In four days, Ironton voters will head to the polls to elect four men who will help lead the city for the next four years. Today, we'll endorse the four men who we feel will best fill that important role in city government.

Following a year filled with much debate about the city's financial woes, few were surprised when seven challengers stepped up to face three incumbents for seats on the council. Four seats are up for grabs as current council chairman Jim Tordiff has opted not to seek reelection.

Wading through the 10 candidates will not be easy for Ironton voters. We hope, however, that the choices will be made with some logic rather than simply emotion.

Some residents have called for a clean sweep of the council, ousting all incumbents, after what those residents feel has been a disastrous year in the City of Ironton.

While we agree that little to nothing has been done to stem off the impending fiscal disaster, completely blaming that on the current council isn't fair or accurate, either. The fiscal problems and the habit of overspending have been going on for years. Until this year, we've just been lucky that it hasn't caught up to us yet.

And this past year's lack of action has been mostly fueled by inter-council emotions. Regardless of the outcome of the election at least two of the most vocal and outspoken opponents on the council will no longer be there.

Wiping out the remaining board members just doesn't make sense.

Two of the incumbents, Bill Nenni and Brent Pyles, have valuable skills that our city needs on the council - professional, real world business experience. The city is a business; it's not a job factory or even a tool for economic development. It's a business and you, Mr. and Mrs. City Taxpayer, are the stockholders.

In addition to Nenni and Pyles, two challengers have risen to the top as well. Rick Meeks and Butch Huff are our two selections to fill the other available seats on the board.

Meeks served as the assistant city finance director during the city's last financial recovery period. He came on board after the state took control of the bankrupt city. He's been there during the rebuilding process and perhaps that experience along with his desire to do what's right for the city will help the city as a whole.

While Huff is easily amongst the most eloquent speaking - and entertaining - of the candidates, behind his one-liners are some good, common sense ideas and a willingness to communicate, even if the message may be difficult.

While many of the other challengers had some good ideas and their passion for getting the city back on its feet are admirable, we are worried that many of them have made decisions without fully understanding the facts. For example, more than one said that no city jobs would be cut while another suggested that one of the city's revenue streams - partial income tax reciprocity with nearby cities - should be cut.

As much as we wish that getting the city on the right track without cutting a job were possible, it seems unlikely.

The influx of cash from the proposed municipal fee will only shore up the problem temporarily. It doesn't resolve it for the long haul.

If you are an Ironton voter and you want to make a difference for the good of Ironton, you'll go out and exercise your vote next Tuesday. The four men listed above are our selections. the ultimate choice, however, is yours.