The last forum for Oak Harbor candidates ended with a bang Thursday night.

Mayoral candidates Paul Brewer and Jim Slowik openly criticized each other, and both seemed a little hot under the collar, while arguing over who is the true “candidate for change” in front of a packed crowd during the League of Women Voters’ forum.

Candidates for the hospital district, school board and city council answered audience questions during the two-hour forum, but the most pointed queries went to the two candidates for mayor.

At the end, Brewer became upset because Slowik cut his own answer short to what was supposed to be the last question in order to allow current Oak Harbor Patty Cohen to ask a prepared inquiry. Several others in the audience expressed frustration as they had their hands raised longer than Cohen did.

Cohen accused Brewer of aligning himself with a special interest group during his 12 years on the council and asked him how he would transition to a different kind of leadership role.

“Thanks for the question,” Brewer said sarcastically. “It shows your bias to Mr. Slowik and I really appreciate that.”

Brewer said it would be easy for him to transition. He said he would respond to concerns from the community and accused Cohen of a history of ignoring the public’s comments and questions. He didn’t address the special interest accusation, but he has been criticized in the past for aligning himself with a group of citizens who want to control growth and are suspicious of city government.

Slowik concluded the debate by talking about the importance of respect, but ended up earning laughter and jeers from the crowd. He criticized Brewer for repeatedly mentioning that the city administrator makes $126,000 a year.

“It’s not very respectful to broadcast what the city manager makes,” Slowik said.

An audience member emphatically pointed out that the salary information was public record.

Both candidates laid out their basic platforms in introductory speeches. Slowik stressed the need for change, for city government to work together as a team, to rein in wasteful spending, for an end to personal agendas, and for results.

“The gridlock in Oak Harbor isn’t just a traffic issue,” he said. “There is gridlock in our city government beginning with the council and continuing in various city departments and branches.”

Brewer promised to control growth, to open government to the citizens, to improve communication, to create living-wage jobs and to increase the city’s tax base by annexing the industrial Goldie Road area into the city. Most of all, he promised to stand up for the average people instead of the elite.

“I’ve been your voice…” he said. “I ask the tough questions.”

Brewer was repeatedly asked how he, as mayor, could heal the “fractured” City Council if he’s been part of the problem for a dozen years.

Brewer answered that he would team build and put the politics aside, but he also boasted of his record of attacking the issues and asking the hard questions.

“Twelve years on council and you haven’t been able to team build,” Slowik said. “It’s time for a change.”

Slowik also faced a question of special interest from an audience member who asked whether he would be beholden to all the developers, real estate agents, business people and “old people in politics” who have supported him and given him wads of money for his campaign.

Slowik answered by explaining that it was he and his wife who made the decision that he should run, though he was thankful for community support.

“They must like my message,” he said.

Morrison, Palmer

In other races, City Council candidates Bob Morrison and Jim Palmer were both obviously well informed on the issues and expressed similar opinions.

When asked what their most important issue was, Palmer said the city should preserve what it has, referring to infrastructure, existing facilities and the environment.

“Our main job is always to take care of what we have first,” he said, adding that improving communication and teamwork is also important.

Morrison named a number of issues, including the importance of taking care of infrastructure, but stressed the importance of open government.

“The people of Oak Harbor have the feeling they are no longer being listened to,” he said.

Both men also agreed that development should pay for itself through impact fees. These fees offset new development’s effect on city infrastructure.

Morrison said the fees should be increased because development isn’t paying its own way, which means existing residents are financing developers.

“I don’t think we are getting enough out of development charges to cover police and fire,” he said.

Palmer agreed that developers should pay the cost of development, though he didn’t say whether he felt the current fees are enough. He did say that fees from Wal-Mart should have helped turn Highway 20 into a four-lane road back when the store was built.

Hiteshew, Munns

Council candidates Chris Hiteshew and Beth Munns came off as being very different candidates. Munns was very polished, well-spoken and discussed the need to change the current culture of the council. Hiteshew is a young, newcomer to city politics who didn’t hide the fact that he didn’t know all the answers.

“I watch council meetings and half the time I don’t know what they are talking about,” he admitted.

Neither candidate said they were running because of any specific issue.

“I have no set agenda because I feel my job, if you vote me in, is to work for you,” Munns said.

Hiteshew spoke in generalities about the need to bring in businesses that provide a living-wage job, to protect infrastructure, to infill and to re-capitalize.

“The reason I decided to run for City Council is I love politics, the idea that you can make systemic change,” he said.

Almberg, Vance

In the final council race, Rick Almberg and Mel Vance expressed strong and often very different opinions on a wide range of subjects.

Vance was very critical of the direction the city has taken. He said city leaders are doing a poor job of communicating with citizens, of managing finances, of maintaining infrastructure and controlling growth. He proposed ways of fixing the problems, from videotaping more meetings to prioritizing maintenance of infrastructure over quality-of-life projects like the Windjammer plan.

“I have lived here 35 years and I am sick and tired of seeing them mess it up,” he said.

Almberg stressed his years of experience as a construction manager, arguing that his insight into land use regulations would make him a valuable part of the council. He said he was in favor of infill development — as opposed to sprawling development outside city limits — in underdeveloped areas of Midway Boulevard. He said it’s extremely important for the city to work collaboratively with other entities.

In contrast to Vance, Almberg was supportive of plans to improve the downtown, Pioneer Way area, which he called “the soul of the city.”

Local attorney Chris Skinner, the co-chair of Almberg’s campaign, asked Vance about how his occupation will prepare him for city government. Vance is currently unemployed and has lived with his mother since his father passed away.

Vance seemed unfazed by the question. He explained that he currently works as a volunteer for disaster preparedness and went on to describe his varied work history, which includes time in the Army.

Almberg described his work in construction management and spoke about a current low-impact development he is working on.

“It’s the future,” he said. “We have to get on board with that.”

You can reach News-Times reporter Jessie Stensland at jstensland@whidbeynewstimes.com or call 675-6611.