At a Gainesville City Commission candidate debate Thursday night, District 1 candidates battled with ideas about job creation while at-large 1 candidates discussed spending in the city.
Seven of the eight at-large 1 candidates attended the forum hosted by the Alachua County Democratic Black Caucus. Richard Selwach was absent. All three of the District 1 candidates attended.
At-large 1 candidates shared their opinions about what is wrong with the current commission and how they would improve it. They touched on the city's biomass contract, wasteful spending and public transportation.
Nathan Skop, Lauren Poe and Darlene Pifalo, candidates for the at-large 1 seat, directed comments toward one other regarding the biomass contract. Dejeon Cain, an at-large 1 candidate, interjected frequently about improving east Gainesville.
District 1 commissioners were left with about 30 minutes to speak at the end of the forum. Armando Grundy, Ray Washington and Yvonne Hinson-Rawls were more confrontational toward each other about their ideas, and Grundy and Washington raised their voices.
