A panel of journalists from various Orange County news outlets plan to interview candidates for Costa Mesa City Council at the fourth installment of the Feet to the Fire Forum series.
Six of eight candidates for three open seats in November are expected to attend the round-table discussion Sept. 5.
They are Councilmen Steve Mensinger and Gary Monahan, Planning Commission Chairman Colin McCarthy, former Mayor Sandy Genis, attorney John Stephens and businessman Harold Weitzberg.
Candidates Al Melone and James Rader do not plan to participate. Rader has dropped out of the race, although his name remains on the ballot.
The candidates attending are split into two ideologically opposed camps.
Mensinger, Monahan and McCarthy are called the "3Ms," due to the first letters in their last names and their similar politics. They support the current City Council majority's plans to outsource public employees.
Genis, Stephens and Weitzberg have the backing of a community group, Costa Mesans for Responsible Government, which would like to turn back the outsourcing plans. They are considered a political slate in strong opposition to the council majority.