Fayetteville

should be directly involved in planning for a new

Fayette County Jail, said Talley, since the jail

is in the city center. "The city needs input

into that process," he said.

The

city also should move forward more quickly on new

technology, especially use of the Internet,

Talley said. "I would like to see the zoning

ordinances on the Internet, and there are a lot

of other ways we could use the Internet," he

added. "We could use it get citizen

input."

Clyde

Avery

native of LaGrange, Ga., Avery grew up in College

Park and has lived in Fayette County since 1980.

After

a 32-year career in operations at Delta Air

Lines, he retired and has worked five years with

Southeastern Properties, a property management

and leasing firm. He is married and has two grown

children.

"Being

retired from Delta, I now have more time to give

back to the community," said Avery, adding

that he has been a youth minister at New Hope

Baptist Church for 15 years. "I've just been

seeing some things that I would like to see

happen," he added by way of explaining why

he decided to run for council.

"I

feel like the group down there has done a real

good job," said Avery, "and I feel like

I have some talents I could add to that."

Among

changes Avery said he would like to see:

Lower

taxes for senior citizens. "The general

population is getting a little bit older,"

he said. "I'd like to see some benefit from

the tax windfalls we've had recently go toward

the older citizens."

Hiring

of a traffic consultant. "I would like to

see a traffic expert come in and look for ways we

can improve things," he said. "DOT and

the clean air (restrictions) have got our hands

tied right now [when it comes to building new

roads]," he said, but a traffic expert, he

added, could address the possibility of making

more traffic lanes one-way at certain hours, and

perhaps come up with other solutions.

"There

are some real good traffic study companies out

there," he said, adding that he envisions

the task as a anytime consulting job, not a

permanent position at City Hall.

More

aggressive efforts to redevelop empty commercial

buildings. "We need to have a portfolio of

the grocery sites available, the Wal-Mart and all

the retail sites and the offices that are

available," he said. "Through

persuasion or incentive, when these folks are

coming to the city wanting to develop these big

boxes, we need to let them know what we have

available."

Avery

is opposed to bringing liquor by the drink into

Fayetteville, and would not vote to put the issue

on the ballot unless forced by a petition of

voters. "It would add another burden to what

[Police Chief] Johnny Roberts has to do," he

said. But, he added, "If the citizens vote

for it, I'm not going to be one to stand there

and continue to battle that."

There's

a place for high-density subdivision development,

Avery said, adding that he is in favor of a

gradual decrease in density as one goes outward

from the city center. The key to any increase in

density, he added, is to make sure surrounding

neighborhoods are brought into the process.

"I would make sure they have input into

what's being developed, especially if it's

changing density," he said.

He

doesn't favor annexation in most cases, Avery

said. "The county has tried to develop a

good land use plan.

Avery

said one of his strengths as a council candidate

is that he lives and works in the city. "We

need some people that are earning a living here

in the city," he said. "That way, they

can get a real feel for what the people are

talking about and what the people want."

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