Candidates for mayor and three vying for election to the City Council will participate in a "Meet the Candidates" forum hosted by the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce at 7:30 a.m. Friday in the Veterans Memorial Building in downtown Pleasanton.
The candidates are Mayor Jerry Thorne, who is seeking re-election to a third two-year term, and challenger Julie Testa. The three candidates seeking the two available seats on the council are incumbents Karla Brown and Jerry Pentin and challenger Herb Ritter, who is chairman of the city's Planning Commission.
The candidates will face questions about community priorities, including the Johnson Drive Economic Development Zone, transportation, water, workforce housing, the proposed construction of a new civic center and library and what they envision in a new the downtown specific plan.
They also will be asked to describe how they differ on issues affecting the city's business community and Pleasanton voters as a whole.
Moderating the forum will be David Stark, who is director of Public Affairs for the Bay East Association of Realtors, headquartered in Pleasanton.
On Monday, Sept. 19, the Pleasanton Weekly will host an evening candidates forum in the Pleasanton City Council chamber.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. with the forum for Mayor Thorne and challenger Testa from 6:30-7:20 p.m. The three candidates for council will follow at 7:30 p.m.
Moderators for that forum will be Gina Channell, publisher of the Pleasanton Weekly, and Jeb Bing, its editor.