Meet the Candidates Forum 2026

Detailed briefing

The forum presented two mayoral candidates, Gail Brown and Jamie Melke, and five candidates for two City Council seats: John Phelps (though the opening candidate list gave a different surname), Melissa Georges, Bill McCullough, Wendy Reeve, and Mark Rondell. Infrastructure was the dominant issue: candidates repeatedly cited electric, water, sewer, roads, and sidewalks, with several noting prospective utility-rate increases or financing needs. Melke emphasized asset inventories, capital-improvement planning, staff coverage, and formalizing lessons from emergencies. Brown highlighted infrastructure, sidewalks, careful budgeting, and a calm, listening-oriented leadership style. Council candidates also raised staff support, public civility, master-plan revision, short-term rentals, and regional coordination. On cruise ships, Brown, Melke, Phelps, and Reeve expressed opposition or said they were not currently in favor; McCullough described Harbor Commission work toward limited, application-based shoulder-season access that had not yet become an official rule. Georges said she would not rule out limited shoulder-season visits if public-safety capacity and business impacts were addressed. Candidates broadly favored stronger communication, orderly public-comment rules, and more inclusive engagement. The Chamber said the recording would be shared through its Thursday newsletter and website, and urged voting on November 3.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.