A moderator asked each candidate the same question and they took turns giving their responses within a specific time limit. The moderator then allowed each candidate a rebuttal statement.

When the moderator asked the candidates to give their qualifications, Mr. Buzi referred to his experience as a teacher, earning his MBA and passing the CPA exam to work in corporate finances for the telecommunications industry.

Mr. Vavrek said he has worked for 25 years in sales. He said that managing his own business taught him to respect people whether dealing with them one-on-one or in groups.

He has also volunteered on various community boards and efforts over the years, gaining valuable insight into the town process and budget.

The moderator asked both candidates to identify the single most important expense issue.

Mr. Vavrek said healthcare is often discussed, but the education line item is the biggest budget expense. He added the town might need to bond in order to address years of neglected roads.

Mr. Buzi said the most important issue is healthcare, which sucks the life out of any budget initiative in town. He announced that the town will change healthcare plans on November 1, thanking unions for their cooperation and hoping the Board of Education will follow suit.

In rebuttal, Mr. Vavrek said he knows the Board of Education has started the process of reevaluating its approach to healthcare.

Mr. Buzi said a pavement management study done before he came into office recommended $63 million to fix the roads, adding the project is a long-term effort.

The moderator asked the candidates how they could improve the Economic Development Commission.

Mr. Buzi said there are many projects "on the board" and developers are in his office regularly. He said the current economy is impacting cash flow and the town needs to take a look at the big picture.

Mr. Vavrek invited anyone to look at businesses along Routes 25, 111, 110 and 59, counting the number of For Sale signs and empty retail space. He noted the loss of large businesses such as Stevenson Lumber.

Mr. Buzi said the town will loose personal property tax from the sale of Vitramon but the bulk of taxes will still come to Monroe and he is reviewing a plan to combine that sale with another development to get two great projects off the boards.

Mr. Vavrek said he does not see a plan to attract new businesses, provide resources for small businesses and foster a thriving community. He wants to bring people in to revitalize the Economic Development Commission.

The moderator said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Colleen A. Palmer has announced a 6.9 percent increase in the school budget with no increase in services. She asked the candidates what they would do as first selectman to address this issue.

Mr. Vavrek said he would rebuild the relationship with the Board of Education and Dr. Palmer. He said controlled spending and good education do not have to be separate concepts and he would dig deep into the budget without micro-managing the board.

Mr. Buzi said he has worked closely with Dr. Palmer and wants the Board of Education to develop a reasonable budget. In January, he asked parents to indicate their tolerance for an increase, saying they would accept three to four percent but not six.

In rebuttal, Mr. Vavrek said the town must control spending and he will be there on day one to work hard.

Mr. Buzi said he attended all board budget meetings, explaining that the first selectman has only limited abilities because of laws that allow the board to act as its own entity.

The moderator asked the candidates to comment on the idea of regionalization for Monroe.

Mr. Buzi said he would do it where it helps Monroe. He used regional funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to gain more dollars for the health district and to implement regional dispatch for emergency services.

He noted that many residents want a regional sewer system.

Mr. Vavrek referred to his work with the health district, creating a budget and definition, thanking Mr. Buzi for putting him in that position.

He added that he wanted to pool resources with regulations as a member of the Water Pollution Control Authority but the group has yet to meet since he joined them.

In rebuttal, Mr. Buzi called Mr. Vavrek a tireless volunteer and suggested that he could call for a meeting as a member.

Mr. Vavrek said he is not the chair but should act like one and call a meeting.

The moderator asked the candidates to address the road problems, specifically asking why some roads were repaved when they are in good condition yet bad roads are ignored.

Mr. Vavrek said he could not explain why good roads were repaved but he wants to prioritize roads, create a plan, investigate other financial avenues and go to bid. He said the road problem did not begin during Mr. Buzi's term.

Mr. Buzi thanked Mr. Vavrek for admitting that the roads did not get bad in the last two years. He said the pavement management study recommended maintaining good roads and they were paved with slurry for a cost of $57,000.

To do bad roads like Elm Street will take $350,000 per mile and the town will probably need to bond.

In rebuttal, Mr. Vavrek said the town needs a written plan to start, no matter who is elected.

Mr. Buzi said he sent a list of roads to be paved to the Town Council and is unsure why Mr. Vavrek said there is no plan.

The moderator asked the candidates to comment on the difficulties experienced by Monroe farmers due to taxes and increased costs of doing business.

Mr. Buzi said farmers are facing the same problems as businesses, unable to sell products. He said he implemented tax incentives and the Farmer's Market on Fridays.

Mr. Vavrek said citizens brought the Farmer's Market idea to Mr. Buzi who supported it. He added that farmers and concerned citizens have been waiting three years for the town to pass regulations that might help.

In rebuttal, Mr. Buzi said he has publicly thanked Town Council member Patrick O'Hara and the market master, Susan Muro, for their efforts.

The moderator asked if the candidates favor further expansion of senior tax relief even if it had a negative impact on the budget.

Mr. Vavrek said he would ensure seniors knew about the benefit because he has met many who are unsure if they qualify. He does not want to force seniors out of town.

Mr. Buzi said he campaigned on senior tax relief, noting 600 seniors are participating. He would like to increase participation.

The moderator asked the candidates to indicate which capital projects are essential for Monroe.

Mr. Buzi said he would take direction from the Capital Improvement Task Force which indicated roads were the top priority. He added the Town Hall needs a new roof and windows and the police station needs attention.

Mr. Vavrek said he agrees with Mr. Buzi 100 percent and hopefully he would be the man working on next year's budget.

