Politicians, few voters turn out for 'coffee' forum

Candidates running for elected office in Hamilton County gave out plenty of handshakes and business cards early Wednesday morning as they gathered to chat over coffee in Miller Plaza.

The "Coffee with the Candidates" event, meant to give voters a chance to talk face-to-face with the people who soon may represent them, was organized by the alumni association of Leadership Chattanooga, a program that develops individuals' leadership skills.

Attorney Kurt Faires, a graduate of Leadership Chattanooga, said he appreciated the opportunity to figure out who had "a real grasp on the issues."

"You get a chance to meet one-on-one with candidates and get answers that are longer than sound bytes," he said.

About 60 candidates and a handful of constituents showed up from 7 to 9 a.m. in the pavilion at Miller Plaza.

Marchetta Cannon, who is running for the District 9 seat on the Hamilton County Board of Education, said it was helpful to meet the other candidates.

"Everyone has to work together to be successful," she said. "It's been a wonderful event."

But some others weren't as convinced.

Richard Ford, a candidate for county mayor, said the event would have been better if more members of the general public had shown up.

"I thought there would be more of the voters," he said. "The only ones I saw were the politicians."

Still, some locals saw the event as a chance to get more involved in local politics.

"I moved here five years ago, and I'm really trying to immerse myself in the local goings-on," said North Chattanooga resident Ben Ubamadu. "I wanted to meet some of the people, look them in the eye, and get to know what kind of people they are."

Follow Kelli Gauthier on Twitter at twitter.com/gauthierkelli.

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