GENERAL ELECTION • NOVEMBER 4, 2008

VOTER
GUIDE
Milford / Highland / White Lake / Waterford
Publication of Spinal Column Newsweekly
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MICHAEL E. LONG
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OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Orchard Lake, Waterford, West Bloomfield
U.S. Congress/9th
Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Joe
Knollenberg is being challenged by
Democrat Gary Peters in the Tuesday,
Nov. 4 general election. Members of
Congress serve two-year terms and are
currently paid $165,200 annually.
The following are questions our staff
recently posed to Peters, and his
responses to those questions.
Knollenberg didn’t respond to our can-
didate questionnaire.
IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN: Despite progress
in Iraq, there are still many calling for
rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces. How
should the nation handle the situation
in Iraq, and why? State why you are or
aren’t satisfied with the level of troop
deployment and the nature of our pres-
ence in Afghanistan.
FINANCIAL CRISIS: America has been
rocked by the recent collapse of banks
and financial firms. What’s your vision
for helping the economy rebound in the
short term, especially given the credit
crisis that threatens to cripple the econ-
omy? What would you like done to
implement long-term structural changes
that ensure a strong economy? Do you
support the economic recovery plan pro-
posed by President Bush?
HEALTH CARE: Where do you stand on
the notion of implementing some kind
of universal health care or somehow
reforming the existing system?
ENERGY/OIL DEPENDENCY: What alter-
native fuels and energies do you believe
the nation should be pursuing? Please
tell us where you stand on proposals to
open up the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge to oil drilling, or expanding off-
shore drilling.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the district, and
how do you propose to address them?
WHY YOU? Why should voters choose
you over your opponent?
GARY PETERS
IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN: As a former Lt.
Commander in the Navy Reserve, I
believe we must immediately begin
redeploying troops from Iraq, so we can
respond to other serious threats. I
don’t support a “rapid withdrawal,” but
a responsible and safe redeployment
that protects our troops and military
materiel while providing stability. While
we are spending $10 billion a month,
Iraq has a surplus of over $79 billion.
It’s time for the Iraqi government to
take responsibility for the security of
Iraq.
The Bush Administration’s single-
minded focus on Iraq, which my oppo-
nent has supported, has allowed al-
Qaeda to become stronger than it has
been since 2001. This can’t continue,
and I will support policies to refocus our
military effort on finding, capturing, and
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
defeating the terrorists who attacked us,
and who would do us harm.
FINANCIAL CRISIS: This crisis never
should have happened, and we must act
now to stabilize the economy, ensure liq-
uidity in the credit and banking system,
and help families stay in their homes. In
Washington, I will use my background in
business and finance to take action to
protect taxpayers, and to fight for more
accountability over Wall Street to ensure
this kind of disaster can never happen
again.
Rather than eliminating the safe-
guards, as Mr. Knollenberg has voted
repeatedly to do, I believe we must have
a 21st century regulatory system that
will protect taxpayers while encouraging
growth.
I was frustrated that Congress didn’t
take action on these issues in the bailout
bill passed earlier this month. While I
supported the effort to get liquidity into
the market as quickly as possible, the
job is far from done.
HEALTH CARE: Affordable, quality
health care should be the right of every
American, and in Congress, I will work
to make this a reality. The health care
situation is both a moral crisis and an
economic crisis.
Today, American businesses are put
at a severe competitive disadvantage
compared to other countries because of
our outrageous health care premiums.
Small businesses that want to hire more
employees are unable to do so because
of the cost of health insurance.
We must allow Medicare to negotiate
for lower prescription drug prices for
senior citizens — just like the VA already
does. We also must provide children
access to quality, affordable health care.
The SCHIP program (known as MIChild
here in Michigan) works, but on the fed-
eral level President Bush and my oppo-
nent have blocked this important legisla-
tion.
ENERGY/OIL DEPENDENCY: High ener-
gy prices are crippling Michigan’s auto-
motive industry and hurting families,
and our dependence on foreign oil places
our national security in jeopardy. We
must take immediate action to reduce
the price of fuel, and to make a serious
investment in alternative energy research
and development. Although I oppose
drilling in the Great Lakes and in the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, I support
domestic drilling as part of a compre-
hensive energy policy that includes wind
and solar energy, advanced vehicles, and
biofuels.
The challenges of global climate
change and reducing our dependence on
foreign oil present an enormous oppor-
tunity for Michigan’s economy. We have
the best engineers, researchers, work-
ers, and universities anywhere in the
PAGE 3/MHW,WAT
least 18 months, but the Iraqis must
take responsibility for their own country,
and we need to start the process imme-
diately so that we can refocus our
efforts on defeating the terrorists in
Afghanistan.
WHY YOU? My family has been here in
Oakland County for five generations, and
I understand the challenges we’re facing.
I have the unique mix of experience and
skill that will allow me to tackle these
challenges head-on, starting on day one.
In the Michigan Senate, I had a
proven record of bipartisan leadership,
having more of my bills signed into law
than any other Democratic senator. At
the Lottery, I generated record revenues
to invest in our classrooms, and did it
Gary Peters served two terms in the under budget every year. I spent more
Michigan Senate before becoming than 20 years in the investment sector,
commissioner of the Michigan Lottery. and will use that experience to provide
He is a former Lieutenant Comman- leadership in responding the financial cri-
der in the Navy Reserve. Peters sis.
worked for 20 years as a vice presi- I know Michigan is ready to take the
dent at Merrill Lynch and UBS/ lead in education, research, and new
PaineWebber.
industries that will create the vehicles
and energy sources of the future — and
world, and we are ready to take the lead that’s what I will work to do in
in the next generation of alternative Congress. ❏
energy technologies that will create jobs
and bring new investment to Michigan.
TOP ISSUES: First and foremost, I will
take action to reinvest in Michigan’s
economy to create jobs by investing in
our auto industry and new industries like
alternative energy.
Second, I will work to ensure all
Americans have access to quality, afford-
able health care. Spiraling health care
premiums are hurting families and place
a terrible burden on American business-
es. We are the only developed nation in
which all citizens don’t have access to
affordable health care, and our business-
es are forced to bear that extra burden.
Finally, as a former Lt. Commander in
the Navy Reserve, I will work towards a
responsible end of the war in Iraq. Any
responsible redeployment will take at
Election results on
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White Lake Township
SC: 10-22-08
PAGE 4/MHW,WAT
Commerce, Highland, Milford, Walled Lake, Waterford, White Lake, Wixom, Wolverine Lake
U.S. Congress/11th
Democrat Joseph Larkin is challeng-
ing incumbent Republican U.S. Rep.
Thaddeus McCotter in the Tuesday,
Nov. 4 general election. Members of
Congress serve two-year terms and are
currently paid $165,200 annually.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN: Despite progress
in Iraq, there are still many calling for
rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces. How
should the nation handle the situation
in Iraq, and why? State why you are or
aren’t satisfied with the level of troop
deployment and the nature of our
presence in Afghanistan.
FINANCIAL CRISIS: America has been
rocked by the recent collapse of banks
and financial firms. What’s your vision
for helping the economy rebound in
the short term, especially given the
credit crisis that threatens to cripple
the economy? What would you like
done to implement long-term structur-
al changes that ensure a strong econo-
my? Do you support the economic
recovery plan proposed by President
Bush?
ENERGY/OIL DEPENDENCY: What
alternative fuels and energies do you
believe the nation should be pursuing?
Please tell us where you stand on pro-
posals to open up the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, or
expanding off-shore drilling.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the district, and
how do you propose to address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should vot-
ers choose you over your opponent?
JOSEPH LARKIN
IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN: Rep. McCotter
believes in continued occupation for
years to come at a cost of more
American blood and over $100 billion
dollars per year, which could be spent
to shore up our own shaky economy or
to balance our budget. My position is to
leave the country as soon as practical,
but only as soon as prudent. Specific
security goals, military goals, etc., must
be set for Iraq, with specific hard time
lines and appropriate reduction of
troops being made based upon
American military leaders’ decisions, not
on politicians’ decisions. This should be
accomplished in less than two years,
hopefully closer to one year.
FINANCIAL CRISIS: The “bailout” is
not a bailout; it’s a rescue bill. It’s
effectively a loan to save our economy,
get the flow of credit going again, pro-
tect jobs, and protect our investments.
We can get money back, possibly make
a profit, and save our economy from
tanking. The first version of the bill
had many inadequacies, but the “no”
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Joseph Larkin is the owner of Larkin Legal
Services. He is a member of Catholic
Lawyers Society of Michigan, the Michigan
Association for Justice, and the Livonia Bar
Association.
vote created a real loss on Sept. 29 of
$1.2 trillion in the Dow Jones alone.
I would be fighting for reforms, par-
ticularly to help homeowners stay in
their homes to help increase the value of
the rest of our homes, and for accounta-
bility provisions to assure a financial cri-
sis doesn’t happen again. I would have
voted for the best bill available before
adjourning. McCotter instead voted for
his ideology at the sacrifice of your
money, investments, and economy.
ENERGY/OIL DEPENDENCY: My No. 1
initiative to break dependence on foreign
oil, fight high gas prices, and create
American jobs is to pass a law akin to cre-
ating a modern day “Manhattan Project.” I
would put together our best scientific
minds to make all types of alternative
energy sources a practical reality and
refine traditional energy sources (e.g. the
hydrogen fuel cell; cars powered by lithi-
um batteries or other electrical alterna-
tives such as hybrids; renewable energy
such as wind, solar, biomass, geothermal
and hydropower; clean coal technologies;
nuclear power; etc.). I advocate research
and implementation of all alternative ener-
gy sources; conservation; and increased
fuel efficiency. We must take all logical,
cost-effective, and environmentally-sound
alternatives to produce American-made
energy that will help to prevent global cli-
mate changes.
TOP ISSUES: The biggest issue is the
economy, with four subset issues: A)
Energy Crisis: solved by aggressive
investment in alternative energy; B)
Decline in Housing Values: solved by
aggressively combating home foreclo-
sures to increase housing values, penaliz-
ing predatory lending, and taking all
responsible measures to keep families in
their homes. C) Loss of American Jobs:
solved by creating and maintaining
American jobs in every way possible, e.g.
renegotiate trade agreements like NAFTA
and focusing on fair trade. D) Financial
crisis: solved by responsibly supporting
Thaddeus McCotter has represented the
11th District for the past six years. He
served in the Michigan Senate from 1999
to 2002. Prior to that, McCotter was a
practicing attorney who served as a
Wayne County Commissioner from 1993 to
1998 and on the Schoolcraft College
Board of Trustees from 1989 to 1992.
our markets and creating accountability
provisions to assure this doesn’t happen
again.
No. 2 is Iraq. We should responsibly
re-deploy from Iraq to save $100 billion
or more per year.
No. 3 is expanding health care to
cover as many Americans as possible.
WHY YOU? Thaddeus McCotter has been
a foot soldier for George Bush, voting
how Bush leads without question.
McCotter will continue to follow Bush’s
erroneous policies on the Iraq war, econ-
omy, energy policy, credit crunch, health
care, etc., all of which are severely harm-
ing America’s middle class, jobs, and
businesses. McCotter is not a “represen-
tative.” He votes first and foremost
along party lines rather than what is best
for his constituents.
I will act as a leader, not a follower. I
will reach across the aisle to work with
members of both parties on policies that
will best solve our country’s problems in
the economy, energy, and Iraq war.
THADDEUS McCOTTER
IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN: If the United States
is defeated in Iraq and this fledgling
democracy is abandoned, its instability
will coalesce into an epicenter of terrorist
attacks upon our country; the state
sponsor of terror Iran will develop a
nuclear weapon, and dominate and
destabilize the region; Syria and Iran
through their proxy Hezbollah will con-
tinue to undermine Lebanon’s peaceful
Cedar Revolution; Hamas will escalate its
violence against Israel and the Palestinian
Authority’s Fatah party; the U.S. allies of
Pakistan, Jordan and Egypt will face
renewed efforts to undermine their gov-
ernments; and, having proven successful
in Iraq, the insurgents and terrorists will
utilize the same tactics to force an allied
withdrawal from the struggling democra-
cy in Afghanistan.
Future troop removals from the Iraqi
theater will continue, based upon suc-
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
cess on the ground which, at present,
is steadily progressing.
FINANCIAL CRISIS: My fellow residents
of the 11th District didn’t elect me to
abet American socialism. Thus, I
opposed both of the Bush administra-
tion’s taxpayer-funded, trillion-dollar
Wall Street bailouts; and, alternatively, I
proposed a pro-taxpayer, free market,
private recapitalization plan for the
banking system. Unfortunately, the
$800 billion Wall Street bailout was
passed by the Democratically-con-
trolled Congress. The bill remains
intrinsically unfair to the American peo-
ple; didn’t properly address the short-
term financial issues it purported to
solve; and didn’t even begin to address
the deeper economic dysfunctions in
American and global markets.
ENERGY/OIL DEPENDENCY: There are
three key elements to America’s energy
situation: production, conservation and
innovation. It’s crucial we do all we can
to lower gas prices and energy costs
by increasing domestic production,
promoting conservation and encourag-
ing free market innovation of clean
alternative fuels. We need to unleash
our natural resources, while supporting
the aforementioned “all of the above”
approach.
TOP ISSUES: We must lower gas
prices by increasing domestic produc-
tion, promoting conservation and
encouraging free market innovations of
clean alternative fuels.
We must lower our taxes and reduce
the size of government. It’s critical we
preserve and promote Michigan’s econo-
my and set the conditions necessary for
entrepreneurs to create new jobs. We
must fight to stop unfair trade agree-
ments and level the world’s economic
playing field for American manufactur-
ing, businesses and workers.
And, finally, it’s paramount to
American sovereignty we stop any
amnesty for illegal aliens.
WHY YOU? I’m seeking re-election to
continue fighting against the powerful
for my fellow residents and address
our community’s critical concerns. I
have matched my words with my
deeds and worked for and with my
constituents to reach our shared goal
of improving the quality of life in our
community, our state and our country.
I will continue to fully, honorably and
effectively work for the sovereign citi-
zens of the 11th District.
Equally, as a husband and a father
of three children, I live and share the
same daily burdens and countless
blessings as everyone in our communi-
ty; and, I’m personally committed to
ensure we succeed in moving forward
and keeping America the greatest
country in the world. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Waterford, West Bloomfield
Republican Gail Haines and
State House/43rd
Democrat Scott Hudson will compete in
the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election
race for the state’s 43rd House District
seat. State representatives serve two-
year terms and are currently paid
$79,650 annually.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
BUDGET: Please explain what state
spending reductions, if any, you would
like to see in the future. What revenue
enhancements, if any, do you advocate?
Finally, state why you believe the budg-
et can be balanced by addressing only
one side of the ledger or the other, or
why both spending cuts and increased
revenues are the solution.
