The men vying to become Oak Harbor’s next mayor both say they can bring a more collegial relationship with the city council and city staff.

Bob Severns and Jim Campbell squared off Thursday night at a candidate forum organized by the League of Women Voters and held at the Elks Lodge.

Both are serving on the city council and both said current Mayor Scott Dudley, who is not seeking reelection, created a dysfunctional, antagonistic atmosphere at City Hall.

“I have seen a lot of mayors come and go and this last one was pure hell,” Campbell said.

“There’s been a lot of conflict with the mayor and the City Council. I feel like [the city council is] a big joke to the city employees who think, ‘When are they going to get it together?’”

A mayor needs to be engaged at city council, and he hasn’t seen much of it lately, Severns said.

Severns said his professional experience in business shows he’s capable of leading by example and “not by fear or intimidation.”

“I will be communicating on a constant basis with staff,” he said. “I will do everything in my power to boost morale of the staff.”

He’s ready to rebuild relationships with the city’s partners, which include businesses and the Navy. Another top priority, Severns said, is improving the city’s infrastructure. He said he’s “a little embarrassed” the city doesn’t have much of a plan in place to repave streets.

Campbell said one of his top priorities is improving the local economy so the city can afford to do the infrastructure improvements that Severns proposed.

“The reason most of the businesses failed is because they aren’t selling what the citizens want,” Campbell said.

Both men have different views about how to address Oak Harbor’s homeless.

Campbell suggested various organizations in town that are working on this issue should work together.

Severns said affordable housing might hold the key to getting people off the street.

“One of the saddest things is some of the homeless are ex-military,” he said.

The forum also featured three of the four candidates running for contested seats on the Whidbey General Hospital board.

Incumbent Georgia Gardner and challenger Rob Born reiterated the distinctive views each would bring to the job.

Gardner, a CPA, said she brings financial expertise and business acumen.

Born, a retired lawyer who runs a blog featuring investigative reports about the hospital, said those on the board do “too much following and not enough leading.”

Also present was Erika Carnahan, who is running against incumbent Nancy Fey.

Fey, former owner of Island Drug and a retired pharmacist, was unable to attend because of a prior commitment.

Carnahan, who works at a medical office, said she’d like to be the voice of the people.

“Nobody is out in this community listening to everybody else,” she said.