(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) The Bartlett Center in midtown was the site of a mayoral debate Monday night between candidates Bill McMurray and Beau Walker.

A crowd of about 100 attended the one-hour event that was coordinated by KQ2 in cooperation with the campaigns.

The two discussed their platforms, highlighted their accomplishments, and promoted why they would be the best choice when voters go to the polls on April 3rd.

"I give you passion, I give you energy and I can give you ideas," Walker said. "I can give you the opportunity to see St. Joseph through the same eyes that I saw through when I was a young person where I was afforded the opportunity to live in a community where people would commonly say St. Joseph is the place where I want to raise my family."

"I would want to have a strategic plan not only addressing specific things to do in the areas of crime, in the area neighborhood development and in the area of being business friendly, bringing new businesses to town and supporting our existing businesses. the economy is very important. a rising economy solves a lot of problems," McMurray said.

Among the topics discussed, the two differed on the future of downtown's Civic Arena. Walker said he is in support of a new arena as part of a new convention center downtown. McMurray said he would be fearful of the city being burdened with operating a new center that could cost several hundred thousand dollars per year.

Between now and election day, we will look at both candidates views on several of the important topics facing the city.