The moderator asked the candidates to name the three toughest issues facing Monroe.

Mr. Vavrek named public safety, roads, economic development and lowered taxes. He plans to meet with department heads, boards and community groups to develop and implement a streamlined and efficient plan.

Mr. Buzi said healthcare is driving decisions, he needs more cooperation from the Board of Education and roads. He added that test scores have improved but they're still choppy and the town needs to reallocate dollars to classroom projects.

The moderator asked how each man would lead the town to be more green.

Mr. Buzi said there are groups talking about this and the town is encouraging it through tax abatements. He also referred to recycling projects and addressing heating systems in Town Hall to save energy.

Mr. Vavrek said open space and historic districts reflect the charm of Monroe and referred to his work to develop parks. As first selectman, he intends to establish an ad hoc green committee, implementing its input with data from the Plan of Conservation and Development.

The moderator asked how the candidates would make land development more environmentally friendly.

Mr. Vavrek said he would review the town's resources such as unused land and suggest ideas such as cooperative gardens. He would discuss possible legislation with the green committee.

Mr. Buzi said he would review open space and establish and enforce the right kinds of regulations and ordinances to promote environmentally safe building practices as Monroe goes through economic development.

He feels the town has only scratched the surface of green opportunities.

The moderator asked the candidates to address taxpayer concerns related to revaluation.

Mr. Buzi said he worked with the Town Council, the state Office of Policy Management and the Attorney General to address a flawed process where the vendor did not perform. Monroe was the first town in 28 years to delay implementation in order to ensure a proper process.

Mr. Vavrek said that the town did not hear of any problems with the process until there were more than 900 appeals, lawsuits and money lost in tax adjustments and legal fees.

In rebuttal, Mr. Buzi said Mr. Vavrek's information was wrong and the town is entering into a contract with a reputable firm to produce a viable grand list.

Mr. Vavrek said he is going by what he has read and the bottom line is 900 appeals, lawsuits and money lost in tax adjustments and legal fees.

The moderator asked how the candidates would deal with potential pay increases when teacher contracts come due.

Mr. Vavrek said there are many great teachers who deserve their compensation but increases upset voters. He would like the teachers' union to address the issue because voters refuse the budget based on education line items when there are other necessary items in it.

Mr. Buzi said he has offered his services to the school board and Dr. Palmer but, unless they want him in their negotiations, he has no legal right to attend.

He would alert the public to potential increases but negotiations often go down to the wire and are not held in public, making alerts difficult.

The moderator asked what each candidate would do to reduce healthcare costs.

Mr. Buzi said he has put his foot down and wants the town to change its expensive plan because it cannot sustain increases of 15 to 30 percent. He does not want to loose employees to meet healthcare costs.

Mr. Vavrek commended Mr. Buzi's efforts and said the town should have done this sooner.

The moderator asked the candidates to comment on the responsibilities of the first selectman to commissions and boards.

Mr. Vavrek said he would meet everyone, attend meetings from time to time and get to know them. The only way to have a strong community is to lead from top and get out there, he said.

Mr. Buzi said he met with every board chair after winning the election. He has tried to be around and has an open door policy.

The moderator asked if the candidates support elimination of the budget referendum.

Mr. Buzi does not want to take the vote away from Monroe residents. If the budget does not pass, he wants to demonstrate his belief in it and gather support for it.

Mr. Vavrek said the people have spoken to keep the referendum but they should trust their elected officials.

Mr. Buzi said when the voters speak, he listens and makes appropriate reductions to get the budget passed. He warned that the town will be voting in July if Mr. Vavrek is first selectman.

Mr. Vavrek said elected officials work hard and voters can trust them to make adjustments where possible.

The moderator asked how the candidates would use Monroe's regulations to protect the town from unwanted changes.

Mr. Vavrek said he could not answer until he gets into office.

Mr. Buzi said the Planning and Zoning Commission needs to work together and they hurt the town's character with their actions. He'd like to see more village districts and improve the entrances and exits to the town.

In rebuttal, Mr. Vavrek said that the POCD is discussing village districts.

Mr. Buzi said he worked hard with the commission and the Board of Finance to budget $150,000 to finance the POCD effort. He has budgeted $15,000 each year for 10 years to update the POCD every year.

The moderator asked if there are any town policies, charters or regulations the candidates would want in order to enhance economic development in Monroe.

Mr. Buzi said he would like the ability to leverage tax abatements, offering reasonable incentives to developers. He feels the scenic road ordinance should remove the town from the picture, making it a citizen decision.

Mr. Vavrek repeated his desire for a strategic plan to attract businesses, foster a sense of community and offering resources to businesses. He wants to revitalize the Economic Development Commission because Monroe is loosing too many businesses.

Mr. Buzi asked if Mr. Vavrek realizes this is the worst economy since the depression and Monroe is in better shape than many other places like Flint, Mich. He said everyone has to hang in there and work together.

Mr. Vavrek said he understands the economic situation but does not see For Sale signs in neighboring towns.

In his closing statement, Mr. Vavrek thanked the league and the audience, then said he appreciated the support of his wife. He said Monroe needs leadership that puts community first.

He said he's a tireless working and volunteer for Monroe and would put that energy into the office of first selectman.

Mr. Buzi also thanked everyone and referred to his campaign slogan, "Proven experience. Leadership."

He said has a significant list of accomplishments, reducing growth in the town debt service, saving money by levering Monroe's raised bond rating from Moody's, senior tax relief, and more.

He said the choice is clear, between a record of building consensus or the promises of an inexperienced candidate. He needs help and votes to do the work ahead.

The municipal elections are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 3.