The Village of Salado will elect a Mayor to a two-year term on May 7. Mayor Michael Coggin filed for a position on the ballot. Linda Reynolds has filed as a write-in candidate.

We asked the following question:

Question 1:What are the values you will bring to the position of Mayor, if elected, and how will they make an impact? (200 words)

Question 2: Is there an appropriate level of staff in the Village? Too many? Too few? If this is identified as being an issue, how can this be addressed by the Mayor and Board? (200 words)

Question 3: Do you support Village Administration? If so, why? If not, why not and what can be done to improve it? (200 words)

Question 4: What makes you the right candidate for the position right now? (200 words)

Michael Coggin, PE

Michael Coggin, incumbent, Candidate for Mayor of Salado.

Question 1: I bring fairness, transparent and ethical values to the position of mayor. I treat every citizen equally and listen to their concerns – each person has a right to have their concerns expressed. I have encouraged folks to express their thoughts by holding public hearings on various topics from RV parking to Sanctuary development agreement revisions. I realize this position is not about my sole guidance but encourage our elected Aldermen to participate and provide guidance on various initiatives. We have really been able to reduce the number and length of executive meetings and always provide a brief update on any actions taken – I have provided a transparent process so all village actions are open and fair to each participant. If elected as your mayor, I will continue to perform mayoral actions in a fair, transparent and ethical way.

Question 2: The village office is currently staffed with a team of ONLY five positions plus police department. This team is responsible for these critical functions plus much more:

• Law enforcement

• Mill Creek Drive road reconstruction

• Pace Park road reconstruction

• Royal St reconstruction

• Sewage plant expansion

• All abilities playground

• KSB award teaming

• Mill Creek culvert drainage expansion

• Chisholm Trail drainage improvements

• West Village road expansion

• Salado Creek cleanout and additional cleanout

• Low Water Crossing concrete repair

• Bluff Circle pothole repair

• Park Drive pothole repair

• Sewage service to new developments

• Mowing

• Trash cleanup

• Sewage treatment plant

• Lift stations maintenance

• Lift station odor control

• Park maintenance

• Streetlight maintenance

• Emergency management

• Business development

• Building permits

• Village website update

• Clerical

• Legal services

• Tourism

• Planning and Zoning

• Utility payments

• Grant writing/recordkeeping

• Sewage system billings

• Budget planning/bookkeeping

With this growing workload, I will continue to make sure our village has the necessary manpower to efficiently and economically provide municipal services.

Question 3: I define our village administration to consist of our Board of Aldermen, village staff and mayor. I do support our team and I am excited about all of the great accomplishments that we have achieved in the past few months. We have endured three major events – COVID pandemic, 2021 ice storm and April 2022 tornado – keeping our village services continuing with little or no impacts. We have lowered our tax rate (and are in a great position to further lower the tax rate). Our team refinanced our sewage system bond resulting in a $600,000 savings to our taxpayers over the life of the loan. We have brought $675,000 in COVID relief funding to Salado and have prioritized the spending plan to address drainage projects in the most flood prone areas in the village. We have improved our law enforcement to add 24/7 coverage plus a cutting-edge digital gate system. Our Board also performed a salary review last year where it was determined that our village staff salaries and positions where fair compared to other towns our size. As your mayor, I will continue to push our village administration team to provide fair and efficient services at a reasonable cost.

Question 4: Please consider voting on May 7th for Michael Coggin as your mayor. I will continue to keep the village of Salado a historic small town with controlled growth. I will continue to lower our tax rate. I will continue to provide steady leadership. I will continue to be a responsible guardian of how your tax dollars are spent. I will continue to press for a modified Sanctuary development agreement. These promises and my past actions make me the right candidate for your mayor. I deeply appreciate all of the support of the great people in Salado! Please go vote on May 7th!

I appreciate the time and effort that the Salado Village Voice contributes to host this Q&A format. I know that it really helps me when I am considering how to vote.

Linda Reynolds

Question 1: WHOSE PANTS ARE ON FIRE?

I am an honest person. Does our current Mayor know the new Sanctuary Deal? We all will learn AFTER you have voted.

When my daughter was a teen, she would ask to participate in some social event….but neglect to convey some important information. I had to teach her that omitting information is the same as lying.

I have no desire to be a typical politician. One term and done is

all I seek. Just enough time to reevaluate our Village staffing and place a moratorium on adding anymore residential sewage entering The Sanctuary WWTP.

Residents were asleep when this administration agreed to four story apartment buildings in the Village.

Right now, several local developers realize how much more money can be earned by stacking people on top of

each other. ALERT: Negotiations are behind closed doors.

Village residents quality of life will absolutely deteriorate, and school taxes will go up if more apartments replace our original 1/2 acre lot requirement. The people who changed our 1/2 acre ordinance either live outside the Village or have moved away. They all had financial gain by promoting dense development.

Question 2: TOO MANY COOKS?

As a resident, if I were to ask each staff member to keep a diary of their daily workload, and then also ask each person to tell me what their job demands are, they would all have to go check with Don Ferguson. And I would probably have to fill out a FREEDOM of information form…..and wait…??

If I am elected, that would be my first request. Only BOA members and the Mayor seem to know why they suddenly went on a hiring binge in December 2021.

When I asked our elected officials how many are served by our sewer, none knew. And I had to wait 13 business days to learn only 90!

Our Village government must do a better job of listening, and being more responsive to all residents.

Question 3: BAD TO BADDER

This Village administration tried to buy the golf course, and bully the owners into a last minute change in the deal. I am not a politician; I just want to do what is right for the entire village and be open and honest.

How are we ending up with four story apartment buildings? Because our village administration has not been open and honest.

And I believe NOT telling a voter the entire story is lying. Remember when your child didn’t tell you the whole story? Remember when you taught them that is lying?

I would like to see a spring cleaning of the administration, and I would be happy to put in as much time as necessary to find new leadership, if needed.

Question 4: GOLDEN RULE: DO UNTO OTHERS…

I can not believe any village resident would be happy if what is happening to the residents on our Southside happened to your area.

Since I am retired and my caretaking responsibilities are over, I have the time to do the job and keep ALL residents informed of ALL board actions that may effect their quality of life.

I will tell the truth. I will clearly express my beliefs, and I am willing to change my mind if you convince me of the sense of your point of view.

I don’t owe any allegiance to any of the entities (most of whom do NOT live in the Village) trying to make a living by destroying our Historical and small town feel.

I don’t play golf. EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, FROM 6-7, I will drive down each street in Salado with a MAYOR OF SALADO sign on my car. Wave, and I’ll stop to listen to ANY concern. Then I’ll spend Monday-Friday attempting a solution. I am retired and am willing to devote myself to IMPROVING THE QUALITY of life for ALL Salado residents.

I will also try to create a “Know What your Neighbors Think” question and answer column.

Salado needs more people to speak up.