BUSINESS TAXES: The Legislature dur-
ing this last session had an opportunity
to rewrite the business tax structure in
Michigan, replacing the Single Business
Tax (SBT). Are you satisfied with the
new business tax or is more work
needed?
PROPOSAL A REFORMS: The economic
hardships of the past few years have
brought attention to several of
Proposal A’s shortcomings. Which of
Proposal A’s unintended and unexpect-
ed negative consequences do you
believe need immediate attention, and
how should they be resolved?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the Legislature,
and how do you propose to address
them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your opponent?
GAIL HAINES
BUDGET: In Michigan we have the
14th highest tax burden in the country.
We must stop taxing our citizens. We
need to lower taxes, we need to reduce
the size of state government and we
need to reform and restructure state
government. There are many areas in
which we can do that and that is what
I would support.
BUSINESS TAXES: No, I’m not satisfied
with the new business tax structure.
The MBT (Michigan Business Tax) was
a deal that was made in the middle of
the night. It was all but slammed down
our throats and I firmly believe that we
need to go back and revisit the MBT
and do away with the 21.9 percent
surcharge that was added. This was a
job-killing move.
PROPOSAL A REFORMS: In 1994
when Proposal A was instituted it did
exactly what it was supposed to do. It
reduced property taxes and it also pro-
vided per-pupil funding for education. It
worked well but that was during those
economic times. We are here now in
2008 and the economy isn’t the same.
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Gail Haines, a former teacher, is a Lake
Angelus city councilwoman. She has
served as community liaison for state Rep.
Fran Amos and a precinct delegate. She is
a member of the Oakland County
Republican Party Executive Committee
and the North Oakland Republican Club.
In other states they are looking at a sim-
ple percentage of retail value. Perhaps
that is something that we might want to
take a look at. Or, we might want to take
a look at further tweaking Proposal A. I
do believe that it needs to be adjusted
but I would be very careful about chang-
ing the equation and the per-pupil fund-
ing for public education.
TOP ISSUES: When I announced my can-
didacy I was running on the three E’s:
the economy, education and the environ-
ment/energy. Education and the environ-
ment are still very important to me, but
as I knocked doors I found it’s all about
the economy. If people don’t have jobs,
aren’t able to make ends meet, and are
loosing their homes, than nothing else
really matters. I’m very excited about the
(recently adopted) energy package. There
are parts of it I like; there are parts of it
that I don’t like. It has been written in a
manner that we’ll be able to go back and
look at it for change as we go along. The
package now tells the other states that
we’re on board.
WHY YOU? I firmly believe I can make a
difference. I want to take common sense
leadership to Lansing. My experience in
city government and commitment to all of
the community groups that I have been
involved with led me to state govern-
ment. I posses the knowledge, the ability
and the energy to do this job and I will be
ready to do it on day one. I have been a
wife, a mother, a teacher, a community
activist and an elected official.
Most importantly while I do believe
that we need to work in a bipartisan
level, I’m partisan. In 2007 every single
Michigan (Democratic) representative
voted for a tax increase. I have signed a
pledge not to raise taxes. I’m the only
candidate in this race who has signed
that pledge and I will stand by that.
SCOTT HUDSON
BUDGET: What happened last year, when
Scott Hudson has served on the Waterford
Schools Board of Education since 2005,
and on the Waterford Planning Commis-
sion from 1998 to 2006. He has been a
real estate broker and agent, and owner
of Scott Hudson Developments, Inc. since
1995. Hudson served on the Cherryland
Electric Cooperative Board of Directors
from 1982 to 1990.
the SBT was replaced by the MBT, was a
net increase in taxes and that’s got to be
the most backward way of thinking I’ve
ever seen. What happened with the film
industry, as far as giving tax credits —
the writing is on the wall. By reducing
those taxes you encourage people to
come and create business and jobs in
Michigan. The last thing you want to do
is increase taxes. There are other ways
you can reduce the need for money and
revenue. In Waterford, at the school dis-
trict where I’m a member of the school
board, we just replaced the insurance for-
mally held by MESSA with another group
so that the school board is the policy
holder. We are giving the teachers and
the employees essentially the same insur-
ance, Blue Cross Blue Shield, which
they’ve had to date. The school district is
going to save anywhere from $2 million
to $4 million a year. If 552 districts
statewide did this that could amount to
$400 million saved at the state level.
That’s the approach the Legislature
needs to take. You don’t simply raise
taxes, you adjust and you refine your
business pattern.
BUSINESS TAXES: I agree the MBT needs
to be revisited. I know the people in the
Department of Treasury are still trying to
figure out just what is what and how to
interpret different aspects of the MBT. In
times that are terribly tough, the last
thing you want to do is make things
more complicated and more burdensome.
The MBT needs change.
PROPOSAL A REFORMS: Proposal A did a
lot of things and it did some less than
good things. It did help to equalize school
funding on a statewide basis. At the same
time, the property taxes which have the
various caps to them and pop up aspects
with market value and state equalized
value and cost of living — it’s not in tune
with what’s going on in 2008. You need to
spur the economy, you need to allow peo-
PAGE 5/MHW,WAT
ple to sell houses, and you need to allow
people to move into a home for the first
time. By reducing the pop up tax that
occurs when a house is sold, you start
dealing with true market rates which are
declining, but you at least get some kind
of cash flow going instead of defaults
and bankruptcy. Proposal A will probably
always need to be adjusted, and it’s
extremely important right now to adjust
it.
TOP ISSUES: Right now people need
jobs, and energy is an important aspect
of how we can reinvent Michigan.
Education is probably to single most
important economic development
engine we have.
What’s going on in Michigan with
the energy package that was just
passed is a huge mistake. What it does
is end competition and give back
monopolies to Edison and Consumer’s.
One of the terrible things happening in
the U.S. when they try to get involved
in wind turbine energy is they import
technology from Denmark. It’s not even
built in the U.S. If we change the
investment to encourage competition
and create new high-tech jobs in
Michigan, and if you take those funds
and put them into renewable resources
you can still have a base load capacity
that’s clean energy and controlled so
people have reliable sources.
From a job standpoint we should
have tax credits and encourage busi-
nesses.
In education we should be focusing
on the emerging technologies including
alternative energy in Michigan. We need
to manufacture what we can, deal with
emerging sectors and focus on renew-
able energy.
WHY YOU? It has to do with experi-
ence. I’ve been involved with alternative
energies for over 31 years. I’ve been
involved with the electric utility busi-
ness for eight years. I was on the
board of directors of electric utilities in
northern Michigan, perusing alternative
energies. I’ve been on the planning
commission in Waterford for nine years.
I understand how state and local regu-
lation need to mesh and work together
for savings so you don’t duplicate
efforts. I have demonstrated the leader-
ship it takes to go against the grain, to
reinvent how you fund insurance, pro-
tect the teachers, and open up new
aspects of education with all-day
kindergarten. I’m a business man of
more than 20 years. I know how to
come up with a budget and make it
work. I’ve dealt with budgets over
$100 million. I am a family man. I have
a daughter and there is nothing more
important than the family unit. I know
how to make win-win situations. I’m
not partisan. ❏
PAGE 6/MHW,WAT
Highland, White Lake
Republican Eileen Kowall and
State House/44th
Democrat Mark Venie will face off in
the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election for
the state’s 44th House District seat.
State representatives serve two-year
terms and are currently paid an annual
salary of $79,650.
The following are questions our staff
recently posed to the candidates, and
their responses to those questions.
BUDGET: Please explain what state
spending reductions, if any, you would
like to see in the future. What revenue
enhancements, if any, do you advocate?
State why you believe the budget can
be balanced by addressing only one
side of the ledger or the other, or why
both spending cuts and increased rev-
enues are the solution.
BUSINESS TAXES: The Legislature dur-
ing this last session had an opportunity
to rewrite the business tax structure in
the state, replacing the Single Business
Tax (SBT). Are you satisfied with the
new business tax structure or is more
work needed?
PROPOSAL A REFORMS: The economic
hardships of the past few years have
brought attention to several of
Proposal A’s shortcomings. Which, if
any, of Proposal A’s unintended and
unexpected negative consequences do
you believe need immediate attention,
and how should they be resolved?
EDUCATION: What do you see as the
most important education issues in the
state, and how should they be
addressed?
STEM CELLS: Michigan voters will be
asked on Nov. 4 to amend the state
Constitution to allow research on stem
cells. State why you do or don’t sup-
port the amendment.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the Legislature, and
how do you propose to address them?
WHY YOU? Why should voters choose
you over your opponent?
EILEEN KOWALL
BUDGET: We need to reduce the size
and scope of state government. The
state should let the private sector take
over non-essential state services and
functions. There are savings that could
be realized in corrections, better man-
agement of Medicaid costs, changes in
welfare benefits, realigning state
employee benefits to more accurately
reflect private sector benefits, reform-
ing the Wayne County Mental Health
Authority, and so on. Zero-based budg-
eting should be done periodically so all
expenditures would have to be justi-
fied. We should budget according to
needs and priorities. I also support the
efforts of state Sen. John Pappageorge
to adopt the state budget based on 96
percent of estimated revenues.
Revenue enhancements equal tax
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Eileen Kowall has been an Oakland
County commissioner since 2003. She
is vice-chairwoman of the board's
finance committee and chairwoman
of the county board's Republican
Caucus. She is part-owner of Accurate
Woodworking.
increases and I’m opposed to any tax
increases. Without immediate steps to
curb spending and taxation, Michigan will
continue to lead in unemployment.
BUSINESS TAXES: I wasn’t satisfied with
the MBT (Michigan Business Tax) and
definitely not the MBT surcharge. I have
spoken to many business owners who
have seen 500 to 1,500 percent increas-
es in their business taxes.
Michigan has one of the worst job
markets in the nation. According to the
Chief Executives Magazine, Michigan
rates an “F” grade when it comes to
taxes and regulations. We definitely need
a complete business tax reform with a
more fair and broad-based approach —
one that will make job creation a priority
instead of aiming to fill the coffers of
bureaucrats.
PROPOSAL A REFORMS: When Proposal
A was drafted and adopted, no one fore-
saw home sales and property values
falling off the cliff like they have been.
The purpose of Proposal A was to protect
homeowners by keeping property taxes
from escalating rapidly in an up market.
This same mechanism has kept property
taxes from falling correspondingly with
the decline in property values. Two-year
comparison studies of home sales and
values are slow to reflect the actual mar-
ket. Local governments have the option
of using either two-year or one-year stud-
ies to determine the equalized values of
homes. One-year comparison studies in a
down market should be mandatory in
order to more accurately reflect actual
real estate values and provide tax relief
sooner. If the market value goes down,
property taxes shouldn’t go up.
EDUCATION: Education and investment in
our human potential is critical to
Michigan’s future. We are in a global
economy and being quickly outpaced by
hard-working and determined emerging
countries. If Michigan is to be economi-
cally relevant in the future, emphasis
must be placed on science, technology
Mark Venie
and knowledge. Creativity, ideas and inno-
vation must also be stressed.
We must get more money (at least 65
percent) to the classroom — more educa-
tion for our dollars, not more dollars for
our education.
Uneducated and undereducated people
will be left behind and unable to survive
in our future economy. We must increase
high school graduation rates and also
make higher education more affordable. We
can help accomplish both goals by involv-
ing community colleges with high school
education and by promoting the use of
community colleges towards college
degrees. There should be much more inte-
gration of secondary and higher education.
STEM CELLS: I don’t support the use of
embryonic stem cells for research.
Researchers have been able to successful-
ly reprogram adult skin cells to function
almost identically to human embryonic
stem cells. Thus, stem cells that are a
perfect match for the patient can now be
created without destroying embryos.
Also, Dr. James Thompson of Wisconsin
(who first extracted human embryonic
stem cells) says that cures from embry-
onic stem cells would be decades away
and he is now focusing his efforts on
adult cell reprogramming. There is cur-
rently a four-bill package in the state
house that would offer various tax incen-
tives to those willing to come to Michigan
and invest in this “emerging sector” field.
These emerging sector and technology
jobs are vital to our economy and to the
future of Michigan.
TOP ISSUES: My top three priorities are
jobs and the economy, taxes, and the
future of Michigan.
The business and overall tax structure
in Michigan needs to be overhauled. State
government needs to live within its
means and realize that raising taxes will
only delay our economic recovery. We
need to create a business-friendly envi-
ronment, not only in regards to taxes,
but by eliminating overly burdensome
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
government regulations. Michigan is not
just loosing jobs to India, we’re loosing
them to Indiana. Let’s look at the states
that are successful and do likewise.
We need a vision for where we see
Michigan five, 10 and 25 years from
now and a plan to get us there. We
must encourage emerging sectors busi-
nesses and entrepreneurs to locate
here, as well as develop an
educated/retrained workforce to sup-
port these businesses.
WHY YOU? I’m currently an Oakland
County commissioner, elected in 2002.
I have served on many committees,
commissions, task forces and study
groups, and I’m currently vice-chair of
the Finance Committee and chair of the
Republican Commissioners Caucus. I
would bring the experience, knowledge
and skills I have acquired as a county
commissioner with me to state govern-
ment.
As part-owner of a small business,
Accurate Woodworking, I have gained a
real-world business perspective. I know
what it’s like to sign both sides of a
paycheck and how difficult it is for a
business to survive tough economic
conditions.
MARK VENIE
BUDGET: There is no one single step
that will solve our budget problems. It
will take a combination of spending
cuts and revenue enhancements. Last
year the House Democrats cut $433
million from the state budget, including
a cut on lawmakers’ salaries, eliminat-
ing life-time health care for lawmakers
and eliminating double-dipping by
retired state employees. Now we must
attract new businesses and encourage
entrepreneurs to increase revenue.
BUSINESS TAXES: The Michigan
Business Tax does need more work,
and especially the service tax should be
repealed.
PROPOSAL A REFORMS: The assess-
ment values should be more closer
related to property values, so that
when values go down, the assessment
goes down also.
EDUCATION: We need to invest in early
education for our children; work for
modifications of No Child Left Behind;
and make sure our schools are fully
funded and staffed with qualified teach-
ers.
STEM CELLS: I support the amend-
ment. By allowing stem cell research
we can find cures for diseases and
bring high-tech bio-medical jobs to
Michigan.
TOP ISSUES: The top issues are creat-
ing jobs, increasing access to quality
health care for all Michigan families,
and providing fixed-rate mortgages to
families facing foreclosure.
WHY YOU? (No response) ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008 www.spinalcolumnonline.com PAGE 7/MHW,WAT

Endorsed by Michigan Chamber of Commerce

Endorsed by County Executive Brooks Patterson

Eileen
Kowall
• Livingston County Board of
Commissioners since 1998 and
Board Chairman 2006-2008
• Livingston County Small
Business and Technological
Development Center Board
FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE • Past Chairman of the
REPUBLICAN Infrastructure/Development Sub-
Committee
• Livingston County Economic
Endorsed by the Michigan Education Association Development Council, Executive
Paid for by Friends of Eileen Kowall • 2333 Cumberland Dr • White Lake, MI 48383 Board Member
• Small Business Owner since
1989
Endorsements Include:
State Senator Nancy Cassis It’s no secret, Michigan is in trouble…
House Republican Leader
Craig DeRoche People are losing their jobs.
