Candidates on the ballot for the upcoming November election in Salina gathered Thursday night to answer questions.

A crowd of 121 people attended a candidate forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters and the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce.

To begin the evening, the seven Salina USD 305 Board of Education candidates spent an hour answering questions. Questions ranged from recruiting and retaining teachers, student success, school safety, and long term goals.

School board candidates who attended include Mark Bandre’, Scott Gardner, Dana Kossow, Allan Lytton, Roy Miller, Cori Sherman North, and Ann Zimmerman. There are four spots open on the school board. Zimmerman, the current board president,  is the only board member running for reelection.

After a short break, the six candidates for the Salina City Commission answered questions. Questions ranged from topics including visions of Salina Downtown, issues with Saline County involving Kenwood Park, jobs, and economic development and growth issues.

City commission candidates participating in the forum included Jon Blanchard, James Bowden, Dr. Trent Davis, Rod Franz, Ben Pruitt, and Karl Ryan. There are three seats open on the city commission. Davis and Ryan are both currently on the commission running for reelection. Blanchard is a former commissioner.

The general election is Tuesday, November 5th.

Salina Media Connection recorded the forum, and plans to play it back multiple times leading up the general election. All of the candidates also have appeared in forums on KSAL Radio.