Salisbury City Council candidates will face off Thursday in the first forum with all 16 candidates scheduled to attend.

The forum is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Thursday in Catawba College’s Hedrick Little Theater. It’s scheduled to end just before 9 p.m. All 16 city council candidates are scheduled to attend.

Because of the large field, candidates will be split into two groups of eight people. The first group starts at 6 p.m. and includes: Tamara Sheffield, Kenny Hardin, Todd Paris, Troy Russell, Maggie Blackwell, Rip Kersey, Mark Lewis and Stephen Arthur. The second is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. and includes: Karen Alexander, William Peoples, Constance Johnson, Scott Maddox, Brian Miller, Roy Bentley, David Post and Jeff Watkins.

Within each forum group, candidates will also be split into a smaller subsection of four people.

Candidates will each be allowed a two-minute introduction. Moderator Dr. Michael Bitzer, Catawba provost and politics professor, will alternate questions between the two groups, with candidates receiving one minute each for responses.

Closing statements will be two minutes.

The first forum is scheduled to wrap up at 7:20 p.m. A 10-minute break will separate the first and second forum.

Sponsors of the event include the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, Catawba College, the Salisbury Post and WSTP/WSAT.

Rowan County Chamber of Commerce President Elaine Spalding said both of the two forum groups will be broadcast live on the radio and rebroadcast on Channel 16. Times for rebroadcasts haven’t yet been determined.

A TV monitor in the lobby of Catawba’s Hedrick Little Theater will show candidate responses live for overflow attendees.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.