Oakland County Executive Families are losing their homes.
L. Brooks Patterson
Oakland County Sheriff
Our local schools are not getting their fair share of
Michael Bouchard funding.
Oakland County Prosecutor Our children are being forced to leave the state to find
David Gorcyca
Oakland County Treasurer jobs.
Patrick Dohany
Oakland County Drain Comm.
Bill has the leadership and Experience we need…
John P. McCulloch Bill’s top priorities are fixing Michigan’s economy,
Oakland County BOC Chairman
Bill Bullard, Jr.
bringing back jobs, and balancing the state’s budget.
Lyon Township Treasurer, Bill will oppose new taxes and fee increases, and will
Patricia Carcone work to reduce wasteful government spending.
Northville Mayor Chris Johnson
Novi Mayor David B. Landry
Bill will work to eliminate the inequities in
South Lyon City Councilwoman, Michigan’s current school funding formula, giving an
Patti Maida equal opportunity to all of our children.
South Lyon School Board,
Douglas Curry Bill will propose a reduced work week for non-
Walled Lake City Councilwoman, essential state employees.
Angie Maher
Wixom City Councilman,
Bill will support alternative forms of energy and work
REPUBLICAN
Richard Ziegler to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
for State Representative - 38th District Wixom Planning Commissioner,
248-349-5079
e-mail: hugh@hughcrawford08.com
Nick Kennedy
National Rifle Association Vote BILL ROGERS
Right to Life of Michigan
For a more complete list of endorsements and
additional information, please visit my website at:
Paid for by the Friends of Hugh D. Crawford,
November 4th
P.O. Box 11, Novi, MI 48376 Paid for by Bill Rogers For State Representative | 4878 Pine Eagles Ct. | Brighton, MI 48116
PAGE 8/MHW,WAT
Milford
Democrat Donna G. Anderson and
State House/66th
Republican Bill Rogers will square off in
the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election for
the state’s 66th House District seat.
State representatives serve two-year
terms and are currently paid an annual
salary of $79,650.
The following are questions our staff
recently posed to the candidates, and
their responses to those questions.
BUDGET: Explain what state spending
reductions you would like to see. What
revenue enhancements, if any, do you
advocate? State why you believe the
budget can be balanced by addressing
only one side of the ledger or the
other, or why both spending cuts and
increased revenues are the solution.
BUSINESS TAXES: The Legislature dur-
ing this last session had an opportunity
to rewrite the business tax structure in
the state, replacing the single business
tax. Are you satisfied with the new
business tax structure or is more work
needed on the new taxes?
PROPOSAL A REFORMS: The economic
hardships of the past few years have
brought attention to several of
Proposal A’s shortcomings. Which, if
any, of Proposal A’s unintended and
unexpected negative consequences do
you believe need immediate attention,
and how should they be resolved?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the Legislature, and
how do you propose to address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your opponent?
DONNA G. ANDERSON
BUDGET: There is very little in the
budget we can affect, and that’s only
the general fund, which is 20 percent of
the budget. The rest of it is set up by
law and you can’t change that. Under
that 20 percent are the social services,
police services, corrections, schools, etc.
We need to look at that area and not
necessarily cut funding, but see if we
can switch some of those funds around.
One area that takes up a huge part
of the budget is corrections. Over the
last 10 years, it’s almost doubled.
Michigan has largest incarceration rate
of any state. Every person in prison
costs the state between $30,000 and
35,000 a year. We spend more on
incarceration than we do on education.
We need to balance spending and
cutting. We may have to eventually
raise taxes. We did it last year — it
was the first time in a long time and
we had to do it to balance the budget.
I don’t want to raise taxes but I’m will-
ing to do it if we have to. I would look
at every area to get more revenue with-
out raising taxes. Raising taxes would
be the last thing I would do.
BUSINESS TAXES: The reason why the
Michigan Business Tax (MBT) and sur-
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Donna G. Anderson is a former high school
social studies teacher. She has also worked
for Michigan Bell, AT&T, and Ameritech
Publishing in numerous marketing and net-
work management capacities. Anderson
established the client Service Department
for GoTo, Inc., a Pasadena, Calif. compa-
ny. She eventually retired from the position
of director of search quality.
charge came up was because they had
done this service tax in an awkward and
stupid way in the eleventh hour. It was
the chamber of commerce which came
and said, “Let’s be sensible. The service
tax is not going to work so we’ll have to
do this surcharge.” We need to look at
how the new tax structure is working
before we go changing it. We need that
money in Michigan. We have to have a
balanced budget.
PROPOSAL A REFORMS: The immediate
thing is that all school districts are not
receiving funds equally under Proposal A.
We should be looking at all children
equally. Where they live shouldn’t make
any difference at all. I think that needs to
be taken care of. There is a program to
do that over the next 10 years, but I
don’t know if our children can wait 10
years. It should happen immediately. We
also need to take a look at where else we
are spending money. Can we transfer
some of that money to our schools?
TOP ISSUES: My three issues are jobs,
education, and the environment. In order
to bring jobs to Michigan, we need an
educated, skilled workforce. We also need
to have a good environment and infra-
structure. We have 20 percent of the
world’s fresh water in the Great lakes.
We better take care of it because it’s
going to be really important for our econ-
omy and the future. I’m very much for
bringing alternative energies to the state.
I believe in educating people from birth to
death. If we use what we have and put in
efforts to diversify, to bring in alternative
energies and have a clean environment
and skilled workforce, what employer
wouldn’t want to come here?
WHY YOU? My heart is with the people
of Michigan and some of those people
happen to be my children and grandchil-
Bill Rogers is currently chairman of the
Livingston County Board of Commissioners.
He has been a Livingston County commis-
sioner since 1999. Rogers is a co-owner of
E.B.I, Inc., a home building company. He
has been a residential home builder since
1989.
dren. I’ve not been pleased so far with
the kind of world we have. If have to
leave a better world, so I’m going to
work really hard for the citizens of
Livingston and Oakland counties, as well
as the whole state. I have fresh, new, cre-
ative ideas. I will be able to work with
others in a bipartisan manner and work
with the governor to bring these good
things about for Michigan.
I have not only the teaching experience,
but a number of experiences in business.
I’ve managed and supervised people. My
last job was for an Internet company, a
search engine, a successful dot-com that
was eventually bought by Yahoo. When I
started with that company I was the 30th
employee and we had $7 million. When I
left the company four years later, we were
worth $4 billion and had 1,000 employees.
That was exciting and I learned a lot.
BILL ROGERS
BUDGET: We do have a spending prob-
lem. The method that the state uses for
budgeting is they have a revenue projec-
tions. They tend to budget to that rev-
enue projection. That’s totally absurd and
inexcusable, because those revenue pro-
jections have been misguided and not cal-
culated appropriately. From the county
perspective, we are using a five-year
budget process and forecasting out and
adjusting now.
Budget cuts will have to be made.
There’s probably a lot of fluff in any busi-
ness and in any government.
At this point, more taxes are not the
answer. We can’t tax ourselves to pros-
perity. I can’t afford more taxes in the
small business I own. More taxes will only
drive more businesses out of the state.
We should have frozen the budget for
the last three years. There never should
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
have been a tax increase. Our budget
has become out of sight. If you have a
buck, you don’t spend a buck-fifty.
BUSINESS TAXES: It’s absolutely absurd
what they did up there. It was like alph-
abet soup: Changing an “S” to an “M”
did not accomplish anything. The sur-
charge has got to go. What we did was
send a message, unfortunately, that
Michigan is not in business to be in busi-
ness. A lot of work needs to be done.
PROPOSAL A REFORMS: Unfortunately
Prop A was not designed for declining
markets. We took the benefit on the
front end and we were satisfied. Now
we’re seeing the reverse. I’m not so
sure we can overcompensate for that.
Equity (in school) funding is totally
appropriate. We’re running into a prob-
lem with stability. We run into that with
a number of programs in state govern-
ment. We need to find a way to stabi-
lize the state funding (for schools). It’s
tragic that a school system basically
has no clue until the last minute what
their budget might be and then they’re
supposed to act accordingly. Equity def-
initely has to come into play.
TOP ISSUES: It’s the economy, it’s the
economy, it’s the economy. Without
employers you won’t have employees,
and we won’t be able to recover as a
state. Until we fix the economy, other
things will have to be put on hold. We
have our tax structure with that deba-
cle related to the economy. The only
two growth industries in our state
today are the health industry and gov-
ernment. When one one of those is
government, you’re in trouble.
WHY YOU? Leadership and experience.
I’ve been in the state for over 50 years.
I’ve been in our community for over 40.
I’ve been a county commissioner for 10
years and board chairman for the last
three. I’m already doing the things that
the state needs to do. I’ve been making
tough decisions because we’ve had to
for several years. That’s why people
come to the Livingston and Oakland
counties of the world, because of what
we are doing and what we’re active in
day-to-day. Cuts and adjustments are
made. We lack leadership in the state
and it has become a debacle. Many peo-
ple have encouraged me to run.
I’m a small business owner. For 20
years I’ve gotten the feeling I’m not
welcome here anymore. We can give tax
breaks to out-of-town companies, but
what does that say about us? Six of the
automobile companies haven’t located
to the auto capital of the world. I ask
door-to-door, “Where did they go?”
They say overseas. My response is
Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. I
would fly down on my dime to ask why
they went there and not here, so we
don’t make the same mistake again. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Oakland County Executive
Democrat Brenda Lawrence and
incumbent Republican L. Brooks
Patterson are competing in the
Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election for the
Oakland County executive position. The
county executive serves a four-year
term and is currently paid $178,869 a
year.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
BUDGET: What changes in county
budgeting priorities or processes do
you advocate to deal with new budget-
ary challenges? Are there other major
cost savings efforts that can be under-
taken if the situation worsens in the
next couple of years?
REGIONAL ISSUES: What do you see
as the most critical regional issues at
this time, and what should Oakland
County’s role be in addressing them?
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: What
new service, incentives, or marketing
programs would you implement to
attract new enterprises and retain
existing businesses?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the county at this
time, and how do you propose to
address them?
WHY YOU? Why should voters choose
you over your opponent?
BRENDA LAWRENCE
BUDGET: I’m the mayor of Southfield,
the third largest city in Oakland County.
We have confronted the same chal-
lenges concerning our budget and state
revenue. We have a substantial fund
balance. When shortfalls are coming,
we’re able to take money from that.
We implemented a five-year plan to
take less out of our fund balance.
You look at every aspect of opera-
tions. You look at your manpower.
We’re going to have to start looking at
where we can cut. We’re going to have
to reduce some departments and con-
solidate. You have your Health
Department and others that you have
to look at; instead of a five-day opera-
tion it could possibly be a three-day
operation. We can’t continue to do
business as usual.
REGIONAL ISSUES: Three things that
come to mind are water, Cobo, and
mass transit.
The current administration has said
no one wants mass transit and we
tried in the ‘70s and no one rode it.
There are federal dollars available for
mass transit but you have to show you
have a regional plan. I will sit down at
the table and develop and solidify a
regional mass transit plan.
The water belongs to all of us. We
pay for it. That’s a regional issue that
we can’t wait until there is an issue
and start fighting about it. We need
updates and reports on a regular basis.
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Brenda Lawrence has served as the mayor
of Southfield since 2001. Prior to that she
served on the Southfield City Council for
five years, and on the Southfield Schools
Board of Education for five years.
How long do we need to talk about an
expansion of Cobo Hall? When you have
varying interests, various levels of passion,
you’ve got to roll up your sleeves, go to
the table and keep working until you reach
the goal. Being a leader is making a com-
mitment to getting the job done.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: If we can
keep the businesses we have, we’re one
step ahead of the game. I keep my thumb
on the pulse of the business community.
We have some wonderful programs. The
Emerging Sectors is a great program.
When we hear of a company that has
merged or you read they file for Chapter
11 or they’re downsizing, we immediately
call that person and say “What do you
need? Where are you going? Can we
meet with your leadership?” They don’t
always come to you. You have to go to
them.
TOP ISSUES: One of the issues is foreclo-
sures. We have been taxed all across the
country as government leaders to main-
tain properties that people have walked
away from. In Southfield, we won’t allow
blight to happen. We actually pay staff to
cut the lawns and do the shrubberies, to
do the trash and whatever we can to
keep things up. It’s a service that we
don’t have in Oakland County.
Another is declining property values.
It’s frustrating when you try to explain to
taxpayers that we’re taxing you at a cer-
tain value but you can’t sell you’re house
at that level.
The other one is how we’re going to
continue to do business with less money.
Oakland County has always had the
checkbook and we could just write
checks. That’s not the case anymore.
WHY YOU? The Oakland County that
elected my opponent is not the Oakland
County we have now. We have so much
that doesn’t require the type of leader-
ship that is stuck in the past. When I say
we have to do things differently I mean
we have to embrace new technology.
When you have leadership that will only
talk to a certain group of people and
make decisions based on that, that’s not
respectful and that will never move this
county forward. I’m coming to the table
L. Brooks Patterson has served as the
Oakland County executive for over 15
years. Prior to that he served as the
Oakland County prosecutor for 16 years.
with 16 years experience as a school
board member, as a city council member
and twice as a mayor.
L. BROOKS PATTERSON
BUDGET: We have a two-year rolling budg-
et. We are in balance for the current fiscal
year 2008 and we’re in a line item budget
balanced for 2009 and 2010. We’re now
working on fiscal year 2011, which isn’t
going to be a pretty year. We’re already
starting to make decisions about employee
incentive reductions, hiring freezes, and
other programs we’ll have to totally
deplete. Some of them we’ll implement
right now, which minimizes the challenge
when we get to 2011.
It’s not so much savings as offsetting
the loses with new property taxpayers.
As those property values slide, you cut as
we’re doing and go out and find more
businesses to come here, open up shop
and their new taxes make up for some of
the loss.
REGIONAL ISSUES: Lack of information
on Cobo Hall (expansion) has been an
issue. (Oakland County Deputy Executive
Robert) Daddow keeps saying “Send me
the finance information, the operational
costs.” We’ve been waiting for four years
to get the basics. I wasn’t going to enter
into an agreement without knowing the
costs.
The economy, if not a regional issue, is
definitely a statewide issue. With the
passing of the new Michigan Business
Tax (MBT), businesses are being taxed
out of here. I would bring in analysts to
look at Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, West
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
and what is it about those tax codes that
makes them so appealing. Then we could
adapt that and bring them back here.
