ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 30, 1996 TAG: 9604300080
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
JIM TALIAFERRO'S departure from Salem City Council after 24 years, more than 22 of them as mayor, guarantees change on a governing body that has been - like Salem itself - exceptionally stable. Next Tuesday, voters will decide how far they wish to depart from the status quo.
Two longtime incumbents and three newcomers to elective office are competing for three seats on the five-member council. One of the two members not up for election this year has served less than a year, which means Salem residents can choose an almost totally fresh council, or return one or both veteran members.
We recommend votes for both incumbents: Alex Brown, a real estate agent who has served 16 years on council, and Howard Packett, president of an advertising and public relations agency, who has been on council 12 years.
For the third seat, we recommend Harry Haskins, who retired last year after serving two decades as Salem's police chief. Haskins is running as an insider who wants to continue the "good, solid management" the city has had under Taliaferro.
To be sure, Salem's council has been a clubbish thing. The mayor's departure may promise not only another new face, but also more discussion in decision-making. Notably, points of contention have arisen in the council campaign: for example, whether to develop a municipal golf course.
Even so, Salem remains a consensual sort of place. And a case for wholesale overhaul of the council would be, in any event, hard to make.
Salem is simply a well-run city, with an excellent school system and good services. It has carved a niche for itself as a host for family values and sporting events. Its downtown is attractive and alive.
No question, the huge cost overrun on a new baseball stadium for the Salem Avalanche - more than double the $5 million endorsed by voters in an advisory referendum - is a legitimate target for critics.
Most gripes seem leavened, however, by appreciation for the quality of the facility. And voters ought to weigh any displeasure with that expenditure against the city's overall ability to provide the services its residents expect, while keeping tax rates reasonable.
The incumbents, Brown and Packett, can point to an impressive record in this regard, starting with Salem's independent school system.
There are also the sports and recreation facilities, the extension of sewer service to every part of the city, a commitment to the Child Health Investment Partnership, the superb work of the beautification department, a concerted effort to hire minorities. To such initiatives, Packett has added a constructive interest in regional cooperation.
Haskins, a popular figure in Salem, enthusiastically supports the city's leadership. "There's an attitude in government of can-do," he says.
The other two challengers, John Moore and Steve Smeltzer, are both solid citizens with roots in Salem. Smeltzer, who has operated a business there for 12 years, wants to establish a Salem visitors center. Moore, a retired Air Force major, served on Salem's School Board for 12 years through 1992, when council chose not to reappoint him.
Moore has been endorsed by the Salem Taxpayers Association, a small group whose narrow agenda would, if pursued, cramp the city's future. With the association, for example, Moore favors putting every discretionary capital project to a popular vote. That would be an unnecessary expense and an inappropriate abrogation of leadership, assuming the elected and accountable representatives are spending Salem's money wisely.
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CITY COUNCIL ENDORSEMENTby CNB