Photo by Sam Yu All 10 Aldermanic candidates for the upcoming Frederick election were on hand for a forum at Frederick Community College Tuesday evening. From left, are C. Paul Smith, William C. Huckenpoehler, Donna Kuzemchak, Carol L. Krimm, Kelly Russell, Michael C. O’Connor, Karen L. Young, Amanda K. Haddaway, Alan E. Imhoff and Shelley M. Aloi.

Nearly 100 people attended the event at Frederick Community College's Jack B. Kussmaul Theater. It was sponsored by The Frederick News-Post, the League of Women Voters, the college and WFMD radio.

Voters will choose among five Republicans and five Democrats during the city's Nov. 3 general election to fill the board's five seats.

Questions during Tuesday's forum touched on many of the issues being debated and discussed in City Hall. Each candidate answered a different question with other participants given a chance to respond.

Alderman C. Paul Smith, a Republican running for a second term, said the city's budget priorities in the next year would require city departments to make equipment last longer.

"The major thing to be addressed, the breadth of the entire city budget, are benefits," he said. "We're going to have to figure out ways, whether it's higher deductibles with insurance."

Republican Chris Huckenpoehler acknowledged the widening rift between the city and the county, caused by differences over recent city annexations for which he supported more consideration. But his response was hopeful.

"We do get along," he said. "At the end of the day you have to get along."

Alderwoman Donna Kuzemchak, running for her fourth term, said the next board will have to look at city employees when considering next year's budget.

"We have to look at employees, they are the biggest part of the budget," she said.

Public safety is an area that would remain most important to her budget considerations.

"Safety of our citizens should not be compromised under any condition," she said.

Democrat Carol Krimm offered a solution to an accident-prone intersection at U.S. 15 and Hayward Road as one transportation solution for the city. She proposed the city work to get funding for an access road in that area to minimize the accidents cause by vehicles using the intersection.

"We're speeding down that road (U.S. 15) and we need to slow down," she said.

Democrat Kelly Russell described her opposition to the city's controversial early retirement program or buyout plan and the 33 questions she submitted to city leaders probing the financial consequences of the plan.

"This was also a human resources mistake because what we did was slice off the most educated and experienced people in our workforce," she said.

Michael O'Connor, a Democrat, said the key to the success of the city's west end or Golden Mile will rely on a plan and possibly the development of the 100-acre Summer's Farm annexation at Mount Philip Road and Butterfly Lane.

"The Summers Farm can be part of a real look at a small area plan for the west side of town," he said.

Karen Young, a Democrat, described the economic development opportunities of the expansion of Fort Detrick and the city's east side as well as the recent annexations as ways to grow Frederick 's job base.

"This is one of the reasons we have to plan for our growth," she said about the annexations. "It wasn't all about expanding the tax base, it was about having jobs for our citizens locally."

Republican Amanda Haddaway described how to relieve city residents of some of the burden of paying both city and county property taxes. She explained her plan to explore more public-private partnerships for city facilities such as the Weinberg Center and Harry Grove Stadium. She also advocated a tax differential that would assess a lower county property tax for city residents.

"Essentially this leaves more money in tax payers' pockets," she said.

Alderman Alan Imhoff, a Republican running for a second term, explained his support for the city's recent annexations.

"Annexations are needed for the city when you take a look at the long term projection of 20 years or more," he said. "The acreage in city is not enough to grow on a regular basis."

Shelley Aloi, a Republican, was asked if she thought the city police and Frederick County Sheriff's Department could combine to save taxpayer money.

"There are some things we can do to eliminate duplication of services," she said.

Among them: Creating a joint forensics department, combining training facilities, making a single academy for officers and bringing some of the 911 services together under one roof. She stopped short of saying the two agencies should be melded into one.

"These two groups have a distinct heritage," she said.