I know an issue my opponent will
touch on is mass transit. I’m for mass
transit, but how much is it going to cost
and who’s going to pay for it? I don’t
think my opponent knows her history. We
had mass transit in Oakland County. It
went from the Pontiac Transpo Center to
Birmingham down to Royal Oak, and
down to the Renaissance Center. In the
1980s, ridership fell below 500 people.
PAGE 9/MHW,WAT
They asked for a subsidy. The people
said “Nope, we’re not going to subsi-
dize that.” So they closed the lines and
sold it. So when we had it, when there
were more people going to and from
the city, it couldn’t sustain itself and
the public wasn’t willing to subsidize it.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
Automation Alley started out with 43
businesses in 1999. Today we have
940. The other program we started in
2003 is called Emerging Sectors. We
researched the sectors we think are
going to be the future growth indus-
tries and that’s what we want — the
high-tech sectors, chemical technology,
biotechnology, information technology,
homeland security, alternative energy,
health care, finance. We’ve brought in
90 companies that have invested $1.85
billion and created 13,000 jobs. We’ve
become the financial center of the
state. All those businesses come here
and pay taxes.
TOP ISSUES: The economy is clearly
No. 1. We’ve talked about Emerging
Sectors and Automation Alley. I think
economic development and our pro-
grams can and will create jobs in this
county. We have to go beyond the
county and tackle the MBT in hopes of
getting a better chance to develop
instead of going sideways from a tax
increase.
No. 2 would be roads. They’re in
terrible condition. The road commission
doesn’t work for the county govern-
ment. It’s an independent agency. They
get their money from gas taxes. People
aren’t driving and the distribution of
the revenue is based on miles of roads
rather than the number of cars driven
on the roads. We are getting the short
end of the stick.
I’m concerned about education,
although it’s not under my purview. My
Mandarin Chinese program is right on
target. There’s more English spoken in
China than Mandarin spoken in
America. They’re going to be the
biggest economy by 2020. If they’re
going to be that dominant and their
kids are learning English so they can
compete, we have to get our kids ready
for the competition. That’s why I intro-
duced the concept of teaching
Mandarin, and to Oakland Schools’
credit, they jumped on it.
WHY YOU? I’ve brought strong leader-
ship. Oakland County is considered the
premier county when it comes to facing
economic issues. The fact that we’re
one of the few AAA bond rated coun-
ties in America shows that in this
financial time, we pass all the Wall
Street analysis. Our fund balance is
exactly where Wall Street says it should
be, at 15 percent. Wall Street says
Oakland County is a benchmark when
they look at other counties. They say if
you want to be good, look at what
Oakland County is doing. ❏
PAGE 10/MHW,WAT www.spinalcolumnonline.com SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY

Law Enforcement Leaders Endorse DAVID LAW

Attorney General Mike Cox Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #128
Oakland County Executive Lake Orion Police Officers Association
L. Brooks Patterson Lathrup Village Police Officers Association
Oakland County Prosecutor Novi Lieutenants and Sergeants Police Association
David Gorcyca Southfield Command Officers
Oakland County Sheriff Southfield Police Officers Association
Michael Bouchard Walled Lake Police Officers Association
Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM) Wixom Command Officers Association
David Law will: Deputy Sheriffs Association of Michigan Wolverine Lake Police Officers Association
;
Continue tough, no plea West Bloomfield Police Chief Ronald Cronin Fmr. Oakland County MADD Director Michele Compton
bargain policy Oakland Former Farmington Hills Police Chief William Dwyer
County is famous for Retired Circuit Court Judge Gene Schnelz
;
Create Cyber Crime Unit to Detroit Metro Airport Police Chief Edward Glomb
prosecute internet criminals Southeast Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police
preying on kids, stealing
identities Oakland County Association of Chiefs of Police
Bloomfield Township Police Officers Association
;
Prosecute those committing
mortgage fraud Farmington Hills Police Officers Association Paid for by Citizens for David Law
8627 Cooley Lake Road, Suite 308, Commerce Twp., MI 48382
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Oakland County Prosecutor
Democrat Jessica Cooper and
Republican David Law are competing in
the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election for
the Oakland County prosecutor posi-
tion. The county prosecutor serves a
four-year term and is currently paid
$154,583 annually.
The following are questions our staff
recently posed to the candidates, and
their responses to those questions.
LEADERSHIP: Describe your manage-
ment style and what kind of leader you
would be for the office. What do you
see as an appropriate role for assistant
prosecutors in decision-making and
setting office policies.
BUDGET: Like all departments and
offices in the county government, the
Prosecutor’s Office will continue to face
budget challenges in the next few
years. What spending reductions or
changes resulting in greater efficiency
would you implement? What, if any-
thing, should the office do to gain addi-
tional funding?
PLEA-BARGAINING: What’s your
stance on the value of plea bargaining?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the prosecutor’s
office, and how do you propose to
address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters select you over your opponent?
JESSICA COOPER
LEADERSHIP: I gained leadership expe-
rience when I was in the 46th District
Court. I was the chief judge. We had a
massive budget. I was manager of my
temple — it was a large temple with a
large budget; but more importantly I’ve
managed a courtroom for many years.
I’m a soft-spoken person and I lead on
the basis of my experience. You lead
because people have respect for you
and you earn that respect.
I would want to give assistant pros-
ecutors that same respect back, to give
them the opportunity to make deci-
sions within the guidelines that are
established by our leadership.
BUDGET: I don’t know why the pres-
ent prosecutor has chose to disband
the forfeiture unit. That’s the unit by
which ill-gotten gains are reallocated
into law enforcement. There’s a small
percentage (of forfeiture dollars) that
goes to the prosecutor’s office but the
rest of it goes to law enforcement.
We have to reallocate some
resources. There are 10 to 12 people in
the Warrants Division, and in Macomb
county they have three people in war-
rants. We can reallocate those resources
and there are income sources and
resources from closing down drug hous-
es. I’m not really worried about those
budget changes because there is a great
deal of trimming that can be done within
that budget.
PLEA-BARGAINING: There’s a differ-
ence between being tough on plea-bar-
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Jessica Cooper has 28 years of experience
as a judge, first at the district court, then
the circuit court level before serving on the
state Court of Appeals. She has been a
law professor at Michigan State University
and the University of Michigan.
gaining and being smart about it. If you
have a good warrant, and have good
proofs and you’ve got someone you need
to put away, hang tough, because that’s
what you need to do. When there is a
greater good to be served, particularly in
the area of law enforcement, then some-
times you have to be able to listen to
your police. Sometimes that plea-bargain
for the greater good is purposeful so that
(we take out) the guy who’s sitting in
Bloomfield Hills with no visible means of
support and laughing at us while we put
a ton of mules in prison. We need to get
that person to take care of the drug situ-
ation in this county.
TOP ISSUES: The first thing is whether
we are going to have a political or profes-
sional office. We need professionals based
on their academics and not on the basis
of their political connections. We need to
have an office that has training. We need
to recognize who the good prosecutors
are, and who is working. Most effective
prosecutors can try 25 to 30 cases a year.
That’s a demand that we need to have.
We need to revamp the Warrants
Division. We don’t need 10 to 12 people
there. It’s not a training ground for new
prosecutors. I want to see trial prosecu-
tors alternated in there, bringing two
extra trial prosecutors up from district
court and alternating them into the divi-
sion so when we’re talking to the more
experience police officers, we’re having a
dialogue. We’re going to make certain the
people who write the warrants are ones
who will be trying them.
We need to be working in the commu-
nity and with the community coalitions
on drug prevention and reinstitution of
the forfeiture unit. It’s not just a matter
of money but a matter of the drug hous-
es and shutting them down.
WHY YOU? There’s an extreme difference
in credentials. It’s nice he’s been in the
prosecutor’s office, but I want to talk
about my 30 years on the bench. I have
presided over just about every type of
case. I’m tough on crime, but very effi-
cient. He has tried some very low-level
felonies. I have tried those child sexual
assault cases, those murder cases and
David Law has been a state representative
since 2005. Prior to that he was an
Oakland County assistant prosecutor for
over six years.
cyber cases. I’ve put people away. In addi-
tion, you have to be smart to allocate
resources. I’ve got that background.
You have to learn to work across the
aisle. That’s the mediative skills I’ve
learned to use during the year I’ve been
off the bench and the years I’ve been a
trial judge — working with police officers,
working with the probation department.
I’m someone who has been very active in
this community and active in the preven-
tion of crime.
DAVID LAW
LEADERSHIP: My leadership style is one
of honesty and being up front with peo-
ple. I never liked working in a setting
where I didn’t know, particularly from the
top down, what was expected of me.
That is one thing I can promise the citi-
zens of Oakland County and members of
the prosecutor’s office, that as the next
prosecutor, they will know where they
stand, they will know what’s expected,
and they will know the guidelines.
I think the assistant prosecutors’ role
is large. They’re the attorneys trained to
handle certain types of cases. No one in
the prosecutor’s office knows that case
better than they do, so they would have a
large role. If there’s an issue with a case,
I would listen to their opinion on how
they should ultimately handle that case.
BUDGET: The budget issue is one of the
largest things the prosecutor is going to
have to deal with in the near future.
Thankfully, Oakland County looks ahead.
Brooks Patterson and Dave Gorcyca has
— they’ve been working on the budget
projections, which look awful down the
line, and doing some front-end fixes to
alleviate some of that problem. Still, there
are tough decisions that will have to be
made. Whatever decisions I make won’t
be at the expense of public safety.
Efficiency is key. In Lansing I co-spon-
sored bills on government efficiency, look-
ing at what state government is doing
right and wrong, what we should be pur-
suing, what we shouldn’t, where money is
being wasted, and where money is being
spent well. The same can be used at the
prosecutor’s office. I’ll go in from day one,
review from top to bottom, line by line,
PAGE 11/MHW,WAT
where money is being spent and whether
it’s being spent well.
PLEA-BARGAINING: Oakland County
has been well-served in the past having
a well-known stance that we’re going
to be tough on plea-bargaining. We
shouldn’t just be dealing cases. Some
counties do this. They have a large
amount of cases and in order to keep
up on the day-to-day operations, a lot
of cases are worked out. That doesn’t
mean justice is being done. If justice
dictates that we look at some kind of
plea arrangement, then that needs to
be looked at.
TOP ISSUES: Cyber crime is one. I would
implement a Cyber Crimes Division look-
ing to protect children from Internet
predators, address identity theft, senior
citizens, and mortgage fraud.
Second is recidivism. It’s important
that the prosecutor’s office work with
the judiciary and community groups
and coalitions to give offenders, partic-
ularly habitual offenders, the skills
needed to be productive members of
society. There’s also drug, mental
health, and alcohol issues. We must
make sure they’re getting help with
those so they don’t go back out into
society and reoffend.
The budget is a big deal. The prose-
cutor has to make sure the decisions he
or she makes don’t affect public safety.
There will be tough decisions that will
have to be made but I have the inde-
pendence to make those. I would
review the budget from top to bottom,
line by line, to decide what’s working
and what’s not, what’s efficient and
what’s not, what division is working
and what’s not, what prosecutors are
working or not, and make tough deci-
sions based on objective facts.
WHY YOU? I’ve spent six and a half
years in the prosecutor’s office. I found
it tremendously rewarding to be in
court everyday protecting victims of
crime. As a state representative for the
last four years, a number of bills I intro-
duced reflected that passion. From
“Jessica’s Law,” a Medicaid fraud bill, to
an airport security bill, I felt that pro-
tecting children, senior citizens, and
society as a whole was particularly
rewarding. I want to take that passion
back to the prosecutor’s office. Having
spent time there, having protected soci-
ety there, and having served county
residents as an assistant prosecutor
and going into court is extremely
important. I’ve been an attorney in pri-
vate practice, I’ve been an assistant
prosecutor where I’ve tried cases —
actually tried cases. That’s a very
important distinction. It’s one thing to
have presided over a case, it’s quite
another to get in court in an adversarial
setting on the side of the crime victim
and protect them the best you can
alongside law enforcement. That’s a
very key difference in this race. ❏
PAGE 12/MHW,WAT
Oakland County Sheriff
Incumbent Republican Michael
Bouchard is being challenged by
Democrat Jane Boudreau in the
Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election. The
county sheriff serves a four-year term
and is currently paid $137,623 a year.
The following are questions our staff
recently posed to the candidates, and
their responses to those questions.
JAIL: The Oakland County Jail has
experienced chronic inmate overcrowd-
ing, leading to the early release of non-
violent prisoners. At what point, if
ever, would you support a tax hike to
pay for a new jail facility? What alter-
natives would you support to deal with
jail overcrowding?
DEPARTMENT BUDGET: What
changes in department budgeting pri-
orities or processes do you advocate to
deal with budget challenges?
CONTRACTED SERVICES: The depart-
ment is contracted by Commerce and
Highland townships — among others
— to provide police services. How many
deputies do you feel are needed to safe-
ly and adequately patrol Commerce and
Highland? What changes, if any, are
necessary in the department’s contracts
with individual municipalities, or the
services that are provided?
MARINE DIVISION: Explain why you
do or don’t believe the department’s
Marine Division is adequately staffed
and equipped. If you believe the divi-
sion is in need of more staff or equip-
ment, please be specific about what
additions are necessary and how you
would pay for them.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the department at
this time, and how do you propose to
address them?
MICHAEL BOUCHARD
JAIL: Given the strain on our taxpay-
ers, adding to their burden is absolute-
ly out of the question.
We have undertaken many proactive
steps on the front end. Our active par-
ticipation in successful programs, such
as Oakland County’s Youth Assistance
programs, help encourage positive
behavior and works to deter young
people from a life of crime. Another
program we established is called U-
Turn, which allows young people to
experience jail first-hand and see the
consequences of criminal behavior. We
also just started an aggressive tether
program which offers great promise
for non-violent offenders, and a strong
system for the diversion of mental
health offenders.
I will continue to aggressively pursue
innovative cost-effective alternatives.
DEPARTMENT BUDGET: I will contin-
ue to look for innovative ways to oper-
ate my budget more efficiently. For
example, I have already saved $1.6
million annually by changing the way
we feed inmates. I’ve found ways to
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Michael Bouchard has served as Oakland
County sheriff since 1999. He was a state sen-
ator from 1991 to 1999, and served in the
state House of Representatives for a year prior
to that. Bouchard was a member of the
Beverly Hills Village Council from 1986 to
1990. He has 21 years of law enforcement
experience, is syndicate director for Leader-
ship in Counterterrorism, a member of the
National Sheriff's Association Congressional
Affairs Committee, and chairman of the
Michigan Citizens Corps Council.
save hundreds of thousands of dollars in
fuel and fleet costs. I’ve saved hundreds
of thousands of dollars more in pharma-
ceutical and medical care costs. I’ve
brought in millions of dollars by billing
inmates for their time in my jail. I will
continue to look for ways to provide nec-
essary services, including the use of drug
forfeiture funds, so taxpayers don’t have
to pay for expensive but needed tools.
