SOAP LAKE - Soap Lake City Council position 1 is being sought by incumbent Barney Berg and challenger John Glassco, who spoke their minds at a recent forum.

The top issues the city must address are assuring adequate funding for the police department and completing capital improvements projects, both of which could be helped through planning, Glassco said.

"We need to reinstate the planning commission and hire a grant writer," he said. "The only way to get on a path to economic growth so that we can pay for our infrastructure is to plan, plan, plan."

Berg said the city should continue making improvements to streets and sidewalks and keep working on the wastewater treatment plant as per state requirements. Marketing the city for tourism is also on his agenda, something he said residents could do by handing out promotional materials while on road trips.

"That's the community working together," he said.

When asked what the city can do to support local events, Berg said they already do this by contributing certain tax funds to events. Promotion should primarily be a chamber of commerce function, Berg said; adding he'd like to see a chamber building to help them.

Glassco said many events have been lost over the years and he believes the city should make it easier to hold events by not charging organizers or campers.

"If we brought people here the money would come to us in different ways," he said. "We need to make it easy, convenient and fun for people to come here for all sorts of events."

Glassco said public safety could be improved by better cooperation between citizens and police - including a widespread block watch program - but in order to fix its problems the city must first take control of its financial situation through comprehensive planning.

"If the city's going to prosper we have to accommodate growth," he said.

More people would result in added tax revenue that could be funneled to police, he added.

Berg wants to see more security cameras in specific places to deter vandalism, and said the police department is doing as well as it can with the resources they have. When more funds become available, the city can possibly hire another officer, he said.

"Economic conditions what they are, we can't replace (a police officer) at this time, but it's a high priority," he added.

The city's utility rates were only raised to keep up with rising costs, Berg said.

Glassco countered the rates are much higher than nearby cities and reiterated his belief that the city must fill its empty lots with new taxpayers to help pay for services while lowering rates for everyone.

In closing, Glassco told the audience even if he doesn't win the seat he intends to work for citizens and bridge relations between city council and the Soap Lake Conservancy, which he currently chairs.

Berg said the promotion of the city is one of the major reasons he's running and again encouraged residents to do their part in helping bring people to Soap Lake, wherever they travel.