Students and members of the ISU community had the opportunity to meet and greet the candidates running for Ames city elections.

About 40 people came to the “Meet the Candidates” forum, sponsored by the ISU Greens and the Student Union Board at the Memorial Union Thursday.

“Conservation is a big issue – including Hallet’s Quarry,” said Matt Denner, president of ISU Greens. “We want to get people involved with the local government, which is the most important level of government to get involved with.”

Mayor Ted Tedesco, 1st Ward candidate Sharon Wirth, 3rd Ward – which includes the Iowa State campus – candidates Daryle Vegge and Bonnie Homstad and at-large candidates Bernie Gerstein and Russ Cross were on hand to answer questions. There were also representatives on the Hallett’s Quarry bond issue present at the forum.

The citizens of Ames will be asked to vote on a sale of municipal bonds not to exceed $4.97 million to acquire Hallett’s Quarry, located north of Ames to the west of U.S. Highway 69. The funds will be matched with a $1.5 million grant from Vision Iowa.

The city wants to acquire the quarry so it can make it into a park and protect the fresh water supply.

The city will set up the quarry as a secondary water source for the city, said Denner, freshman in liberal arts and sciences. If the city doesn’t purchase the land, the land will most likely become a residential community – losing the opportunity for maintaining the water quality, he said.

Both candidates running for the 3rd Ward said they support the issue.

Amy Best, graduate student in sustainable agriculture, said affordable housing has continued to be a concern of ISU students.

“Ames needs more affordable housing and more CyRide supported transportation,” Best said.

Hamstad said she would like to see the housing situation both in Ames and at Iowa State be improved. She said she would like to have cooperation between the city and the university on the issue.

Some participants of the forum brought up the issue of the Ames smoking ordinance. Although this issue has already been voted on, recent news of a lawsuit have sparked continued debate on the subject.

“Many students are wondering how we would vote on the subject today,” Homestad said. “I would have voted for it. I don’t like cigarette smoke in restaurants.”

Homstad said she sat on the committee that recommended the ban to the city. The city felt it had the right to protect its citizens from cigarette smoke, she said.

Improving Campustown is a concern of Vegge. He said he wants to work with the Campustown Business Association to improve parking and bring more business to the area.

“There is some interest to get things done in Campustown,” Vegge said. “I am willing to listen – one of the neat things about Ames are the students.”

The last day to register to vote for the Nov. 6 nonpartisan Ames general election is today by 5 p.m.

A table will be set up near the north entrance of the Memorial Union today for students to register.