We will devote the remaining resources
to programs that affect the safety of the
majority of the county residents.
CONTRACTED SERVICES: We currently
have 29 deputies in Commerce and 20
deputies in Highland. Any changes need-
ed or desired by contracted areas have to
be approved and supported by residents
in those municipalities. Since, in effect,
we are their local police department, we
encourage and suggest what we feel is
prudent, but ultimately it’s a local deci-
sion.
MARINE DIVISION: The Marine Division
is very important to our operations and
is a significant expenditure in our budget.
While I would like to add to this effort,
given the current budget cuts that have
been handed to the sheriff’s office by
county commissioners, an increase isn’t
possible.
Over the last few years we have
added some very important technology,
including side scan sonar.
With grants and other leveraging
actions, we have greatly updated the
Marine Division abilities without asking
for new tax dollars.
TOP ISSUES: I will continue to squeeze
efficiencies out of this budget to ensure
that in these tough economic times, the
public’s safety needs are being met. This
includes creating more response capabi-
lities as our duties in homeland security
expand. We will also continue to aggres-
sively pursue innovative and cost-effective
Jane Boudreau is a police officer for the Holly
Police Department. She is a former sergeant
in the Oakland County Sheriff's Department.
Boudreau is a past president of the DARE
Officers Association of Michigan, and mem-
ber of the National DARE Officers Association
and Women's Police Officers Association.
alternatives to deal with jail overcrowding.
JANE BOUDREAU
JAIL: As the Oakland County sheriff I will
research best practices being utilized
throughout the United States. Programs
such as community service, behavioral
programming, work release, boot camp,
intensive supervision, community correc-
tions, mental health services, alternative
education opportunities, electronic moni-
toring and residential substance abuse
treatment are the types of programs that
can be used to reduce recidivism and
alleviate jail overcrowding.
With the current economic climate, a
tax increase should be considered only
after all other alternatives are exhausted.
I support the concept of a task force
of members of the community, prosecu-
tors and judges to examine existing pro-
grams and grants in an effort to develop
a community-based plan for alternatives
to incarceration. I would wholly support
a plan that included preventative meas-
ures, as well.
DEPARTMENT BUDGET: I will find ways
to eliminate superfluous expenditures,
such as “take home vehicles.” These tools
can serve a legitimate purpose; however,
they are not essential in every circum-
stance. In stronger economic times, law
enforcement agencies were able to provide
employees with cell phones, Blackberries
and cars to use, even when not on duty or
on-call. However, in times of economic
strife such as this, all non-essential items
must be evaluated.
The same is true for personnel assign-
ments. Core functions of the sheriff’s
office must be adequately staffed and
equipped. Beyond that, we need to take
a hard look at where our officers are
deployed and what effect that has for the
citizens. Serious consideration must be
given to all avenues where federal, state
and local funding is available.
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
CONTRACTED SERVICES: The depart-
ment’s Records Division works hard to
keep accurate records and compile sta-
tistics, which need to be reviewed and
compared to national standards in
order to determine whether the
department is doing its job and, if so,
how well. Citizens in communities
where we serve need to be consulted
to determine whether they feel they
are getting their money’s worth.
Uniformity in our substations would
promote efficiency and lower operating
expenses almost immediately. Shared
supervision should be explored to avoid
duplication of efforts. Each communi-
ty’s contract should be reviewed
toward eliminating unwanted services
and inordinate costs.
MARINE DIVISION: The Marine
Division, like any other service we pro-
vide, must be measured. We need to
determine how many calls for service
are received; the number of reported
accidents, injuries and deaths; and on
which lakes incidents occur. We need
to examine deployment to determine if
it’s justified. Some say current deploy-
ments are made for political, not sta-
tistical reasons. Assignments should
made based on need and not want.
The department’s Dive Team will
continue to operate as it does today. I
support the redistribution of assigned
emergency vehicles for members of the
Dive Team. The majority of the Dive
Team responds to search, rescue and
recovery operations in personal vehi-
cles, which places the county and tax-
paying citizens in a position of liability
should an accident occur.
TOP ISSUES: Jail overcrowding: This
will be a continuous problem unless
the sheriff, prosecutor and judges cre-
ate a plan for alternatives to incarcera-
tion. Programs that have alleviated jail
overcrowding in the past, such as the
highly successful “Sheriff’s Boot
Camp,” should be reinstated. No longer
will successful programs be sacrificed
for political reasons.
The budget: I intend to be an ally of
county commissioners, not an adver-
sary. An audit of expenditures has to
be made to develop an assessment of
where cuts can be made without com-
promising safety.
Hiring, retention and discipline: I
will investigate disciplinary procedures
and the failure to use progressive disci-
pline. When considering the most
recent 11 employee terminations, 90
percent were returned to their jobs by
an arbitrator. Reinstated employees
received compensation for lost earn-
ings, overtime, benefits, and more.
Some filed lawsuits and received addi-
tional compensation. This unnecessary
and wasteful practice costs the taxpay-
ers money that could have been more
wisely spent. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
general election voter guide
Oakland County Clerk
Incumbent Republican Ruth
Johnson is being challenged by
Democrat Sheila Smith in the Tuesday,
Nov. 4 general election race for the
Oakland County clerk/register of deeds
position. The county clerk serves a
four-year term and is currently paid
$137,623 annually.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to Johnson, and
her responses to those questions.
Smith didn’t respond to our candidate
questionnaire.
RECORDS: What’s the state of the
county’s current record-keeping sys-
tem? Is the clerk’s office current with
record-keeping work? What changes
or upgrades, if any, are needed in the
way records are kept or stored in the
county?
ELECTIONS: What, if anything, can
the clerk’s office do to improve the
election process across the county,
and prevent problems from occurring
in the future? How, if at all, should
the clerk help municipal clerks deal
with problems related to new voting
machines obtained under the federal
Help America Vote Act (HAVA)?
CLERK’S OFFICE: Could there be a
reduction in the number of employees
in the clerk/register of deeds office at
this time? Why or why not? If so,
where do you propose to make cuts
or consolidations?
CLERK’S ROLE: Aside from the
record-keeping and election responsi-
bilities handled by the county’s
clerk/register of deeds, what do you
see as the position’s role in county
government?
TOP ISSUES: What are the top three
most important issues for the county
clerk/register of deeds at this time,
and how do you propose to address
them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters select you over your opponent?
RUTH JOHNSON
RECORDS: In the last four years, our
office has streamlined access to many
public records, including online access
to court records with Court Explorer,
which saves the public from having to
drive to our office to make copies. We
have placed political contribution
(campaign finance) records online, as
well, to promote transparency and
accountability in government. Our new
FRAUDCHECK system, put in to fight
property fraud, allows homeowners to
go online, for free, to make sure there
has been no unauthorized activity
recorded against their names. Other
improvements include a new index to
provide access to 40 years’ worth of
land records. Public records belong to
the public and should be available to
them. We successfully fought a pro-
posed 700-percent increase in the
cost of land record copies. Our goal is
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
Ruth Johnson was elected Oakland
County clerk/register of deeds in
November 2004. She was a state repre-
sentative from 1999-2004, and served as
an Oakland County Commissioner for 10
years, including six as vice chairperson.
to provide those records at the lowest
possible cost.
One recent change has to do with the
release of court copies. Our office,
despite state guidelines to the contrary,
now blacks out or removes Social
Security numbers from every standard
court copy issued by our office to fight
identity theft.
ELECTIONS: While the Help America
Vote Act (HAVA) to promote standard-
ized voting was well-intentioned, what
turned out to the be one of the largest
reform efforts in this country has had
some unintended consequences —
including quickly built machines that
have serious design and performance
flaws. While local communities own the
equipment, our office has advocated for
local clerks in several ways, including
pressuring federal and state officials to
hold vendors’ feet to the fire so local
communities don’t have to bear
repair/warranty costs for what was
offered as “state of the art” equipment.
Our office, in the last four years, has
surveyed local clerks after elections to
measure performance problems with the
new equipment and provided that data
to officials to help push for change. In
addition, we have asked that laws be
changed to give the county legal stand-
ing to help us push for needed changes
— something state-vendor contracts
currently don’t allow.
CLERK’S OFFICE: Thanks to the vision
of county leaders, who are meeting
Michigan’s economic situation head-on,
our office staff has been reduced
through the county’s early-out retire-
ment incentive program. We closely
monitor work-to-staff ratios and invite
regular performance audits. Our depart-
ments are busy, from our Elections
Division which has assumed many addi-
tional responsibilities, to our Register of
Deeds Office. Unfortunately, 10,000 fore-
PAGE 13/MHW,WAT
closures are expected in Oakland
County alone this year. We deal with
challenges in several ways, from rec-
ognized better business practices to
cross-training and the advantage of
our numerous online programs, which
allow us to have better workload man-
agement/distribution throughout the
day.
CLERK’S ROLE: While our office is
dedicated to paperwork, my job is
really about people — getting them
access to public records easily, effi-
ciently and at as low a cost as possi-
ble. In the last four years, we have
advocated for people on important
issues — keeping them safe from
identity theft; educating homeowners,
especially seniors about property
fraud; fighting government waste; and
cutting our own budget by $700,000
annually as an example of what can be
done. We have advocated for positive
change — consolidated elections.
TOP ISSUES: On our priority list are
several projects. We are working with
legislators to change foreclosure laws,
which now prevent county clerks from
providing foreclosure redemption
amounts. Some investors are refusing
to provide those to homeowners,
basically stealing their last opportuni-
ty to redeem/recover their home. We
are asking the state to allow us to
provide that basic calculation to
homeowners so they can save their
home.
You have the
Other top issues include the fight
against identity theft. We are fighting
right to vote.
criminals who would mine public doc-
uments for private information. We
are working with the state on several You have the
projects, including the simple change
of some forms so Social Security num- responsibility
bers aren’t placed on public docu-
ments in the first place. It hasn’t been
easy. We formed an Identity Protection
to vote.
Task Force more than a year ago, with
members of the bench, the bar, coun-
ty attorneys, the county’s IT Make sure you
Department and others to push for
change. exercise your
Thirdly, given current economic
struggles, the state and federal gov-
ernment will be looking for new
right to vote,
sources of income. I believe the
clerk/register of deeds will have to like a responsible
protect the public from “new” fees for
public records, which essentially citizen, on Tuesday,
amount to tax increases. One proposal
included a 700-percent increase in the
cost of land record copies. That’s November 4th.
unfair and can’t be tolerated. We suc-
cessfully pushed for defeat of this pro-
posal.
WHY YOU? Experience, commitment
to fighting government waste while
promoting accountability and the
demonstrated ability to save citizens
time and money through innovation
and technology. It’s more than just
paperwork — it’s people. ❏
PAGE 14/MHW,WAT www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
County Drain Commissioner
Incumbent Republican John P.
McCulloch is being challenged by
Democrat Brett Nicholson in the
Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election race
for the Oakland County drain commis-
sioner position. The drain commis-
sioner serves a four-year term and is
currently paid an annual salary of
$137,623.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to McCulloch, and
his responses. Nicholson didn’t
respond to our candidate
questionnaire.
LAKE LEVELS: What’s the status on
the condition of the dams and aug-
mentation wells that help control
some county lake levels, and where
do you anticipate the need to replace
existing structures and facilities?
What changes, if any, are needed in
the way the drain office handles lake
level monitoring and control?
COUNTY DRAINS: Which county
drains should be a priority for the
drain commissioner, and what needs
to be done there? Where do you
anticipate having to replace entire
existing drains, or construct new
infrastructure where none currently
exists?
WATER SYSTEM: Oakland County
officials recently agreed to team up
Out of town with Genesee County and contribute
$125,000 toward a joint study to
on election day? determine the economic feasibility of
constructing a water system that
could serve much of the county. Tell
Then call your us why you agree or disagree with
the need for such a study. What’s
local clerk’s office your stance on the need for another
water system?
for an TOP ISSUES: What are the three
most important issues for the drain
ABSENTEE BALLOT office at this time, and how do you
propose to address them?
and information WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your oppo-
on how to nent?
JOHN P. McCULLOCH
VOTE BY MAIL. LAKE LEVELS: I have the delegated
authority to maintain 36 lake level
control structures and eight lake level
It’s the easiest augmentation pumps. The structures
are operated to maintain a normal
way to be part level on 54 lakes. These structures
are repaired or replaced as necessary
of the November 4 as they reach the end of their design
life, which could be as long as 50
election process. years. The control structure for White
Lake was constructed in 1948. Our
most recent dam replacement was at
Watkins Lake to replace a dam built in
1961.
We are looking at replacing the
lake level control structure on Upper
Straits Lake in West Bloomfield
Township. Lake level augmentation
wells and pumps are inspected twice
a year. Within the last 10 years, 21
John P. McCulloch has served as Oakland
County Drain Commissioner since 2001. He
is a former chairman of the Oakland
County Board of Commissioners, and was
employed as an attorney and certified
public accountant prior to being elected
drain commissioner. McCulloch is a mem-
ber of the Oakland County Parks and
Recreation Commission. He is also presi-
dent of the Michigan Association of
Counties Service Corp.
lakes have had SCADA (Supervisory
Control and Data Acquisition) installed,
which allows my staff to read the lake
level remotely. No other changes in mon-
itoring or controlling lake levels are pro-
posed at this time.
COUNTY DRAINS: The oldest drains
operated and maintained by my office
were constructed in the late 1800s and
early 1900s to drain farmers’ fields.
Many of these drains are not able to
accommodate the large quantities of
storm water runoff from developed
areas.
Drains that are a priority for repair
are those most at risk for causing prop-
erty damage due to flooding. In some
cases, local municipalities will ask me to
construct a new county drain to replace
the existing drain. The construction of
new infrastructure, where none currently
exists, typically is done at the request of
local units of government to provide
drainage for developing areas of their
community.
In some instances, local ordinances
have been adopted requiring developers
of subdivisions or condominiums to
establish the drainage facilities as county
drains under the jurisdiction of this
office. Currently, approximately 150
drains have been established as county
drains for this purpose.
WATER SYSTEM: Communities in
Oakland, Macomb and Genesee counties
have joined together to study the feasi-
bility of providing an alternative water
supply. I support that effort and have
taken a leadership role to help the com-
munities in this important undertaking.
An alternative water supply would pro-
vide much needed redundancy which is
essential in addressing homeland securi-
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
ty issues, health concerns and reliabil-
ity. We all remember the inconvenience
when that power outage of 2003
caused significant disruption of our
water supply facilities. An alternative
system with redundant capabilities
would have addressed that challenge.
Communities in the region are
embarking on this road because they
realize that they need options for their
long-term strategy. A redundant sys-
tem is not an either-or system. We
need to partner with Detroit in a
cooperative venture where both the
city and her suburban neighbors
would benefit.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1: Ensure that
drinking water is available for the
future and that it is safe and reliable.
