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In the weeks leading up to the city's primary election, 26 candidates were invited to the William Talley Recreation Center by representatives of the city's Neighborhood Advisory Councils to give residents a chance to "Meet the Candidates."

The success of the event inspired a new twist on the same premise for the councils, which will tonight host the 12 remaining candidates in a more intimate setting to "Meet the NACs" before they prepare to vie for mayoral and aldermen seats in the city's general election.

The forum will take place from 7-9 p.m., today at the Bernard W. Brown Community Center, 629 N. Market St.

This time, organizers say, candidates and residents will not only be given more time to discuss neighborhood concerns, but also emphasize the importance and accomplishments of the city's circuit of community representatives.

"Even though we've been aroundsince 2001, we're still pretty new," said co-organizer Truby LaGarde, of NAC 11, which encompasses the downtown area."But, we're such a wealth of information for residents and for elected officials, and they don't really utilize us, and they really should.

"So, it's kind of a two-way street, this is a good opportunity for them to learn about us as it is for us to learn about them."

Also, LaGarde said, the forum will reinforce that every neighborhood has an issue that they would like addressed — even downtown residents who are often perceived as being exempt from issues plaguing the rest of the city.

These kinds of misperceptions was the motivation for tonight's format, where a representative from each of the city's neighborhood advisory councils will each make a three-minute presentation to the candidates about their neighborhood's issues and accomplishments, and candidates will have time to ask questions.

The tables will then turn and candidates will be given three minutes to respond to neighborhood-specific questions that residents from each neighborhood contributed.

Unlike the last forum, candidates will not be provided the 12 questions that neighborhood representatives prepared in advance, but rather will choose their questions and the order they answer them out of a hat.

"They're really going to have to look at quality of life issues," said co-organizer Diana Halleman, who represents NAC 5. Halleman's neighborhood meets almost every month, with about 20 people attending each meeting to vet quality-of-life issues, she said.

Quality-of-life issues have taken center stage in neighborhoods this election season, organizers said, and include: overcrowding, code enforcement, parking, the revitalization of the city's West End, speeding and abandoned buildings.

Halleman said that city officials have not realized how much neighborhood advisory councils can help with those issues, and she hopes that will change.

"We're the only ones on the frontline — we know more than anybody what's going on in our neighborhoods," she said.

And with just two weeks until the city's Nov. 3 election, organizers assured that the questions posed to the candidates will draw critical and thoughtful responses, said organizer Beth Conny, representing NAC 3.

Conny said that feedback from the last forum sponsored by the neighborhood advisory councils — which was praised by both residents and candidates — showed that candidates seem to be taking notice of neighborhood issues, but there's more to do to continue building a relationship with the city and among residents.

She hopes that candidates walk away with that feeling tonight, too.

"I'd like them to know that every NAC is different, that one size doesn't fit all, that people out in the community reallycare about their neighborhoods, and in many ways, we are the eyes and ears of the elected officials of the city," she said.

E-mail Erica L. Green at egreen@gazette.net.