At this hour, the candidates are engaged!

The meeting room of Walhalla Civic Auditorium filled tonight with those interested in next week’s city election.  Keith Denny, moderator for tonight’s forum, expressed pleasure that there is a substantial interest in the election.  Six of the seven ballot candidates took part in the forum, arranged by the chamber of commerce.  From the opening statements, through the prepared questions asked by the moderator, and through the opportunity for the audience to ask questions, it was clear that this forum—a week ahead of Election Day—succeeded in making the candidates think about the issues.  And those issues were wide-ranging—including topics that have not been serious issues in the past, such as whether an additional penny tax is needed to help Walhalla succeed to the kinds of incentives that government should offer to spur building owners into fixing up their commercial properties.  Councilman Tjay Bagwell, a candidate for one of the three available council seats, came out in support of hiring a city manager in the future.  And each of the candidates was given the chance to identify the three top Walhalla issues, as they see them.  Mayoral candidates Danny Edwards, the incumbent, and challenger Dennis Owens each agreed that a water source is their top priority.  Edwards says Walhalla is fortunate it now has Lake Keowee property from which it can draw its future water supply.  Owens says he wants a clean and abundant source of water for Walhalla’s future.  “I feel it’s most important for Walhalla to have its own source and its own treatment plant.”  Besides Bagwell, Edwards and Owens, the following council candidates are taking part in tonight’s forum:  David Underwood, Danny Woodward, and Davy Lee.  Absent from the forum was council candidate Randy Chastain.