We can accomplish reliability by pro-
viding a redundant system and work-
ing cooperatively throughout the
region. We can provide safe drinking
water by maintaining high standards
and being vigilant about water quality.
No. 2: Escalating water rates is a
major issue. Operational costs are
escalating; capital improvement costs
will continue to burden ratepayers. We
must find innovative ways to maximize
our resources and pool our efforts to
address this pressing problem.
No. 3: Controlling pollutants that
enter our natural waterways is a pri-
ority. Education is key to ensuring
that the waters of the state remain
free of contaminants. We’ve developed
a multi-faceted approach through a
dedicated environmental team that
teaches children and adults how their
habits impact waterways. Additionally,
it is important to work cooperatively
with other agencies such as the road
commission.
WHY YOU? I have been the Oakland
County Drain Commissioner for nearly
eight years. I have dealt with the day-
to-day operational issues as well as
being in the forefront of initiatives
designed to save money for the
ratepayers and improve efficiency.
I spearheaded the first countywide
master plan to assist Oakland commu-
nities. I also instituted ISO 9000 and
ISO 14000 standards for the office. I
created the position of community liai-
son to improve relations with the pub-
lic. I also am the host of an award-
winning cable television show
designed to inform residents about
water issues.
I am committed to protecting envi-
ronmental resources. I formed an
environmental team to help communi-
ties meet Clean Water Act mandates.
As a CPA and an attorney, I am
uniquely suited to address complex
negotiations and I bring more than 18
years of public service experience in
both legislative and elected adminis-
trative roles. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Oakland County Treasurer
Incumbent Republican Pat Dohany
and Democrat Andy Meisner will square
off in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general elec-
tion for the Oakland County treasurer
position. The county treasurer serves a
four-year term and is currently paid
$137,623 a year.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses.
QUALIFICATIONS: What are your spe-
cific qualifications for holding the post
of treasurer?
CDARS PROPOSAL: Michigan lawmak-
ers have been asked to consider a
Certificate of Deposit Account Registry
Service (CDARS) bill to make changes
in the way public funds are spread
around depositories. What’s your take
on the need for changes in that sys-
tem, and on the CDARS proposal itself?
FINANCIAL CRISIS: What impact does
the recent economic turmoil at the
national level involving banking and
investment bailouts have on Oakland
County investments?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the treasurer’s
office, and will you address them?
WHY YOU? Why should voters choose
you over your opponent?
PAT DOHANY
QUALIFICATIONS: I was the treasurer
in Commerce Township for 16 years. In
1993 I went on to Oakland County as
the chief deputy treasurer until 2003
when I was appointed to the treasurer
job, and then was elected in 2004. I’ve
got lots of experience in public treasury
management. It’s pretty much what
I’ve done most of my adult life, invest-
ing billions of dollars and earning hun-
dreds of millions of dollars in interest,
and collecting taxes which are impor-
tant to keep police and firefighters and
teachers on the job.
CDARS PROPOSAL: Absolutely I support
it. What it does is take a community
bank where I would normally put
$100,000 and allows me to, say, put $1
million in that bank and it takes 10
pieces of $100,000 and spreads it
across banks across the country. You
can designate one to stay here at a local
bank. All the certificates of deposit are
kept safely at a third party location and,
because they’re all under $100,000,
they’re backed by the FDIC. It gives you
the opportunity to invest in our local
community and take a small community
bank where we’d normally limit our
deposits to under $100,000 and give
them $1 million that they can put into
productive use in Oakland County.
FINANCIAL CRISIS: It’s made it harder
to place the money and feel secure
with the financial institutions, so we
are monitoring the banks we use.
We’re investing in CDs daily. You have
to limit what you’re going to put into
those community banks. It would be
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Pat Dohany has been Oakland County's
treasurer since 2003, after serving 10 years
as the county's deputy treasurer. He served
as Commerce Township's treasurer from
1976-93. Dohany is the immediate past
president of the Association of Public Treas-
urers of the United States and Canada.
nice, again under the CDARS program, to
put more money in community banks
because that money will stay here in
Oakland County but will be protected by
FDIC insurance at each of the institutions.
TOP ISSUES: First and foremost is the
length of service and experience I have.
I’ve spent 31 years collecting property
taxes, which are key to keeping police,
firefighters, and teachers on the job.
There’s 500,000 pieces of property in the
county and in the last cycle we collected
on all but 292 of those. Of those 292,
none were owner-occupied. The other
part is investing public funds. I’ve never
lost a dollar. I’ve earned hundreds of mil-
lions of dollars in interest.
The second area is this notion of the
county being in the landbank business.
I’m opposed to a landbank for mortgaged
foreclosed properties. It does nothing to
keep a person in their home and takes
mortgaged foreclosed properties off the
tax roll. You’re going to cost the taxpay-
ers revenue of $39 million. Once property
goes into the landbank, it’s obligated to
pay for maintenance of the property.
That’s another $21 million. That’s a $60
million bailout for mortgage companies.
The landbank Mr. Meisner is talking
about that Genesee County has been suc-
cessful with is for tax foreclosed proper-
ties. There’s 4,000 of them in Genesee
County and 46 in Oakland County. You
don’t need a landbank for 46 properties.
With the mortgaged foreclosed properties
you’re going to have to buy them to put
them into the landbank. That’s $2.3 bil-
lion to buy properties and $60 million a
year to maintain them. I don’t think the
people want to give up their police, fire-
fighter services and teachers for that
when the banks that own the properties
have a vested interest in them.
The third is the county’s AAA bond
rating. We have to maintain it so we can
borrow money for projects that keep the
county a nice place to live, work and play.
WHY YOU? I don’t think my opponent
understands what the job is about. It’s
about collection of property taxes. No
Andy Meisner has served as state represen-
tative since 2003. He is a former congres-
sional aide, vice president of marketing
and communications for a non-profit
organization, and corporate communica-
tions director for the Farbman Group.
person has lost their home to tax foreclo-
sure under my administration. Not a
penny of investment earnings has been
lost in the 30 years I’ve been collecting
taxes and investing money for the resi-
dents. The interest has been put back
into public use. Is it really time for
change? Oakland County has a AAA bond
rating. We have a balanced budget for the
next two years. Now go to Lansing where
my opponent, a term-limited state repre-
sentative, would like you to believe that
he’s done a great job, but he’s voted for
the highest income tax increase in the
state’s history — Michigan Business Tax
that added a 22 percent surcharge.
You can have a 30-year veteran who
will continue to do the job, or you can
have a term-limited state representative
that’s looking for a place to hang his hat
until he can run for something else.
ANDY MEISNER
QUALIFICATIONS: Out of college I worked
on Capitol Hill for five years as an aide for
Congressman David Obey, who was the
House Appropriations Committee chair,
and worked for Congressman Sandy
Levin. My responsibility was working on
the federal budget that dwarfs our county
budget. I learned a lot about the appro-
priations process and public finance. After
that I was vice president of a national
non-profit organization where I was a
department head and managed the
department budget and staff. For the last
six years I’ve been a state representative.
I had a chance to work on the state
budget as a member of the House Tax
Policy Committee. I’m also an attorney
educated in fiduciary relationships.
CDARS PROPOSAL: Opening up the
opportunity for investment in more
Michigan banks and especially Oakland
County banks is probably the best part of
it. We need to use our tax dollars wisely
and ideally invest those locally where we
can insure safety, liquidity, and return. I
support the proposal.
FINANCIAL CRISIS: When you’re taking
the taxpayer dollars and investing those
PAGE 15/MHW,WAT
you want to be prudent. When you’re
investing the county’s money, you have
to be especially careful. We have to
draw back a little bit, kick the tires a
little on what we’re making invest-
ments with, and make sure we are
mindful of the watch list that banks go
on and look at some of their risk.
TOP ISSUES: My three issues are pro-
tecting property values, preventing fore-
closures, and bringing the office of the
county treasurer into the 21st century.
As early as January (Dohany) was
quoted in a newspaper saying he sup-
ports a landbank, and that he was sub-
mitting paper work to the county com-
mission to initiate a landbank within a
month or two, which hasn’t happened.
While there are no taxes paid while a
property is in the landbank, you put it
in the landbank and you leverage feder-
al dollars. The federal government just
passed a $4 billion appropriation for
local governments to purchase mort-
gaged foreclosed properties. Instead of
having these properties that are neg-
lected and abandoned, by putting them
in the landbank you can rehab them
and get families in a 30-year fixed
mortgage into these homes.
(Dohany’s) website says county
treasurers have nothing to do with
mortgage foreclosures. We can go to
Washtenaw County where Catherine
McClary is doing a lot of work on mort-
gage foreclosure prevention. We can go
to Ingham County where Eric
Schertzing won an award for his mort-
gage foreclosure prevention strategy. I
would follow up on protecting property
values and preventing foreclosures by
implementing the best practices that
are established around the country.
It’s important for officials to be in
the community and accessible. I’ve got
a cell phone number, 421-ANDY, that I
give to every constituent and person I
meet. I’ve got a toll-free number at
877-RepAndy. I do office hours called
Mondays with Meisner to make myself
available to constituents so if they’ve
got an issue, we can talk about it.
WHY YOU? I’m not going to leave any
tools on the sideline. I’m going to take
the landbank, take the aggressive
mortgage foreclosure prevention, and
take investing Oakland County dollars
into county institutions so we get the
return on it so and people get benefit
from this office. The incumbent wants
us to stay the course and say every-
thing is roses. That’s what Mr. Dohany
is asking us to do by re-electing him.
I have a proven track record. As a
legislator, I’ve left some big marks on
the state. I sponsored the motion pic-
ture legislation that’s brought $370
million to Michigan in the five months
since the bill was signed into law. I’m
somebody that’s going to be making
moves and utilize best practices. ❏
PAGE 16/MHW,WAT
Highland
County Board/2nd
Incumbent Republican Bill Bullard, Jr.
is being challenged by Democrat Ryan
King in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general elec-
tion contest for the Oakland County
Board of Commissioners 2nd District
seat. County commissioners serve two-
year terms and are currently paid about
$33,000 a year.
The following are questions our staff
recently posed to Bullard, and his respons-
es to those questions. King did not
respond to our candidate questionnaire.
BUDGET: Please explain what spending
reductions, if any, you would like to see
in the future. What revenue enhance-
ments, if any, do you advocate? State
why you believe the budget can be bal-
anced by addressing only one side of the
ledger or the other, or why both spend-
ing cuts and increased revenues are the
solution.
ROAD FUNDING: Several bills were
recently introduced to give counties the
ability to seek voter approval of new
taxes and/or fees that would create rev-
enue for road construction and mainte-
nance in that county. State why you do
or don’t support such legislation. If it’s
approved, state why you believe it’s time
CHRIS
LONG
OAKLAND COUNTY
COMMISSIONER
Proprietor, Long Family Orchard & Farm
Strong Community Ties, Available
Baccalaureate Degree, Michigan State University
Non-Passive, Hard Working
Conscientious Representation, Perfect Attendance
Solid Grasp Of County Issues
Paid for by Chris Long’s Friends
1342 E. Commerce Rd., Commerce, MI 48382
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
ill Bullard Jr. was elected an Oakland
County commissioner in 2002, and has
served as commission chairman for the
past four years. He previously served in the
state Legislature from 1982 to 2002, first in
the House of Representatives and then in
the Senate. Before serving in Lansing,
Bullard served as Highland Township
trustee from 1978 to 1980 and township
supervisor from 1980 to 1982.
for Oakland officials to consider putting
such a question before voters. If you do,
what’s your take on Oakland County
partnering with one or more of its
neighbors to raise money for roads?
YOUR
PAY RAISES: County commissioners
recently were asked to consider approval
of pay raises for county employees,
including county commissioners and the
four year, countywide elected executive
officials. Please state why you do or
don’t support pay increases for the
elected county officials? If you believe
some positions need a pay increase and
others don’t, please state which posi-
tions deserve increases and which don’t,
and explain why.
NIGHT MEETINGS: Explain why you do
or don’t believe the county board should
periodically hold evening sessions. State
why you would or won’t be willing to
consider holding all board meetings in
the evening.
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING: County
officials have tightened down on a policy
related to the use of tax increment
financing (TIF) included in local corridor
improvement authority (CIA) plans.
Explain why you do or don’t agree with
the new policy provisions. What
changes, if any, would you advocate.
CIRCUIT COURT: After receiving the
state’s authorization, county officials
previously considered creating new cir-
cuit court bench seats. Explain why you
do or don’t think it’s important for the
county to create one or more new bench
seats. Realistically, when do you expect
it to be feasible to add a new judge?
REGIONAL ISSUES: What do you see as
the most critical regional issues at this
time, and what should Oakland County’s
role be in addressing those issue? What
regional issues aren’t feasible at this
time from a practical or political stand-
point, and why?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the county, and
how do you propose to address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should vot-
ers choose you over your opponent?
BILL BULLARD, JR.
BUDGET: Oakland County recently
adopted a two-year balanced budget
without raising taxes. With property tax
revenues declining we have no choice
but to cut spending to balance the budg-
et. Oakland County achieved its balanced
budget without laying off employees, in
contrast to actions being taken by sur-
rounding counties. Prudent fiscal man-
agement on a year-round daily basis is
the key to Oakland County’s success in
this area.
ROAD FUNDING: I don’t support legisla-
tion or voter approval of county tax
increases to pay for roads. Michigan is
historically a high spending state for edu-
cation and social services but low spend-
ing for roads. This is why our road infra-
structure is deteriorating. I would support
an increase in the state gasoline tax when
the economy gets better and gasoline
prices drop from their current high levels.
The gasoline tax is a user fee which is the
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
fairest way to fund our road needs.
PAY RAISES: I support cost-of-living pay
raises for county officials and elected
officials when appropriate. In the recently
enacted budget I supported a 1 percent
raise for employees and county-wide
elected officials and a two-year freeze for
county commissioners.
NIGHT MEETINGS: I don’t support night
meetings for regular business. Currently
several night meetings are held each year
for special guests or subjects such as the
annual budget address by County Execu-
tive L. Brooks Patterson. Constituents
can communicate with their elected
county commissioners by letter, phone,
personal meetings, faxes, e-mails, etc. In
six years as a county commissioner I
have yet to have a constituent request a
night meeting to communicate with me
or the county commission as a group.
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING: I agree
with the new policy provisions on TIFs.
However, these provisions are only
guidelines. I reserve the right to support
or oppose TIF capture of county taxes
based on an analysis of whether or not
the proposed capture will result in
increased economic activity in a given
community and in Oakland County.
CIRCUIT COURT: I support addition of a
judge to the Oakland Circuit Court bench.
The addition of a judge is well warranted
based on present and future case loads.
However, I didn’t support addition of a
Circuit Court judge this year because of
budgetary restraints.
