NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Saturday's planned debates for the mayor and two city commission seats have been moved to the Hidden Lakes Golf Club to address parking, seating and traffic limitations.
The program gets under way at 9 a.m. in the Hidden Lakes' Greenview Room, which seats up to 200 people. Hidden Lakes is located at 35 Fairgreen Ave.
"We wanted to be able to address concerns about seating availability and parking and traffic issues," said Robert Tolley, chairman of the five-member Public Watch Committee that originally scheduled it at Bouchelle Island, off the South Causeway.
The TownHall-style debate is as follows:
9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Zone 2 city commissioner: Stephen Sather, Palmer Wilson and incumbent Jack Grasty.
10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Zone 1 city commissioner: Frank Dalton Jr., Judy Reiker and incumbent Randy Richenberg.
11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. mayor: Marilee Walters, Adam Barringer and incumbent Sally Mackay.
PHASE I -- Moderator will address approximately three questions to each candidate (same questions asked of each). Topics will be limited to the following:
# The 2010 proposed city budget, including the proposed 27 percent millage-rate increase and the reserve fund. Question may also include fiscal responsibility, city spending, and the generation of other revenues.
# Financial Impact of the three union contracts with the city of NSB. This question may include possible alternatives to the current benefit structure of these union contracts as well as feasibility of consolidation with county.
# Question may address the large number of current leases of city-owned property to numerous private and commercial entities.
# Question will address the major challenges of NSB currently facing our elected officials.
# The issues of growth and economic development confronting the city commission against the backdrop of maintaining the tradition and character of NSB.
Each candidate will have three minutes to respond to each question.
PHASE II -- One to two questions to the candidates from each member of the working press will be allowed prior to questions from the audience. The moderator will address the audience before citizen participation in order to establish the "ground rules" for citizen input. Citizens asking questions must be residents of New Smyrna Beach.
* Each Question will be addressed to all candidates;
* No Questions of personal issues will be permitted;
* Moderator will allow or disallow questions, in his discretion;
* Three-minute limit on answers.
PHASE III -- Each candidate will be allowed to ask the other two candidates questions (three-minute limit on answers). Closing remarks for each candidate (three-minute limit for each candidate).
Besides Tolley, members of the citizens debate committee are Robert Rees and Henry Frederick, editor/publisher of NSBNEWS.net.
A second debate is planned for Sept. 19 at Hidden Lakes.