DUNKIRK-Residents, civil servants, and political candidates butted heads during a contentious two-hour event at City Hall after rather tame debates last few weeks.
The second League of Women Voters debate prompted serious emotional debate during the standing-room only event.
Topics ranged from taxes to the lack of bilingual workers in county government.
One woman addressed a lack of accommodations for Hispanics at the Dunkirk DMV to County Clerk Larry Barmore and Democratic Candidate LeeAnn Lazarony.
Barmore said the DMV in Dunkirk recently hired a Spanish-speaking employee. Barmore also stated the Civil Service Exam makes it difficult to find bilingual candidates.
Lazarony responded by saying she would seek qualified candidates and help them pass the exam.
From 2011-15, the Hispanic/Latino population county-wide has decreased slightly in Chautauqua County from 135,000 to 132,000 according to the US Census Bureau.
Meanwhile, the latest Chautauqua County Health Assessment states that the Hispanic/Latino population is the fastest growing by percentage in the county.