Petaluma mayoral, council candidates to square off at debates

The two candidates running for Petaluma mayor and five seeking City Council seats will face off against each other at two forums set for the next two weeks.

The first, on Wednesday night, is hosted by the American Association of University Women and the League of Women Voters, and will be in the council chambers, 11 English St. The City Council and mayoral candidates will make brief statements and answer questions from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Councilman Mike Harris is challenging Mayor David Glass for the mayor’s seat, which is elected separately in Petaluma. Council members Chris Albertson and Teresa Barrett are seeking re-election, while Dave King, Ken Quinto and Janice Cader Thompson are challenging for three open seats.

A similar session with Petaluma City School Board trustee candidates will be earlier, from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m.

Three incumbents and two challengers are running for three seats on the Petaluma Joint Union High School District board. They are incumbents Mike Baddeley, Sheri Chlebowski and Phoebe Ellis, and challengers Steven Cozza and Gonzalo Romo.

The forum will be shown live on the local cable access channel and will be recorded for broadcast later in the month as well.

The following week, on Oct. 8, the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce and the Petaluma Argus-Courier are hosting a 6 p.m. forum at the Sheraton Petaluma Hotel.

City Council and mayoral candidates will answer questions on various Petaluma issues until about 7:30 p.m., then each candidate will have a one-minute closing statement. The mayoral candidates will be asked to stay for additional questions.

The event will be held in the upstairs Snowy Egret room of the hotel at 745 Baywood Drive at the Petaluma Marina. Candidates likely will be asked questions about their stand on Measure Q, the one-cent sales tax increase also on the Nov. 4 ballot; their feelings on the Rainier Avenue undercrossing; how they intend on funding city services including road repairs; and their ideas on how to fund expensive employee pension and health care costs.

You can reach Lori A. Carter at 762-7297 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.