Four candidates competing for three Village of Key Biscayne Council seats will answer residents' questions at a public forum Wednesday, Oct. 14, at noon.

Active Seniors on the Key Club, known as A.S.K., will host the "Meet the Candidates" event in the Island Room at the Key Biscayne Community Center. Teri Abandonato will moderate the discussion, according to the Islander News community calendar.

The forum will give residents another opportunity to hear from candidates before the Nov. 3 election, when voters will choose three council members to serve four-year terms.

Incumbents Vice Mayor Oscar Sardiñas and Councilman Fernando Vazquez are seeking second terms. They face former Councilman Luis "Lucho" de la Cruz, who served from 2014 to 2018, and first-time candidate Silvia Tarafa, a former principal of Key Biscayne K-8 Center who led the school for 13 years, according to Islander News candidate profiles.

A fifth candidate, Claire London, withdrew from the race Sept. 25 amid health concerns involving her husband, termed-out Councilman Ed London, the Key Biscayne Portal reported.

The withdrawal left four candidates competing for three seats. The three candidates receiving the most votes will win.

School funding, flooding dominate council race

The candidates previously met Oct. 1 for a debate hosted by Islander News and the Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce. Florida International University's Steven V. Moll moderated the discussion, which focused on the future of Key Biscayne K-8 Center, stormwater spending, utility undergrounding and redevelopment of the Rickenbacker Causeway.

All four candidates supported the village's e-bike ban and agreed that burying utility lines should be a priority over the next four years, Islander News reported.

De la Cruz challenged the incumbents over village spending and called for greater financial accountability.

"Taxpayers deserve to know now not only how much we are spending, but what value they are getting," he said during the debate.

The candidates also differed over the future of Key Biscayne K-8 Center.

Sardiñas defended the council's efforts to increase enrollment, while Vazquez, a professional engineer with four decades of experience in coastal communities, advocated replacing the aging school building with a new campus.

Tarafa, who previously led the school, emphasized educational quality and responsible spending in a Sept. 30 candidate statement.

Flood prevention remains another major election issue. Voters will consider a proposed charter amendment requiring voter approval for certain stormwater and flood-prevention projects costing more than $50 million over three fiscal years.

How to attend the Oct. 14 forum

The forum is scheduled for noon Wednesday, Oct. 14, in the Island Room at the Key Biscayne Community Center.

Admission is free for A.S.K. members and $10 for nonmembers. Key Biscayne residents 50 and older can join A.S.K. at no cost.

Registration is required through the community center's front desk at 305-365-8900. Residents should contact the center to confirm availability and event details.

The Nov. 3 election will determine which three council candidates join incoming Mayor Brett Moss, who is running unopposed. The winners will serve four-year terms.