WENDELL - Five of the six candidates for public office in this town gathered Thursday night to debate a range of issues from campaign finance and the hiring of a new town manager to economic development and transportation needs.

In an hourlong forum, commission candidates Johnny Easters, Sam Laughery and James Parham expressed a desire to see stability return to town government.

Easters said the town needs a professional manager who is clearly in charge.

"We've had a number of town managers. It's almost embarrassing. If we miss this time, it's not the manager. It's us," Easters said.

Laughery said he hopes the town board's troubles with civility will be behind them. "Knowing the candidates that are running, I think that problem will take care of itself," Laughery said.

Incumbent mayor Harold Broadwell agreed that promoting stability is important to the town.

"First we need to achieve stability and continuity in the administration. To do that we must trust their professional judgment, take their professional advice and trust who we work with," Broadwell said.

Mayoral challenger Tim Hinnant said other goals are at the top of his priority list. He cited the need to fill the vacant economic development director's position.

"We need to hire an economic development director with a proven track record of actually recruiting industrial and commercial businesses," Hinnant said.

Not everyone, though, was in favor of hiring a new economic development director. Broadwell cited problems with space in town facilities that need to be addressed.

"When we hired Maggie O'Neill, we had to clean out a snack room to have a space to put her," Broadwell said. "She couldn't even lock the door on her office at the community center, which is where we had to put her because there was no room at town hall."

But Hinnant pressed his case for filling the position, saying the town also needs to establish an economic development advisory board to support a new director.

Commission candidates were split on the need for filling the position. Laughery supported the idea, but said a new hire should focus efforts on assisting existing businesses already operating in Wendell. Parham and Easters said they thought the town could save money by using existing staff and organizations like the Chamber of Commerce to represent the town in matters of economic development.

Moment of agreement

All five candidates agreed that Wendell's future growth remains tied to the development of Wendell Falls. The project is now in bankruptcy. Wells Fargo Bank is actively seeking buyers for the property.

"Wendell has been bypassed twice. ... (Wendell Falls) is our new entrance. Our new gateway to Wendell," Broadwell said.

Hinnant agreed. "The economy threw us a heckuva a curve, but Wendell Falls has the biggest potential to move us forward," Hinnant said.

Laughery said several other smaller development projects already on the books stand to boost the town's economic fortunes once the economy rebounds.

"When development starts up, people will be looking to expand into Wendell," Laughery said.

Parham said the town needs to engage in strategic planning in order to have an idea of what kind of development it would like.

"We need to decide what our niche is, then create a plan for how we get there," Parham said.

Paying for the future

Candidates were also split on whether to support a transportation bond referendum that would allow voters to decide whether to impose a half-cent sales tax to help pay for transportation needs in the region.

Broadwell said he supported letting voters decide the issue for themselves. Hinnant said he did not.

"We know what traffic is like now. We've got to provide for the future," Broadwell said.

Hinnant said there are streets and sidewalks in Wendell currently in need of paving and repair, but he said adding to the tax burden during a down economy was a bad idea.

"I will not support a half-cent tax in Wendell," Hinnant said.

Parham noted that the imposition of a half-cent increase in the sales tax is not overly burdensome for most people.

"A half-cent tax, over a year, is not much more than a couple packs of cigarettes," Parham said.

Easters opposed the idea of a new tax. "How much can we take out of people's pockets?" Easters said.

Laughery said he was undecided on the issue. "I can't tell you if a half-cent tax is the answer. I would need to take a good look at it to see what's required," Laughery said.

Voters will decide who fills the two open seats on the town board and the mayor's seat in an election Nov. 8.