SAN BERNARDINO >> All 11 mayoral candidates gave their plans to bring the city together, attract business and achieve their first priority in office Tuesday at the first of three forums hosted by the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce.

A second chamber forum was held Wednesday, for the city attorney’s office, and a forum for City Council candidates is scheduled for today at 7 p.m.

In addition to any people watching live on Channel 3, Tuesday’s forum filled most of the seats at City Council chambers.

Whatever disagreements the participants had, said candidate Henry Nickel, the turnout is a positive sign.

“It’s very encouraging to see so many residents taking time out of their day,” Nickel said, saying that citizen involvement should continue regardless of who’s elected. “That is the key to taking our city back.”

Some of the attendees came after attending outgoing Mayor Pat Morris’ final State of the City speech, which he concluded by encouraging people to go to the forum and asking residents to demand answers to “tough questions” about bankruptcy. As Morris said, none of the questions were directly about the city’s bankruptcy or budget.

“We don’t want to focus on the past,” moderator Bill Lemann said as the forum began, saying the mayor doesn’t have a vote but should be a leader.

Candidate Carey Davis was one who turned the questions toward that subject anyway.

“What we really need to focus on is pensions that have bankrupted our city,” Davis said, saying his experience as certified public accountant would help him do it.

Wendy McCammack, who said her experience as a businesswoman and councilwoman showed her what had gone wrong before and what could work now, said the mayor presenting a plan without any input from the council was another example of bad leadership.

Start-up founder Matt Korner said that, in turn, was an example of the divisive actions of the current council.

“You know them because you’ve rejected them,” Korner said.