A public forum examining the City Council election and the fluoride ballot issue will be held beginning at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Smith Chambers in City Hall, 949 East Second Ave.
The mail-in, April 4 municipal election will fill three open City Council seats. Also, voters will decide one ballot issue: Whether to continue use of fluoride in city drinking water.
In April, Durango voters will decide whether the city should continue to put fluoride in the water.
The purpose of the forum is to educate the voters about the candidates and issues, provide on opportunity for voters to meet the candidates, listen to their views on the issues, hear the pros and cons of the ballot issue and stimulate public interest and participation in the election.
The forum is free and open to the public. Voters will have the opportunity to meet the five candidates: Chris Bettin, Dean Brookie, Tom Eskew, David McHenry and Melissa Youssef.
Briefs of positions on the fluoride ballot issue will be presented by a representative who supports the ballot issue and a representative who opposes it.
Audience members can submit written questions.
The candidate forum will precede the ballot issue forum. Both will be televised on Durango Government Television on Charter cable channels 191 and 981, or over-the-air by antenna on channel 10.1, and live online at www.durangogov.org/dgov.