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Pleasanton Weekly candidates forum set for Thursday
2 seeking mayor's post, 3 for City Council to face voters at free, public debate

Voters will have a final chance to hear candidates for Pleasanton mayor and City Council talk about how they would govern the city at a free, community-wide forum this Thursday before ballots can be cast by mail starting Oct. 8.

The forum, sponsored by the Pleasanton Weekly, will be held in the City Council chambers starting at 6:30 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m. Doors at the Civic Center, located at 200 Old Bernal Ave., will open at 6 p.m.

Those attending the forum will be given cards as they enter which they can use to write out their questions of individual or all candidates. The moderators of the forum, Gina Channell-Allen, publisher of the Pleasanton Weekly, and editor Jeb Bing will then ask the candidates to answer these questions as well as others they will ask.

The forum will be videotaped for later broadcast on community television's Channel 29 and also on the Pleasanton Weekly's website at www.pleasantonweekly.com.

The candidates are Council Members Cheryl Cook-Kallio and Jerry Thorne, who are seeking election to the mayor's post, and Karla Brown, Erlene DeMarcus and Jerry Pentin, who are seeking election to the City Council, where two seats need to be filled. Mike Harris, a fourth council candidate, has dropped out of the race although his name is listed at the top of the council ballot, which is already printed and distributed and cannot be changed.

Thursday's 90-minute debate will give the public an opportunity to ask questions about where the candidates stand on vital issues facing the city as well as a chance for candidates to respond and tell voters why they should be elected.

Questions for individual or all of the candidates may also be sent by email to editor@pleasantonweekly.com.