Preserving Lago's past while planning for the future.
This is your outlet for expressing your opinion on topics that you feel are relevant to our community and the upcoming election.  I do not have a blog venue on my site so email me at ed4lv@hotmail.com and I will include your concerns on this page.  I have already started receiving emails concerning topics such as:  golf courses, roads, infrastructure, parks, airport, and of course revenue and expenditures.
It is official.  I have filed for Mayor of Lago Vista.
My Site is constantly under construction as I try to update information on what my calendar holds and what my platform contains.  Please visit often as I add things everyday to try and populate the site with my stance.  In the meantime, contact me by email ed4lv@hotmail.com or by the office cell phone. 804-832-3759.  Political ad paid for by Ed Tidwell for Lago Vista campaign.
GOLF COURSES:

As mentioned, this is one of the topics and is one of the biggest because of so many aspects to the purchase itself.  First, let me direct you to the following links:  http://www.statesman.com/news/local/socialized-golf-in-lago-vista-1073854.html and http://northlaketravislog.com/2010/12/01/letters-to-the-editor-dec-2-issue/

As you can see by the theme of my campaign, I am all about the lifestyle of Lago Vista.  We moved out here for the lifestyle that Lago Vista offered and golf has always been a part of that.  I am not against having municipal golf course(s) in our community.  However, as pointed out in the first article there are several issues that raise my concerns and I would like to know how you the taxpayers feel about it.

First of all is the cost to the taxpayers.  The budget for these courses are larger than our administrative, police, and court budgets combined.  Add this to the $3 million spent and the prospect of operating at a quarter of million dollar deficit makes me wonder if this was a prudent move on our city council's part.  What happens to all of the accounts that were raided?  How many other projects are there that need financial support from the taxpayers.  Yes, there are a number of people that live on the golf course (including me) and they have a personal interest in the success of these courses.  Yet, how many of the over 6000 people that the census says reside in Lago Vista don't live on the golf courses.  I have heard from several people who would love to see green space with hike and bike trails.  Others want their roads fixed, sidewalks in certain areas, parks, and many are worried about our utility infrastructure.  These are topics within themselves and will be addressed individually.

In addition to what has already been spent, at what level of debt is the city actually going to be able to continue and maintain the operations of the courses?  At what point do the taxpayers reach the breaking point?  How many professional golf management companies have given the courses a try?  As many as 5 at Highland?  Operations at the courses have expanded from eight employees to thirteen employees with listings for two more positions currently posted.  Was this part of the deal when proposed?  If not, what is this adding to the golf budget?

I have had some voters express their opinion that the whole process was possibly unethical.  They don't like the fact that the five Men's Golf Association members (of which four live on the courses) did not excuse themselves from the vote.  I can honestly say that I haven't researched the ethics behind such actions but I would like to think the integrity of the representative would be enough to ensure a member would not vote on an agenda item that has potential personal conflicts.  Again, I have not researched this and I am not saying that anything unethical was done by any member of the council.  I address it because it is in the article and citizens have emailed me with differing opinions.  You can read some of the comments yourself in the NLT Log blog link above.  It is up to you the voter to decide what you think.

I have to stop for awhile to take care of other business.  I will address more topics when I return.

"I place economy among the first and most important virtues and public debt as the greatest dangers to be feared." --Thomas Jefferson