Emilia Teasdale is reporting in The Columbia Paper on the candidate forum held at Kinderhook Village Hall last week. Contenders in the village's mayoral and trustee races participated. Running for mayor are Rima Bostick, on the Responsible Party line, and James Dunham, on the Van Buren Party line. Candidates competing for two open trustee seats are Robert Baumeister, on the People Party line; Richard Phillips, on the Van Buren Party line; as well as Stephen Bean and Peter Hunter, both on the Freedom Party line. Incumbent Village Justice David Dellehunt is running for reelection unopposed. Current Mayor Carol Weaver and incumbent Trustee Brian Murphy are not seeking re-election. The moderator for the event was Parry Teasdale, the editor and publisher of "The Columbia Paper." Following the candidates' opening remarks, Teasdale read questions submitted by audience members. Approximately 100 people attended the 90-minute forum. Topics discussed included the safety of village sidewalks, parking, truck traffic on local and state roads, the future of the village Department of Public Works, whether the community needs both village and town courts, economic development in the business district, the planting of trees and leaf pick-up, among other things. Bean was the only candidate not to attend the forum. The event was hosted by the Kinderhook, Niverville, Valatie Community Action Network. The election will take place Tue., Mar. 15 at the Village Hall, 6 Chatham Street, from noon to 9 p.m. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.