All three Shawano mayor candidates gave their thoughts and  discussed a wide array of topics in front of about 100 residents at the Shawano Mayoral Forum Tuesday night at Shawano Middle School.

Incumbent mayor Jeanne Cronce, retired businessman, Jim Oberstein, and retired Shawano Police Chief Ed Whealon, addressed the downtown redevelopment, the city’s financial status, and how to best be transparent with residents.

Mayor Cronce says she wishes the job was a 3-year term but likes where she’s at.  She pointed out the the the recent approval to upgrade two city parks, as well as the residential housing coming to the former site of the hospital.

“All of those things come with time, time that needs to make sure we do things right, we wants Shawano to continue to grow,” Cronce said.

Ed Whealon was not only a police chief in Shawano for eight years, he owned a small business with his wife for 27 years as well as serving multiple organizations.  He said this prepared him for the mayors office, his first bid for public office.

“I bring a strong leadership skill, experience to the office of mayor,” Whealon said.  “My many years of working in law enforcement as chief of police put me in positions where there were difficult decisions to be made.”

Jim Obsterine called for more between the city and its residents.  He also talked about the need to bring businesses to fill the vacant buildings downtown, and was adamant that the city’s finances needed to be rained in.

“The city cannot afford its spend and tax strategy and is already at its self-imposed 85-percent debt limit,” said Oberstein, who lost to Cronce in the 2016 mayor’s race.

The event was put on by WTCH Radio along with the Shawano Leader and the Shawano Chamber of Commerce.

The primary election is this Tuesday Feb. 20.