REGIONAL ISSUES: I believe that the
issue of a Cobo Hall expansion may be
resolved by the end of the year, as long
as Gov. Jennifer Granholm fulfills her
promise to actively seek a consensus on
a plan among regional leaders. We can
depend on County Executive L. Brooks
Patterson in representing Oakland
County’s interest on this issue.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is balancing the
budget without raising taxes. This can be
accomplished by continuing a policy of
prudent fiscal management.
No. 2 is creating new jobs in Oakland
County. I support programs such as
Emerging Sectors which have resulted in
new jobs and over $1 billion in new
investment in Oakland County.
No. 3 is addressing jail overcrowding
without raising taxes to build a new jail.
Innovative programs such as releasing
low-risk inmates on tethers is helping to
successfully manage the jail population.
WHY YOU? I have a 30-year track record
of faithfully representing the best inter-
ests of my constituents in public office.
My colleagues on the county commission
have unanimously elected me twice to
serve two-year terms as chairman of the
board. I have a 100 percent attendance
record at Board of Commissioners meet-
ings and if re-elected will continue to
serve my constituents in the same faith-
ful manner. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Waterford
County Board/4th
Democrat Donald Bortz is challeng-
ing incumbent Republican County
Commissioner Tom Middleton in the
Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election for the
Oakland County Board of Commission-
ers 4th District seat. County commis-
sioners serve two-year terms and are
currently paid about $33,000 a year.
The following are questions our staff
recently posed to the candidates, and
their responses to those questions.
BUDGET: Please explain what county
spending reductions, if any, you would
like to see in the future. What revenue
enhancements, if any, do you advocate?
Finally, state why you believe the budg-
et can be balanced by addressing only
one side of the ledger or the other, or
why both spending cuts and increased
revenues are the solution.
ROAD FUNDING: Several bills were
recently introduced to give counties the
ability to seek voter approval of new
taxes and/or fees that would create
revenue for road construction and
maintenance in that county. State why
you do or don’t support such legisla-
tion. If it’s approved, state why you
believe it’s time for Oakland officials to
consider putting such a question before
voters. If you do, what’s your take on
Oakland County partnering with one or
more of its neighbors to raise money
for roads?
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING: County
officials have tightened down on a poli-
cy related to the use of tax increment
financing (TIF) included in local corri-
dor improvement authority (CIA) plans.
Under the policy change, the county
“may not support” plans that involve
use of TIF revenues to bury utility lines,
construct municipal facilities or build-
ings, or to acquire land. Explain why
you do or don’t agree with the new
policy provisions. What changes, if any,
would you advocate.
REGIONAL ISSUES: Southeast
Michigan governments and officials are
sometimes criticized for slow or no
progress on several issues involving
the entire region. What do you see as
the most critical regional issues at this
time, and what should Oakland
County’s role be in addressing those
issues? What regional issues aren’t fea-
sible at this time from a practical or
political standpoint, and why?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the county, and
how do you propose to address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your opponent?
DONALD BORTZ
BUDGET: The County has their biannu-
al budget and it was a balanced budget
through Fiscal Year 2010. The chal-
lenge that we have now is being able
keep our county budget balanced, pro-
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Donald Bortz is a veteran of Operation
Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi
Freedom. He serves on the Oakland
County Democratic Party and Waterford
Democratic Club executive committees.
Bortz is a chief steward for the Security
Police and Fire Professionals of America, a
union for security workers.
vide services to the community, and avoid
raising taxes. We need to increase rev-
enue by creating more jobs and increas-
ing our property values by keeping our
neighborhoods safe and looking beautiful.
ROAD FUNDING: The recent vote on the
tax to keep The Detroit Zoo functioning is
an example of how people can be willing
to make good choices with their tax dol-
lars when they know where the money is
going. I strongly support giving people
the freedom to make the choice on
whether or not they would like to give a
little more to improve our roads and
enhance their communities. It’s the peo-
ple’s money, and they should get a say in
how it’s spent. Because many of my dis-
trict’s citizens have discussed the need to
fix their roads, I would be open to putting
the question before voters. I would only
partner with Oakland’s neighbors if it
would be in a way that could benefit us.
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING: TIF is
designed to help improve our communi-
ties by attracting businesses to our area.
It should not be used to make routine
repairs or be used for municipal build-
ings.
REGIONAL ISSUES: The main issue we
need to address with regionalism is mass
transit. We have an opportunity to create
hundreds, if not thousands of new jobs if
we can bring a mass transit system to
Michigan, and have Oakland County in the
middle of it. It would also help those of
us who are feeling the pain at the pump
every time we go to the gas station, and
help senior citizens and others who sim-
ply cannot afford a car.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is the economy. We
need to look for ways to create new,
high-paying jobs, particularly ones that
cannot be outsourced.
No. 2 is education. I propose creating
a “scared smart” program to help teach
middle and high school students the cor-
relation between a strong education and
Tom Middleton has served on the Oakland
County Board of Commissioners since
2002. He's also worked as a consultant for
the Michigan State University Cooperative
Extension. Middleton served on the Oxford
Schools Board of Education from 1982 to
1990, and was a member of the Michigan
House of Representatives from 1990 to
1998.
financial success. We should also create
an “Oakland Promise” program to get
students into college.
No. 3 is supporting veterans. As a vet-
eran of both Operation Enduring Freedom
and Operation Iraqi Freedom, I know
what it’s like to feel like your government
hasn’t lived up to the promises they
made to you. Many of my Army buddies
came back from Iraq and couldn’t even
find a job. So if elected, I will create a
program that will allow all veterans of the
global war on terror to go to Oakland
Community College free of charge.
WHY YOU? I’m one of you. I’m a member
of the working class who works hard for
a paycheck. I know what it’s like to be
struggling, because I’m right there strug-
gling with you. We just want to be paid a
decent wage for working an honest job.
That’s the American dream, and I’ll work
hard to make sure you can achieve it.
TOM MIDDLETON
BUDGET: The budget just passed for
2008-09 and 2009-10 reduces spending
and is balanced, reflecting the reduced
tax income and state revenue over the
next two years. We have reduced county
full-time employees by 152 persons by
offering a retirement incentive, saving
$10.2 million a year. It will take two
years for all of the savings to be realized.
With the economy in the state as it is,
citizens of this county would rather have
county services delivered a little slower
than have a tax increase.
ROAD FUNDING: My first solution to road
revenue is to get some of the sales tax on
gas to the Highway Fund. My formula
would be leave the sales tax on the first
$2 per gallon, then 6 percent on any
amount over $2 would go to the Highway
Fund. At $4 per gallon that would be
$.12 per gallon. With that we would not
need to have a local gas tax.
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING: The test
PAGE 17/MHW,WAT
that the county will use for each
request to participate in a TIF is, “Will
it bring jobs to Oakland County?”
Buried utility lines, constructing munici-
pal facilities or buildings or acquiring
land doesn’t meet the test.
REGIONAL ISSUES: Cobo Hall, Detroit
sewer and water and regional transit
are regional issues needing solutions.
The biggest problem comes when
Oakland County is asked to pay a large
part of the cost, using Oakland County
taxpayers’ dollars, and then not giving
Oakland County fair representation on
the authorizing body that determines
how the money is spent. Detroit has a
new mayor and Macomb County will
have a new form of county government.
During these changing times the stars
in heaven may align and deals may sur-
face that will work for all parties.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is maintain county
services with fewer employees. With
152 employees taking advantage of the
retirement incentive, the county will
save over $10 million a year by 2010.
All employees will need to work a little
harder, and we need to do things to
keep employee moral up. The county is
conducting a pilot program with four
10-hour work days. This needs to
become permanent policy.
No. 2 is the county needs to stay
focused on a solid fiscal plan to main-
tain our AAA credit rating. This excel-
lent bond rating helps all units of gov-
ernment in Oakland County save tax-
payers’ dollars.
No. 3 is prison overcrowding. I rec-
ommend reducing overcrowding
through expansion of community cor-
rections, video arraignments and sobri-
ety courts. The 35 beds gained in the
jail renovation just being completed are
mainly for jail operation efficiency and
safety, not to solve overcrowding. The
county needs to study other options.
WHY YOU? I have been a lifelong resi-
dent of north Oakland County, have
farmed and had my businesses here
and have been involved with local com-
munities.
As a past member of the state
House Appropriations Committee in the
early 1990s, I had hands-on experience
with cutting the state budget and
reducing taxes.
I understand the workings of state
government and still have a network of
contacts. This would be helpful in get-
ting as many of our tax dollars back to
Oakland County as possible.
I have experience working with the
two-year budgeting used in Oakland
County and understand the importance
of this process.
I have a record of listening to voters
and implementing their concerns in
government decisions that affect their
lives. ❏
PAGE 18/MHW,WAT www.spinalcolumnonline.com SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY

general election voter guide

Waterford, West Bloomfield

County Board/5th
Incumbent Republican John Scott is we are going for.
being challenged by Democrat Nicole
T. Stallworth in the Tuesday, Nov. 4
NICOLE T. STALLWORTH
BUDGET: I propose redirecting a por-
general election for the Oakland
tion of the funding from business
County Board of Commissioners 5th
attraction, i.e. the Emerging Sectors
District seat. County commissioners
Initiative, to business stability and
serve two-year terms and are current-
retention via investment in a Master
ly paid about $33,000 a year.
Plan for commercial, retail and office
The following are questions our
space use. In addition, the county
staff posed to the candidates, and
should be investing in the identifica-
their responses to those questions.
tion of resource partners capable of
BUDGET: What changes in county
identifying buyers with a three-year
budgeting priorities or processes do
soft second forgiveness provision (pro-
you advocate to deal with budget chal-
John Scott, a sales engineer with Nicole T. Stallworth is chief of staff for State vided by the county or its partners) of
lenges?
McMasters Koss Co, has been an Oakland Rep. John Espinoza (D-Croswell). purchasing homes headed to auction
WATER STUDY: Oakland County officials
County commissioner since 2003. He is a at full market value, thus reducing the
recently agreed to team up with Gen- member of the county board's Personnel uncontrollable property value decline.
esee County and contribute $125,000 Committee and vice chairman of the Lastly, to reduce the annual increasing
toward a study to determine the feasi- Public Services Committee. utility costs, the county should retrofit
bility of constructing an alternative or
all lighting systems with either LED or
backup water system to serve much of
WATER STUDY: We need an alternative, If we were to do anything with regard induction lamps.
the county. Tell us why you agree or
backup system. For most of Oakland to a new jail, I would like to see some- WATER STUDY: Any studies of this
disagree with the need for such a study.
County, water comes from the Detroit thing more along the lines of an “Up type should be paid for with state
What’s your stance on the need for an
water system. As we saw when we had North” version of what is done in grants and not paid for with county
alternative or backup system?
a power failure (a few years ago), there Arizona. We could build a facility for our general fund dollars. The people of
BOARD APPOINTMENTS: Some
was no water service. Had we had a non-violent people, a low-budget type Oakland County don’t need a backup
Democratic commissioners assailed
backup system, that possibly would have facility, and not give them all the perks water system; they need governance
last year’s appointment of new Board
been different. they have right now. But it’s like the representation on the Detroit Water
of Road Commissioners and Parks and
Secondly, Detroit needs competition. movie “Field of Dreams” — if you build and Sewerage Board.
Recreation Commission members
They fought us on putting a member it, they will come. If we build a jail, no BOARD APPOINTMENTS: As an
without interviewing all applicants for
that we want on their water board. They matter how big it is, we’ll fill it up. employer, I don’t interview every appli-
the available positions. State why you
pick the representative for Oakland I could possibly approve having the cant who contacts my office for a job.
do or don’t believe all applicants for
County. Basically, that whole group has voters speak on it. Someday, something So no, I do not think interviewing is
board-appointed positions should be
been ram-rodding their price increases is going to have to be done. Our popula- mandatory if requisite credentials can’t
interviewed before the board votes to
through to our Oakland County resi- tion is growing, and the crime rate is be met. I do, however, feel the unnec-
fill appointed positions?
dents, mainly to fund non-water depart- going up. When all other options are essary partisan activity which creates
JAIL: The Oakland County Jail has
ment projects in Detroit. exhausted I would approve putting it on inefficiencies and fosters poor deci-
experienced chronic inmate over-
We are looking to work with Genesee, the ballot. sion-making needs to come to an
crowding in recent months, leading to
but I think it’s going to be expanded TOP ISSUES: We talked about one abrupt halt; and I’m dedicated to the
the early release of scores of non-vio-
beyond there. We can study it, but I already, our jail overcrowding. We need introduction of bi-partisan civility in
lent prisoners. A citizen survey indi-
don’t think there’s ever going to any the state to belly up to the bar and start the commission chambers.
cated overwhelming opposition to a
money to bring a new system into the taking some of their prisoners. We are JAIL: I say transport the felons in our
tax increase to pay for a new jail. At
county. We would have to take federal housing the people pre-trial. We’ve got county jail that should be in state pris-
what point, if ever, would you support
money, and I don’t know where that’s to solve that problem. ons to the governor’s doorstep. If the
a tax hike to pay for a new jail facility?
going to come from. Let’s see what it is, No. 2 is our budget. Our budget is state were living up to its responsibili-
What, if any, alternatives would you
find out what it costs, and maybe one balanced going into 2008-09, and ty, we wouldn’t have such a mess. In
support to deal with the jail over-
day we can find federal money for an because we do the rolling budget, we addition, if the county were to
crowding issue?
alternative system. know we are in good shape for 2009- enhance foster care incentives to
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
BOARD APPOINTMENTS: We started 10. We’ve already lost revenue, and we reduce the cost of caring for, and pro-
important issues for the county at this
compiling qualified candidate lists after are going to lose more. The property val- viding residences for wards of the
time, and how do you propose to
January 2007. We receive all the applica- ues are dropping, and it’s going to affect court, we would have more resources
address them?
tions, we go through them, find the top our revenue. We are making all the to redirect to jail support services.
JOHN SCOTT 10 people or so that are qualified, and efforts we can to find ways to be cre- TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is stabilize resi-
BUDGET: We’ve made significant cuts. conduct interviews. If you interview ative to balance the budget. dential property values via introduction
In fact, our 2008-09 budget was, at everybody that fills out a form online, The third issue is bringing jobs into of a public-private neighborhood stabi-
one point, at about $5 million in the you wouldn’t get anything else done at the county. Fortunately, since 2003, lization plan focused on the market
hole. As of right now, we are in good the county. Our appointments now have we’ve had the Emerging Sectors pro- price purchase of residential properties
shape, but one of the things we are all been done after interviews. gram. We brought in just under $1 bil- headed to auction.
looking at is getting all the cost sav- JAIL: We’ve been doing a lot of things. lion in revenue. We’ve got about 9,000 No. 2 is business retention via
ings we can. Of course, our four-day, We have done some jail diversion pro- jobs that have come in just from the introduction of a countywide master
10-hour (per day) work week will help grams. We have taken many people that Emerging Sectors program. Those are commercial, retail and office space use
a bit. really don’t belong in jail and put them dynamic, non-automotive jobs. I’m going plan.
