Richmond residents will speak at the polls in November, but they had a chance last night to help shape the agendas of the five candidates for mayor.

More than 100 people gathered at Plant Zero in Manchester for a forum designed to let them identify the critical issues and concerns facing the city.

The themes highlighted in a rapid-fire, moderated discussion were largely familiar -- crime, school inequities, limited bus service, affordable housing, and the roles of the City Council and the mayor under the new elected-mayor form of government.

One man said Richmond needs a mayor who will execute the laws approved by the council. Another asked for action to improve the conditions of the city jail.

Others called for a one-for-one replacement of any public-housing units that are torn down to break up the city's pockets of poverty.

A show of hands also found near-unanimous support for keeping an elected school board rather than switching back to an appointed one.

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The event, organized by the Richmond Crusade for Voters and the Coalition for a Greater Richmond, represented the first joint public appearance by the five mayoral candidates since the Nov. 4 ballot was certified this week.

"It's early in the campaign season so the candidates will hear the people, and it'll drive some of their direction of the city," said Shawn Knight, co-chairman of the Coalition of a Greater Richmond.

Still, what the crowd wanted most was to hear from the candidates. Organizers eventually granted that wish, although the candidates gave little more than stump speeches with a few specifics tossed into the mix.

Dwight Clinton Jones, a delegate and pastor, suggested improving schools by pairing them with colleges and universities. He also said the new form of government does not provide for a strong mayor, as viewed by Mayor L. Douglas Wilder, but a mayor who is elected at-large.

Robert J. Grey Jr., an attorney, said he would be a strong mayor for the city but also one who would be able to work with school officials and residents to overcome challenges. He said he demonstrated an ability to do that by leading an effort to rework plans for a downtown arts center.

William J. Pantele, the City Council's president, said he has the experience and established relationships in the city and the region that would serve Richmond well. He said the council has worked well in recent years despite a series of battles with Wilder.

Paul Goldman, a lawyer and political consultant, said he's the only candidate who had the vision to push to allow Richmonders to elect their mayor. He labeled the city bureaucracy as bloated and wasteful and called for land along the James River to be preserved.

Lawrence E. Williams Sr., an architect, said he wants to focus on improving neighborhoods and make Richmond the "most livable" city in the country. He suggested building three middle schools with on-site social services and building a city jail near Philip Morris USA in South Richmond.

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Sabrina Stanley, a resident of Jackson Ward, said she left the forum only slightly more enlightened about her choices for Nov. 4.

"We've scratched the surface. I think we've got many more months to come. Hopefully we can get personal."
Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or wjones@timesdispatch.com.