Candidates and audience make a connection

Inside the Depot the consensus of men and woman seeking public office was that Walhalla is a terrific place to live and play, though they see the possibility for a better city, especially when it comes to quality of life. And they want to be part of city government’s next four years. A crowd of more than 50 people took up seats, some chose to stand, while a Partners for Progress event ran nearly two hours. And, in the question-answer part, the audience got to learn what the mayor and council candidates think about several Walhalla issues, as well as learn personal things about the candidates, such as where they live, what they like about Walhalla life. Last night’s forum also showed some division, however, about what’s best for their city’s future. And one of those issues was whether Walhalla should accommodate a long-talked about route of bus passenger service. David Underwood and Sarai Melendez are among the city council candidates’ strongest proponents of a bus route that would connect the cities of Seneca and Walhalla. But three of the four mayoral candidates expressed misgivings about bus service to the county seat, with the potential for an increase in crime a chief concern.  You can hear some of what the Walhalla candidates had to say today on 101.7/WGOG.