The four candidates for Nevada City council staked out their positions on growth, loitering, water bills and the Downtown Business Association at a forum Thursday night in City Hall.

Gene Downing, David McKay, Reinette Senum and Robert Bergman are running for three open seats on the City Council. The election is June 3.

City Clerk candidates Steve Cottrell and Niel Locke also squared off on the relevancy of the city clerk's position later in the evening.

Before council candidates took questions from the audience and a media panel at the League of Women Voters forum, they delivered brief opening statements about why they're running.

McKay, the only incumbent, stressed his experience as a two-term councilman with a problem-solving philosophy "who wants to keep the city user-friendly."

Bergman, a Nevada City planning commissioner and real estate attorney, said his "mindset will be grounded in customer service," adding that he brings skills as a mediator to the table.

Senum, who is director of the non-profit PowerUp-NC, said she "wants to give back to the community and looks forward to being on the council so I can do even more."

Downing, a retired Air Force pilot and former councilman, said he is running to protect private property rights.

"I want to represent the people who want to be left along by government," he said. "I don't want to be told what color to paint my house or what to do with my trees."

Here's what the candidates had to say to some of the questions:

On the downtown and development:

Senum said the city does need to grow, but in the past "has neglected local residents." She would like to see a greater effort made to find downtown businesses that serve local residents. McKay said the city is "becoming more progressive" in its downtown efforts, citing the council's recent approval of a Saturday farmers market.

Downing said the city "has been too restrictive in what businesses it allows." Bergman said the farmers market is a great example of a "blossoming sense of community."

On the Downtown Business Association:

Downing said the Business Improvement District, as it was formerly known, "was crammed down too many people's throats," which is why it was originally a somewhat divisive organization. Bergman said the problems between the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Association present "an opportunity for mediation and to carve out a solution."

McKay said there's room for the Downtown Association and the chamber in the community, and they are doing a better job of working together. Senum, who is a Downtown Association board member, said the group is made up of "members who are hard workers," citing the recent cleanup of Calanan Park as an example.

On downtown loitering, none of the candidates supported a new ordinance to deal with the problem. The candidates also all supported beginning to charge local residents for the water they actually use, rather than the current flat rate.

In the city clerk's forum, Cottrell and Locke disagreed on the need for city clerk. Cottrell said the position "has outlived its purpose" and should be an appointed position if it is needed at all.

Locke said it is important for the position to remain elected to provide "another counterbalance to the system."