The two men vying to lead Warren, Ohio for the next four years met Wednesday night to debate the issues facing it.

"That Meadowbook area's been flooding for decades, and it's decades and decades with not being addressed," said at-large councilman Ken MacPherson.

"He talks about sewer improvements, but if you look at his voting record, he voted against every single sewer improvement project," argued incumbent Doug Franklin.

Franklin is running for a fourth term.
He says he needs the opportunity to finish important work that began under his watch.

"The record-setting development, not only in our downtown central business district, but also in our neighborhoods with the 10 million dollar project and the expansion project that we have for downtown," he said. 

MacPherson, a former fifth ward councilman as well, talked about why attaining higher office will help accomplish other major goals like fighting crime.

"We've got some serious issues with safety, people in this city are upset and so that'll be the number one priority. Blight and making sure our neighborhoods are protected is right up there at number one also, I think they go hand in hand," said MacPherson.

The A. Phillip Randolph Institute and the League of Women Voters, both nonpartisan organizations, hosted the forum at Warren G. Harding High School.