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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, February 17, 1992                   TAG: 9202170232
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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SALEM COUNCIL: WHAT MEANS `CONTINUITY'?

THREE of our incumbent City Council members are running for re-election. The two with the longest tenure, James A. Taliaferro and Alex M. Brown, both say they want to maintain some "continuity." Taliaferro has been on council for 20 years and Brown for 12 years.

I wonder if a better word would not be "concrescence." In the past seven years, the city of Salem has spent more than $6 million on sports facilities, all with only council's approval.

Big bucks spent without approval by the voters. Is this fiscal continuity? There has even been talk of another expensive sporting facility, an indoor swimming complex.

Three of our current council members have relatives employed by the city of Salem. Their aggregate salaries are $150,000-plus.

Is this what they mean by continuity? I see it as a possible conflict of interest, possibly nepotism at its worst, or maybe a darn good employment service.

If there must be continuity, let it come from our city manager and his capable staff. I sincerely hope that citizens of Salem will wake up and become informed and active before it is too late. The filing deadline for running for City Council is March 3. We need new ideas with vision. BILL SENTER SALEM

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