Welcome to our online chat with Doug Holiday, candidate for Lawrence City Commission.

The chat took place on Thursday, February 24, at 2:00 PM and is now closed, but you can read the full transcript on this page.

Moderator: Welcome to today’s chat with Doug Holiday. We have lots of questions, so we’ll go ahead and get started.

Merrill – Lawrence: The wetlands SLT plan is aged therefore obsolete . There are many more options for moving traffic around Lawrence. Two of which are allowing for a toll road from K-10 to I-70 using the 1057 interchange(a real money saver) or south of the river. What are your thoughts?

Doug Holiday: Thanks for the opportunity to chat today.

It seems to me that the SLT should be completed. There has to be some sort of compromise between the two distinct sides. I know a lot of money has been spent on the project and it would be a shame to have the road that is currently there just stop.

Anne – Lawrence: Since the smoking ban my family and I have enjoyed downtown more than ever. It’s great. Supporting smoking and second hand smoke exposure for others really makes no sense. I don’t understand how could you ethically vote either way as a commissioner considering your bar/grill business. What exactly is your position?

Doug Holiday: My position is that I feel the citizens of Lawrence need to make that vote. If indeed that issue is near and dear to a citizen of Lawrence they have the right to be heard just as you do on the other side of the issue do as well. I am not a smoker I too enjoy going out in smoke free environments. I encourage everyone to be active in city government and properly go about to make changes if they are supported by the people.

Donald, Lawrence: I understand you are against the smoking ban. I was wondering how you can justify your stand given the hundreds of thousands of deaths each year caused by this addiction. There is currently no technology that can rid the air of these deadly chemicals and to suggest there is misleading. How can you believe it is fair to condemn non-smokers who wish to patronize the local music scene, or have drinks at bars, or eat at local restaurants to breathing deadly chemicals?

Doug Holiday: I am not “against the smoking ban” I encourage free enterprise and feel that it is a business owners decision to set the environment for their business. If people do not care to go to a smokey bar they should not go. The people vote with their dollars, There were two venues that I know of that were non smoking at the time of the ban and they instantly lost their uniqueness. I would support a more broadband statewide that would not effect Lawrence so hard (level the playing field if you will) California has done this and I think it is successful. I have heard many people compare Lawrence to California but a person in Sacramento is not going to Nevada for a cocktail and dinner. In Lawrence they might opt for a close town … Therefore we lose tax revenue.

Malcolm, Lawrence: Several of the incumbent candidates consider themselves “progressive”. Do you consider yourself progressive too?

Why or why not?

Doug Holiday: I am not sure what you mean when you use the word “progressive” I guess I am because I am open to new ideas and thoughts. I do not claim to have all the answers, I just hope to make the sensible decisions.

Richard, Lawrence: Would you support legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes and reducing fines and punishment for people caught smoking cannibus?

Doug Holiday: If it would alleviate someone’s pain and is medically recommended, Yes. And secondly, It depends on where people are caught smoking the marijuana is it in the smoke free restaurants and bars? Currently I think the bar owner gets fined. But seriously, I am not familiar with the laws regarding marijuana nor what other communities are doing.

Sean, Lawrence, Ks: Given that the chain restaurants have identified Lawrence as big enough to support themselves, do you see any reason for the City Commission to involve itself in retaining their locally owned restaurants and creating barriers to further chain expansion? The past and present Commissions have involved themselves in plenty of issues that seem similar. (i.e. the cornfield mall vs. downtown merchants, Wal-mart 1 vs. Wal-mart 2, local building trades requiring a special city license, living wage proponents, etc.) Thanks.

Doug Holiday: I do not feel that it is in the best interest of Lawrence to create barriers to further expansion. Like I wrote before, I feel that guests in Lawrence vote with their dollars, If they want to support chain restaurants then that is their right. It hopefully keeps the small guy sharp and quick to react to customer feedback. I know small restaurants have an unfair disadvantage because they pay more for product than large chains with huge buying power. But, the small restaurant is unique and not all over the country. I prefer to visit unique restaurants, that is how I vote with my dollar. I hope Lawrence too will vote for uniqueness , as Lawrence is unique.

Drew, Lawrence: It seems to me that it is the community’s liberal reputation regarding social welfare that makes Lawrence a logical destination for homeless people, and indeed, there exist many organizations throughout the community intent on helping those with very little. While I believe these institutions, and the moral qualities upon which they’re based, to be an asset, others (specifically some small business owners) view them as perpetuating the problem of homelessness. Do you believe it would help the community (as a whole – including its homeless members) to adopt a more strict, less charitable policy toward the homeless? What, if any, programs currently exist to not only provide food, shelter, and meals to the homeless, but to help them re-establish themselves as productive members of the community? Would you support the expansion of these programs? If programs like these do no exist, would you support their institution? Thank you.

