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Mayor Susan R. Hoffmann thinks Rockville is "pretty good" at business and that the compromise reached last week on whether to extend the hours patrons must pay to park in Town Square garages is a good one.

But mayoral challenger City Councilwoman Phyllis R. Marcuccio said the effort to find a solution taught her that the city is "not very good at business."

"Maybe we didn't plan well enough to handle the debt on those garages," she said, and suggested continuing to search for other revenue streams, such as a flea market on the top level of the structure.

The two candidates for mayor squared off Oct. 13 in the second of three televised debate on the city election. The third televised debate was held Tuesday night in the Twinbrook community after Gazette press time.

Nine of the 10 candidates vying for four seats on the City Council also fielded questions during last week's forum, sponsored by the Rockville Chamber of Commerce and held at the Legacy Hotel in Rockville.

The issue of paid-parking in Town Square has dominated city discussions for more than a year.

As had long been planned, fees for parking in the garages increased on Oct. 5 to 10 p.m. weekdays and on Saturdays. Up until then, visitors paid for parking from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and parked for free on weekends.

However, the council on Oct. 12 adopted a plan developed by a coalition of Town Square merchants that keeps parking on weekends free and evening parking at a low rate.

"We solved it," Hoffmann said. "We learned we could fashion a compromise that works for everyone."

During the debate, Hoffmann emphasized her idea for the new Hire Rockville Web site, a community hub that allows people looking for work to post their resumes and employers to browse the prospective workforce.

Marcuccio said she has a "good feel for business" and told a story of how she tried to start a bicycle rental business when she was in college, only to run into insurance trouble and have to shut down.

She said helping the small "mom and pop" businesses would be a key pillar in her effort to foster business in the city.

Both candidates supported continuing the Buy Rockville campaign, a program designed to encourage customers to support city businesses, but differed on Rockville Economic Development Inc., a public-private partnership designed to lure and retain businesses in the city.

Hoffmann supported the group, saying it helps keep businesses in the city, and Marcuccio said she has questioned for years the benefit of the organization.

The two candidates for mayor also touched on what they would do to bring civility to the council.

Residents have complained for several years that the members of the council do not treat each other and citizens who come before them with respect.

Marcuccio said the issue stems from a lack of communication and is part of why she ran for mayor and not a third term on the council.

Hoffmann said civility comes from leading by example.

In the council portion of the debate, candidates also discussed the parking garage situation and answers were mixed.

Carl Henn said he thinks the problem is solved and the plan will help businesses in downtown Rockville overall by bringing in more patrons.

Waleed Ovase said the situation is "far from solved" and it took too long for the city to listen to the merchants.

Virginia Onley said the city should slow down a little bit when it makes decisions.

Thomas Moore, Trapper Martin and Bridget Newton said listening to the community and the merchants is the main lesson to be taken from the garage issue.

Mark Pierzchala said he learned that a determined group of people can totally change the political climate in the city in the span of one month.

Councilman John Britton said he learned that some of the early assumptions about the garages are no longer valid and the balance between protecting the city's investment and earning revenue is a delicate one.

Councilman Piotr Gajewski said he learned that the city has no place going into business.

"We're now in the garage business and we don't do it well," he said. "We should never do that again."

All the council candidates supported continuing the Buy Rockville marketing campaign as well.

Max van Balgooy was absent because of a professional commitment.