding, and aging bridges as ongoing concerns. Because District 5 spans remote terrain, transportation reliability affects not only commuting but also emergency response times, school access, and tourism traffic.

Housing availability has also emerged as a growing topic. While the foothills have long been seen as a more affordable alternative to urban areas, rising insurance costs, construction expenses, and short-term rental pressures have complicated the local housing picture. Some residents are pushing for policies that encourage workforce housing, while others stress preserving the rural character that defines the region.

Economic development remains closely tied to tourism, small business vitality, and access to county services. Communities throughout the district often depend on seasonal visitor traffic, local entrepreneurship, and county-supported programs. Candidates are expected to discuss how they would balance economic growth with environmental protection and community identity.

Candidates Bring Varied Backgrounds

Each candidate enters the race with a different perspective on how to represent the district.

Bigelow, a familiar name in regional politics, brings years of experience in public office and legislative work. Supporters often point to his institutional knowledge and established relationships in Sacramento and across the county.

Allen, Barker, and Reed have each emphasized local engagement and community responsiveness as core elements of their campaigns. Their messaging has focused on being accessible to residents, improving communication between county government and rural communities, and ensuring District 5’s unique needs are not overlooked.

The forum is expected to give voters a chance to hear not only their policy priorities, but also how their leadership styles and decision-making approaches differ.

Encouraging Civic Participation

Organizers say the goal of the event is not to promote any candidate but to encourage informed participation in local government. With turnout in county elections often lower than in statewide races, community forums can play a critical role in helping residents understand how local decisions affect their daily lives.

District supervisors influence a wide range of issues, including land use planning, public safety funding, road budgets, and economic initiatives. For rural districts in particular, those decisions can shape everything from insurance availability to business viability.

By bringing the candidates together in a public setting, organizers hope to give residents of Oakhurst and surrounding communities a clearer understanding of who is seeking to represent them and how each contender plans to address the region’s most pressing concerns.

The forum is open to the public, and community members are encouraged to attend, submit thoughtful questions, and take part in the democratic process as the election approaches.

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