Question 1 of 8
Tell us a little about yourself and why you decided to run for City Council/Mayor?
I have been a city resident for close to fifty years. During that period I have been actively involved in many city functions and outspoken regarding the directions that the city has evolved and where I see us heading. The last few years in particular have been alarming to me because of the rancor and contention I frequently see displayed at meetings of the City Council and of the boards and commissions. I would like the opportunity to do my best to try helping to reach a common solution to these issues.
Question 2 of 8
If you have been involved in the past, please list how here -- feel free to list anything from attending City Council meetings to serving on boards or commissions, volunteering for events, etc.
My only active role with the City was as a member of the original DDA in the late eighties and early nineties. I ran for Mayor in 2000 but was unsuccessful. I volunteered for building projects at Shayground and the SK8 Park shelter and assisted for a number of years with the 4th of July fireworks.
Question 3 of 8
What are the biggest challenges the City is facing in the next five years, and do you have ideas on how you’d like to see those challenges addressed?
The biggest and most pressing challenge I see facing the City currently is the division and contention surrounding almost all issues being raised in the public meetings. To me, it seems, we are collectively spending a great deal of time and energy concentrating on dis-agreement. My solution is to consciously take a step back and begin to focus on fundamental principles that most of us can agree on. As we elaborate these common or shared values, we will gradually develop a consensual vision for the future of Harbor Springs that will aid us in coming to mutually agreeable answers to the many hurdles the City Faces. This common vision is what I regularly refer to as the "Master Plan". There are three main attributes that I feel are critical to the effectiveness of this "Master Plan". One; that all goals and references are clearly defined; two, that the goals be highly objective, not subjective; and three, that the goals be prioritized so that we remove doubt about how we want the city to change.
Question 4 of 8
In a community that includes year-round and seasonal residents, as well as an increasing tourism market, how do you think about balancing economic drivers, natural resources, community well-being, and infrastructure needs? What concerns and opportunities do you see in our town’s unique makeup?
Because of my long association with the City, I am very cognizant of the various constituencies we represent. Over the years I have interfaced with many of the different factions, past and present, and been exposed to their varied reasons for being here and hopes and assumptions about the future of this town. This is why I'm so committed to the need for a universal "Master Plan". We need to address the hard questions. Firstly, do we really believe we can direct the future of this town, or are at the mercy of forces beyond our control that are going to drive the future of Harbor Springs? If the answer to that question is "No, we want to be in control", then we can go on to questions like "Do we want to be a Tourist town like Mackinaw City?, or "Do we want to be a historical museum town like Greenfield Village"? If our answer is, "Well no, we want to be a mixture of all these types of towns", then we should get objective and say "Okay, we want to be twenty percent Tourist, Fifty percent seasonal and investment, ten percent commercial and the rest residential. I know this sounds a bit clinical, but this is where a good and mutually supported Master Plan can radically assist us in dealing with specific questions relating to everything from Budgeting to Planning and Zoning.
Question 5 of 8
Is there anything you think is being under or over funded in the City’s current budget? If so, please describe the changes you’d like to see
Regarding the City's budget I feel again that the concepts of prioritization need to be rigidly applied. The more objective and specific we can be regarding the City's needs and commitments the easier will be the allocation of funds. I think that fulfilling our financial obligations should be the highest priority. Second comes the ongoing reserve funding for future necessary maintenance and replacement of basic infrastructure. (Think electrical, sewer,sidewalks, etc.) I remember a lecture years ago from then treasurer Ron McRae about the comfort derived from adequate reserve funding. The looming revenue shortfall for funding the CIP wishlist is a related issue that needs to be addressed promptly. The revenue from the Electrical enterprise fund is a benefit to the City. Could it be increased? Are there other Enterprise activities the City could engage with? Water, Sewer, Dockage in the Harbor?
Question 6 of 8
Are there any changes you’d like to see made to the structure of boards and commissions in the City? If so, please describe and note why
The City's Boards and Commissions are a tremendous asset to our town. They embody a vast pool of volunteer expertise that can enhance and streamline the activities of the City assets. The Council however, as the ultimate responsible party, needs to supervise and control the activities of these bodies. The Council also is responsible for integrating the activities of these bodies into the budget and the curriculum of the rest of the City programs. Any adjustments to the structure of these Boards and Commissions needs to be made with respect to how the changes will enhance the best interests of the City.
Question 7 of 8
There has been a lot of division in this town over the last few years. How would you leverage your position as a local leader to help heal the community? Be specific about ideas you would bring to the table.
As noted above, the divisions that have grown over the last few years are of great concern to me. My long tenure in this town, coupled with my knowledge of the historical resort character of the region (Harbor Point, Wequetonsing, Ramona Park, Menonaqua, Bay View, etc.) gives me great sadness when I contrast the images of those past times with the schisms I see today. I attribute these "schisms" to a growing dis-connect between the various social strata within the community. Historically, for example, there were close, intimate, and long-term interconnects between the "resorters" and their staff, housekeepers, groundskeepers, shopkeepers and so on. This resulted in a totally integrated community and what I have termed a "symbiotic" relationship between the townspeople and the resorters. This is fractured today with construction, maintenance, landscaping, event planning every year being performed by larger and more remote companies and corporations who employ more and more non-local workers. Thus we have lost the closely knit community of yesteryear. If we wish to reverse this trend it will require far reaching changes to current City structure. My long term interest in Community Planning and my confidence that we can make the necessary changes if we really want to make me feel that these are viable and desirable solutions. I am certain that if we truly focus on fundamentals we will find a great deal of agreement for a common vision for the future of Harbor Springs.
Question 8 of 8
What brings you the most joy, when you think about Harbor Springs?
Being a life-long mariner, I would say that it is the Harbor that stands out to me as the pre-eminent attraction to Harbor Springs. But on reflection, being even more of a "people person" , I would have to admit that it is our fantastic community of individuals that really brings me the most joy as I think about my life in Harbor Springs!