Monday's East Ridge election debate saw frequent discussions of fiscal responsibility, "back-room politics" and transparency.
The audience of several hundred at Spring Creek Elementary cheered when challengers offered criticisms toward the current administration.
Two of those running for East Ridge City Council - Larry Sewell, a current council member, and Tom Card, current vice mayor - didn't attend. Because Mayor Mike Steele is retiring and Councilman Denny Manning will hold his seat until the 2012 elections, the only current incumbent debater was Brent Lambert, who is running for mayor and will retain his council seat if he isn't elected.
The four mayoral candidates first answered how they plan to fix the city's recent financial problems. East Ridge's budget has run at a deficit for five of the last 10 years, including the 2009-10 fiscal year's six-figure deficit.
Robert Frye, a UTC student and 2005 East Ridge High School graduate, said he would encourage the council to work closer with citizens and create long-term goals for expenditures.
"We have to have accountability, and we have to understand where we're going," he said. Former East Ridge Mayor Don Huskey said more research needs to be done on the city's next city manager before he or she is hired.
"We didn't do that," he said. "We just need to use common sense."
Since the city hired its first city manager in 1992, it has had numerous short-tenured people in the position, with William Whitson's 18-month stint being the most recent.
Lambert said this past year's deficit was "unexpected" and was caused mostly by flooding and a bad economic climate. He said the current council has already made necessary cuts and reorganizations to adjust.
"I do think some things we've done already will help in the future," he said.
Bob Johnson, also a former East Ridge mayor, said the city needs to handle finances better. There was "no excuse" for last year's deficit "in a city of this size," he said.
"Somebody should've caught the numbers," he said.
All mayoral candidates were in favor of keeping the city manager position.
Council candidates were asked what they felt the city's biggest problem.
Candidate Jim Bethune said finances are the biggest problem.
"We've got to bring all these back into place," he said of tax revenues and vacant business buildings. Candidate Bill Breneman said East Ridge is "missing leadership."
"When we put leadership to action, people get excited," he said,
Candidate Marc Gravitt said the city needs fewer renters and more homeowners, thus creating a "community atmosphere."
"We need to get more personal homeowners in the city of East Ridge," he said.
Candidate Justin Kirk cited the "negative publicity" the city has received recently.
"I hate to say this, but it's kind of dying," he said of the city.
Election Day is Nov. 2.
The debate was moderated by Chattanooga Times Free Press staff writer Chris Carroll, who was invited to do so by the East Ridge Education Committee, the event's sponsor.