KNIGHTDALE - The four candidates vying for three seats on the Knightdale Town Council gave their best arguments for their election at a public forum last Tuesday at Knightdale Town Hall.

The forum was sponsored by the Knightdale Chamber of Commerce and the Eastern Wake News.

Up for re-election are Jeff Eddins, a Knightdale banker; Mike Chalk, a Knightdale landscape contractor; and Terry Gleason, a landscape architect. Charles Bullock, who owns his wrecker service in Knightdale, is also trying to win a 4-year seat on the five-member board.

All said they would be fiscally conservative in tough economic times. Eddins touted his commitment to seeing that there would be enough firefighters and police officers to protect the public. Each said there needed to be public input for choosing a town manager with Chalk and Eddins going further than the rest.

Chalk said there needs to be a public meeting to hear from the public on what they want in a town manager. Eddins said the public would have a chance to voice input on a selection committee, alluding to the assessment center format used in hiring public safety director Shawn Brown. Current town manager Gary McConkey has said he will retire next spring.

During the one-hour forum, Knightdale attorney George Hamrick gave each candidate two minutes to introduce themself. Hamrick then drew random questions provided by the Eastern Wake News. The public was given a chance to submit questions for the forum. Candidates were given two minutes to answer the questions. At the end of the forum, candidates also were given two minutes for a closing statement.

Bullock attempted to separate himself from the political establishment, saying he was "running for the right reasons." He said the highest compliment given him was that he served as a watchdog during his tenure as town council member from 1985 to 1993.

When asked how the three towns in eastern Wake County could cooperate in governmental efforts, each has his own idea.

Gleason said that Knightdale could cooperate with Wendell and Zebulon in a stormwater collection program, using stormwater to irrigate or for other purposes once building codes allow it. Eddins said the three towns could cooperate and serve as a voice to the Wake County school board for better educational programs in eastern Wake County. He said the eastern part of the county lacks in magnets and other programs offered elsewhere in the system.

Chalk said the three towns could jointly buy street cleaning and other equipment needed once increased stormwater regulations go into effect next year. And Bullock said the three towns should cooperate when it comes to recreation programs or recreation capital needs.

The candidates offered their backgrounds and their records as benchmarks of their candidacy.

Bullock served as a volunteer firefighter, a scout leader and a Parks and Recreation program volunteer.

"I love this community as well as I love my family," he said.

Chalk said the councils he served on brought 740,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. "These were things people were asking for," he said. "I'm proud...and I want to continue to be a part of it."

Eddins, also a licensed real estate broker, committed to hearing the public and encouraging people with concerns to come to public meetings for help. He said he enjoyed working with people in the community such as his work on the Knightdale Business Alliance.

Gleason recalled the climate four years ago at the beginning of his term. He said issues of growth would return as the economy improves. During the slowdown, 'it's important to spend your tax dollars wisely," he said.