Tonight all four candidates for the Mount Airy mayoral post are scheduled to appear at a forum sponsored by the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce.

We hope many city residents will be there, too.

A number of local media outlets will no doubt give coverage to the event, including comprehensive coverage in The Mount Airy News.

Still, there is no substitute for voters being there, seeing how the candidates respond to questions, how they address one another and the public, the body language and nuance in their tones.

This is a critical election for Mount Airy. The city has been under the steady guidance of Jack Loftis for the past eight years, but with his retirement new leadership will take the helm. The city is facing well-chronicled challenges — an aging water and sewer system, a significantly weakened industrial base, and double-digit joblessness among them.

However, there are signs of hope. The city recently landed a commitment from Central States Manufacturing Inc. to put a facility in town which will employ 45 people at wages considerably higher than the local average. Local economic development officials say announcements for additional firms, with more than 200 jobs, could be forthcoming soon.

The city is picking up momentum, and it is vital the candidate who can understand the plight of average citizens while effectively working with regional and state governments be selected. The way that can happen is for city residents to become informed on the positions and leadership style of the candidates, and base their voting accordingly.

The best way to do that is for those city residents to turn out to forums and meet-the-candidate events. Tonight’s forum, which begins at 7 p.m. at the Andy Griffith Playhouse offers a perfect opportunity for that.