September Contact Breakfast will include forum with Poughkeepsie Mayor candidates

The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s September Contact Breakfast from 7:30-9 a.m. on Wednesday, September 18 at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel, will include a forum between the candidates for City of Poughkeepsie Mayor, incumbent Rob Rolison and challenger Joash Ward. This event is sponsored by MidHudson Regional Hospital.

The candidates will each have an opportunity speak about where they stand on pertinent business and economic issues and answer questions. Questions can be submitted for consideration by emailing richk@dcrcoc.org by September 16.

Rob Rolison has served as the mayor of Poughkeepsie since 2016, and previously was as a member of the Dutchess County Legislature for 12 ½ years. He worked for the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department for a total of 26 years in the Patrol Division and as a detective.

Joash Ward graduated valedictorian at 16 from Poughkeepsie High School. He studied at Syracuse University and King’s College London, was an intern at the White House under the Obama Administration, and later joined the US Mission to the United Nations as part of the Management Reform Team.

The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and its Legislative Action Committee are devoted to advocating for local businesses and providing them with access to our elected officials. By having candidate forums at our Contact Breakfasts, we provide our local business community the opportunity to hear candidates for elected office discuss issues related to the economy, and to participate by having their questions heard and answered in a non–partisan setting. This way, our members can make informed choices at the polls.

Chamber members and guests must pre-register. The cost to attend the breakfast is $25 for members, and nonmembers can attend for $35. To RSVP, call (845) 454-1700, ext. 1000 or visit dcrcoc.org.

From its state-of-the-art Center for Robotic Surgery to the healing hands of their physical and occupational therapists at the Therapy Connection, MidHudson Regional Hospital features the latest healing techniques and technology delivered by the most caring and compassionate staff in the world. For more information, please visit midhudsonregional.org.

The Chamber's Ambassador committee has partnered with the Chamber’s Workforce Development Center to collect canned and dry goods at each Contact Breakfast. Your donations are greatly appreciated.