Doug Holiday: Lawrence is a destination for homeless. I have been told by several people that Shawnee county regularly drives homeless people to the Douglas county line and drops them off. This is a problem, I feel that there needs to be programs that helps these homeless people to get back and re-establish themselves as productive society members but not allow them to not progress. The program should also include identifying those that need mental help and find the proper support for those folks as well.

Jo Ellen Lawrence: Is it true you were the one behind Jayhawks on Parade? Do you have any other ideas that will bring more people in to town to spend money?

Doug Holiday: I was on and currently am on the CVB . We had a retreat and I did throw that idea out. We had tremendous support from the community and the University. Many people worked hundreds of hours on the project, (too many to mention without leaving someone out) It did bring visitors to Lawrence. It brought people from everywhere and made newpapers all over the country. Tourism is very important to Lawrence and in 03 brought almost 40 million dollars to our town. The 04 figures are about to come out and I can tell you it is better than last year.

I hope we can get the National Heritage area passed so Lawrence can get that distinction as well.

Sue, Lawrence: How would you make the City more business friendly?

Doug Holiday: It seems to me Lawrence should be excited to get new business to Lawrence. The Chambers, Lynn Parman does an excellent job of courting potential suitors. ( Thanks Lynn) and I would like to see the City of Lawrence try to adopt some of that attitude as well. I know we are a unique city and want to stay that way but, we also need to grow for the health of our city too, I think working with potential business would be the solution.

Jo Ellen, Lawrence: What are your thoughts on roundabouts? Do you feel like they are a waste of money?

Doug Holiday: I think roundabouts are very expensive to be putting in the older parts of our city. They are a big waste of money, money that could be spent on fixing some of those “tank-traps” in our streets and fixing sidewalks and the like.

Rick, Baldwin: Hi Doug, You are wanting to bring more jobs to Lawrence. What kind do you have in mind and do you believe that there is a workforce really in Lawrence or is in reality, the workforce really from the surrounding towns? Just curious, because the jobs you speak of will be dictated by the labor force available.

Doug Holiday: I would like to bring more jobs to Lawrence. I have said before that if a business plans to come here I think they have done their homework and know what the work force will be. I think the majority of the workforce would come from Lawrence, and perhaps move here too, as in the case of Serologicals, they only brought a few people from their head quarters and hired folks from Lawrence.

James, Lawrence: Downtown is no longer the retail hub of Lawrence. What can be done to significantly increase the retail dollars spent there?

Doug Holiday: I feel that Tourism is the answer. We have a great deal of unique shops here in Lawrence and a majority of them are on Mass. We have a treasure in the downtown and need to look to other communities such as Boulder to see how they have preserved their downtown.

Mac Laine, Lawrence: In your interview in today’s (Wednesday’s) paper, you said, “I think the City Commission needs to focus on the basics and not worry about issues like the Patriot Act and that sort of thing. We need to worry about city issues. We need to concentrate on our streets, our quality of life, those type of issues.”

Are you aware that it was not the city commission who initiated the Patriot Act discussion? It was brought to them by citizens. So what would you do when citizens bring requests before the city commission…ignore them?

Doug Holiday: The Patriot act was passed by the U.S. Government I think it should be addressed on that level. I wrote earlier that I endorse people getting active in the community and in politics. I feel that the city should run the city and appeal to the appropriate level of Government. I would not ignore a request but perhaps point them in the right direction of where to get satisfaction and in that case I did not feel that was the right direction.

Moderator: This next question will be our last one for today’s chat.

Juli, Lawrence: I read that you believe people should try to spend 1 day per month doing some type of charity work. Can you elaborate on that idea?

Doug Holiday: I did say that, I would like to elaborate on it. Not just charity, I think just being active in the community, be it helping at LMH, your Church, your kids sports team, whatever it is you can do, do it. It seems to me if more people take action and help the better our community will be. Someone said why talk about the weather you can’t do anything about it. The community is different, you can talk about and do something about it. I know this is the last question and do appreciate everybody’s questions and hope that you will vote for me on Tuesday. Thanks! Doug

Moderator: We’d like to thank Doug Holiday for participating in today’s chat. And we’d like to thank all of our readers for participating. Don’t forget to vote in Tuesday’s city commission primary.