Doug Salisbury for Alderman

We have offered all LaVergne political candidates the opportunity to let us know the platform on which they are running. Today we heard from Doug Salisbury. [Editor note: Sorry... we mispelled Doug's last name on the original post.]

Thanks for the opportunity to comment Kathy. By the way, my last name is spelled Salisbury.

I have been involved in tracking the monthly activities of the Board for two years through my web site www.lavergnepublicinfo.com. The information that I post consist of the information that should have been posted on the city's web site but is not. What I have seen is recorded on the web site and all information has the original city documents linked to it so the readers can make their own minds up on the various issues.

Government seems to operate better when information is made public and the opposite is true when it is not. My platform consist of Smart Growth where growth is based on infra structure needed to support it, such as roads, water and sewer. The myth that impact fees will pay for all this is just that, a myth. Last year La Vergne recorded $500,000 in road impact fees for over 500 homes. Hardly enough to pay for traffic signals much less widen roads.

Citizens that wish to address the Board should have more then three minutes and their comments should be recorded for the record. Currently, any Board member that does not like what is said can censure all or part of the presentation. A part of being in government is listening to what people have to say, even if you don't agree with it.

Some of the changes I have influenced consist of; changing the date of election to November in 2008. Asking the members of the Board to turn on their microphones during meeting so that every one can hear. Forcing the city to establish a water cut off policy for delinquent water bills and to establish a water bill write off policy for over $500,000 in bad debts.

I believe that this election will be the first election where voters have a complete record of votes taken and how those votes impact their lives by looking at my website www.lavergnepublicinfo.com

If you want a change in direction, then you can make a choice. If your happy with the status quo, then you have that choice as well.