For 2009-10, we are OK. I talked in other programs. The second thing to be working with the administration, No. 3 is job creation through intro-
to staff, (County Executive L. Brooks that we’ve done is get a new tether sys- once again, on Emerging Sectors, and of duction of an national energy trades
Patterson), and the administration, and tem on board. We’ve got a lot of jail course on Automation Alley, which is institute to train certified electric line-
we are balanced, but it’s going to be overcrowding because some judges are another great feature. We have to get men, line clearance professionals,
tight. Getting rid of some of the frivo- putting people in jail who are non-violent non-automotive work here. It won’t alternative and energy efficiency pro-
lous spending is what’s going to be offenders. First-time impaired DUI make us recession-proof, but it will make fessionals to address the known labor
taking place in the next budget year. offenders are really filling the jail up. us recession-resistant, and that’s what shortage within this skill-set. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Waterford, White Lake
Republican Jim Runestad and
County Board/6th
Democrat Susan Wachsberg will
square off in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 gen-
eral election for the Oakland County
Board of Commissioners 6th District
seat. County commissioners serve
two-year terms and are currently paid
about $33,000 a year.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
BUDGET: What changes in county
budgeting priorities or processes do
you advocate to deal with budget chal-
lenges?
NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL: Oakland
County has accepted a $200,000
state grant to design a new terminal
for the Oakland County International
Airport in Waterford Township. Please
state why you do or don’t believe the
airport needs a new terminal. If you
support such a project, where does a
new airport terminal project fit in your
priorities for county capital improve-
ment projects?
JAIL: A recent citizen survey indicated
overwhelming opposition to a tax
increase to pay for a new jail. At what
point, if ever, would you support a tax
hike to pay for a new jail facility?
What, if any, alternatives would you
support to deal with the jail over-
crowding issue?
BOARD APPOINTMENTS: Some
Democratic commissioners assailed
last year’s appointment of new Board
of Road Commissioners and Parks and
Recreation Commission members
without interviewing all applicants for
the available positions. Please state
why you do or don’t believe all appli-
cants for board-appointed positions
should be interviewed before the
board votes to fill appointed posi-
tions?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the county at this
time, and how do you propose to
address them?
JIM RUNESTAD
BUDGET: There are bound to be some
areas that can be cut out of the budg-
et. The citizens have been overbur-
dened with tax increases, so whatever
is to be done has to be on the basis of
reductions in either services or pro-
grams. I know the commissioners are
using the Gosselin Amendment (call-
ing for positions or programs paid for
with grants to remain vacant or
unfunded after the grant funds are
spent), and I think that’s an effective
way of eliminating some programs
that, if they were continued, could
cost the county a lot of money. A final
area that could be looked at is munici-
pal golf. It’s a great program, but if it
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Jim Runestad is the owner of Runestand
Financial Associates and president of the
North Oakland Republican Club. He has
served on the Oakland County Friend of
the Court Citizens Advisory Committee.
comes to increasing taxes or having
municipal golf, that’s an area I’d take a
look at.
NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL: I’m certainly
in favor of accepting the money to
design it. My initial inclination is that it’s
a good thing.
JAIL: The citizens are not in a mood to
pony up large amounts of tax dollars to
build a new jail. You have to look at
some alternatives. The county is now
utilizing a tether program that sounds
like it’s pretty effective and efficient. The
prosecutor, courts, and judges seem to
be convinced that, for non-violent
offenders, this is a way of knowing
where they are at — at all times —
tracking them, allowing them to get to
work and pay some of the bills for the
cost of their care. Also, they are working
more closely with the medical system to
identify those that have medical needs.
Before, they were simply warehoused in
the jail, and now they are trying to move
some of them to the medical system for
treatment.
If it gets to the point that we are
going to turn even one violent offender
loose onto the citizenry, we have to look
at building a new jail. Then I would be in
favor of asking on a ballot, “Do the
Oakland County residents want us to
create a jail millage to put on the ballot
for you to vote on in the next election?”
BOARD APPOINTMENTS: I absolutely
believe that every applicant needs to be
interviewed. I’ve sat through a lot of
those board meetings, and just when
you think you’ve heard the best, some-
one else comes along who is as good, or
better. To stop at some point and say
we’ve heard enough, to me that’s not
the way you conduct business.
TOP ISSUES: The budget is the primary
responsibility of the county commission.
My approach, as a small business owner,
is looking at what’s the investment on
every program and service. Are all the
services and programs needed? Which
ones can be reduced or eliminated?
Susan Wachsberg has worked as an inde-
pendent real estate appraiser, freelance
journalist in television and print media,
and was a manager in marketing and
research for the Detroit Free Press.
Jobs are the second issue. I think
people would agree with the Emerging
Sectors initiative. Automation Alley I
believe went from 44 companies to 876
companies in about four years, adding
about $1 billion in new investment.
The third issue is regional initiatives.
If the Board of Commissioners loses its
Republican majority, I believe that there
will be incredible pressures put on the
commission to accept one after the
other regional initiative without con-
straints on direction, amount or cost,
and without consideration of long-term
impact for the people of Oakland County.
I want to make sure anything done on a
regional basis is thoroughly looked at for
Oakland County’s benefit.
SUSAN WACHSBERG
BUDGET: There are two that I can think
of off the top of my head. The first is
that we have to deal with sentencing
guidelines. We decided in the 1980s to
get tough on crime, so we built (more)
prisons and now, even non-violent
offenders are sentenced and labeled. It’s
the wrong system in the first place. If
we can cut back with those sentencing
guidelines, we can eliminate and grab a
big part of that budget back.
Secondly, we have to look at the size
of the budget in the first place and the
number of people and the benefits we
have. The county commission (in the
past gave itself raises), and they’re also
getting newspapers and club member-
ships paid for. We have to lead by exam-
ple. We can save a lot of money just by
looking at all the little fringe benefits
that county employees get and cut back
on those, at least until better times.
NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL: At this time,
I would say it’s not a priority because
we have a lot of things that are more
pressing. And although Flint Bishop
International Airport is not in Oakland
County, they are begging for more traffic
up there right now. I think that, for the
40 minutes it takes to get there, we can
PAGE 19/MHW,WAT
hold off spending the money on a new
terminal in Waterford.
JAIL: I can honestly say that I would
never, if I had the power to do so,
have a tax increase (for a new jail)
because I think our system of incarcer-
ation is wrong and irresponsible right
now. I think this crackdown on crime
in the 1980s made a balloon out of
our system. If we could just adjust our
system a little bit, like the Deep South
does ... even today they have chain
gangs. For non-violent, first-time
offenders, they are given a choice of
working and cleaning up in the county
in exchange for no record and not
being incarcerated, and it’s saving
them a lot of money. I say there is
plenty of room to find money in the
system as it is now.
BOARD APPOINTMENTS: Of course,
they should all be interviewed. (Not
interviewing all applicants is) like get-
ting a single bid on a project. (That)
doesn’t encourage integrity.
TOP ISSUES: The No. 1 issue is fiscal
responsibility because of the $19-mil-
lion shortage they think we are going
to have by 2010. The county has
always budgeted very well; they have a
AAA bond (rating). I think we’ve done
an excellent job, but I don’t think
Oakland County has ever faced what
they are going to be facing with the
housing market and decline in rev-
enues. One of the things I really would
work very hard at is not to put any
more burden on the over-burdened
taxpayers. I think there is some fat we
have to locate and some tough deci-
sions to make in Oakland County on
employees and programs.
The second is a very big issue of
mine. We have to protect our natural
resources. We are growing in White
Lake. You blink and open your eyes (in
White Lake) and there is a new build-
ing there. So many places build first
and think later about how it has an
impact on our inland lakes, streams,
and water resources. We have to plan
to protect the most valuable thing we
have, our natural resources.
We have to step up to the plate and
get a proposal that will fly so we can
get matching federal funds for a mass
transit system. We are in the dark
ages, compared to other cities with
mass transit. Roger Penske is doing
some private funding in downtown
Detroit and that’s just the beginning
of what a separate group is working
on for the greater Detroit area. If we
get this together, the way that some
very, very strong leaders are trying to
do and not have people block the
effort, we can get matching funds
from the federal government and get
something in here. ❏
PAGE 20/MHW,WAT
Commerce, Milford, Wolverine Lake
Democrat Pam Jackson is challeng-
County Board/7th
ing incumbent Republican Chirstine A.
Long in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general
election for the Oakland County Board
of Commissioners 7th District seat.
County commissioners serve two-year
terms and are currently paid about
$33,000 a year.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
BUDGET: Please explain what county
spending reductions, if any, you would
like to see in the future. What revenue
enhancements, if any, do you advocate?
Finally, state why you believe the budg-
et can be balanced by addressing only
one side of the ledger or the other, or
why both spending cuts and increased
revenues are the solution.
ROAD FUNDING: Several bills were
recently introduced to give counties the
ability to seek voter approval of new
taxes and/or fees that would create
revenue for road construction and
maintenance in that county. State why
you do or don’t support such legisla-
tion. If it’s approved, state why you
believe it’s time for Oakland officials to
consider putting such a question before
voters. If you do, what’s your take on
Oakland County partnering with one or
more of its neighbors to raise money
for roads?
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING: County
officials have tightened down on a poli-
cy related to the use of tax increment
financing (TIF) included in local corri-
dor improvement authority (CIA) plans.
Under the policy change, the county
“may not support” plans that involve
use of TIF revenues to bury utility lines,
construct municipal facilities or build-
ings, or to acquire land. Explain why
you do or don’t agree with the new
policy provisions.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the county, and
how do you propose to address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your opponent?
PAM JACKSON
BUDGET: One way to reduce costs may
be to offer early retirement incentives
to county employees or eliminate posi-
tions through attrition. Expanding the
concept of a 4-day work week could be
explored to decrease costs. A feasibility
study could be done for maximum
building utilization that may help
reduce costs. The commissioners voted
to take a pay freeze. The administra-
tion could also follow suit with a pay
freeze until the economy turns around.
Revenues can be increased by
attracting businesses using the Emerg-
ing Sectors program and Automation
Alley.
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Pam Jackson is a mathematics, construc-
tion management and concrete construc-
tion management professor at Oakland
Community College. She is the former
owner of Elite Building and Construction
Company.
The county can address both sides of
the ledger ... in keeping the budget bal-
anced.
ROAD FUNDING: I would support the leg-
islation. Quality control measures need to
be enhanced with more oversight on the
projects. If business continues “as usual”
with road construction and renovations,
it will be very difficult to get any increas-
es approved by the voters.
I support the concept of shared costs
with two or more adjacent communities
provided that the communities agree to a
partnership. The public has the tendency
to live in one community and work or
spend leisure time in another. Since the
public benefits from the road systems in
the connecting communities, sharing
expenses would only seem logical.
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING: I support
the policy change on restricting the use
the TIF monies. Oakland County might
look into creating a land bank authority
like Genesee County, where declining
areas are transformed to their maximum
potential. They should incorporate green
construction practices. Why let a commu-
nity deteriorate while trying to develop a
new one? It only decreases the surround-
ing property values. We need to be fiscal-
ly responsible and use TIF monies to revi-
talize our depressed areas before sprawl-
ing into open spaces.
TOP ISSUES: Responsible development
needs to occur to preserve the environ-
ment using green construction practices
as a requirement or encouraged in the
specifications for roads, new construc-
tion, and redevelopments. Moving toward
renewable energies would generate
employment for this region while creating
educational programs to retool our work-
force for these new careers.
A safe, efficient, and cost-effective
regional mass transit system is of para-
mount importance to Oakland County.
Cooperative and responsible regional
development will relieve traffic conges-
Christine Long is an owner and operator of
the Long Family Orchard and Farm in
Commerce Township. She has served on
the Oakland County Board of Commis-
sioners and as a Southeast Michigan
Council of Governments delegate for the
past six years.
tion, reduce air pollution, alleviate the
need for more parking structures/lots,
reduce gas consumption, and will attract
business and industry to the entire region
to enhance economic growth.
Every endeavor should be made to
maintain the level of current health care
funding for children, seniors, and the indi-
gent. By placing a stronger emphasis on
preventative health care programs with
cooperation from health care providers,
overall health care costs could be reduced.
WHY YOU? My diverse educational and
professional experiences make me the
most qualified candidate. Please visit my
website for a complete review:
www.PamJackson2008.com. I am a pro-
fessor at Oakland Community College
teaching mathematics, construction man-
agement and concrete construction man-
agement. I have successfully owned two
small businesses over the years which
required quality work, balancing budgets,
and getting the job done on time and
within budget. I will help generate jobs,
attract businesses with the Emerging
Sectors program, facilitate the improve-
ment of the educational and health care
programs, preserve the environment, and
ensure that Oakland County has a bal-
anced budget.
CHRISTINE A. LONG
BUDGET: Unlike the state, Oakland
County uses a biennial budget that antici-
pates economic conditions two years out
and adjusts its budget accordingly. As a
Finance Committee member, I will contin-
ue to review all programs, services, as well
as staffing with tight scrutiny. In 1998,
Oakland County established a property tax
rate of 4.19 mills. With good leadership,
the board has been able to retain the same
tax rate for 10 years. I will continue to
maintain a balanced budget through
spending cuts, not tax increases.
ROAD FUNDING: Any tax or fee increase
for road improvements must be decided
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
by a vote of those that will pay for it …
the taxpayers. In my personal opinion, I
do not support increases in taxes or
fees. Perhaps legislation could be draft-
ed facilitating equitable federal and
state road funds coming back to the
county. Currently, Oakland County does-
n’t receive it’s fair share of funding,
thus contributing to the county’s donor
status.
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING: I support
economic growth in Oakland County. TIF
and Corridor Improvement Authorities
are vehicles used to promote this eco-
nomic growth for cities, villages, and
townships. The Board of Commissioners
have established the TIF District Review
Policy Ad Hoc Committee to evaluate and
recommend plans from the communities
to the Finance Committee. With the
sluggish economy, the county must
guard its tax revenue; however, these
authorities enable local municipalities
economic growth that would not occur
without these tax captures.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is the budget.
Property tax revenue will continue to
fall. Since property tax revenue sup-
ports about 62 percent of the county’s
operations, Oakland County is not with-
out budget challenges. In 2010, a
$19.6 million shortfall is anticipated.
As a Finance Committee member, I will
continue to review all county spending
with diligence. It’s imperative to keep
taxes low while providing quality serv-
ice within a tight budget.
No. 2 is the economy. I will continue
to diversify the county’s economy with
initiatives such as Automation Alley, the
Emerging Sectors program, and
Wireless Oakland.
No. 3 is public safety. Residents
deserve to feel safe where they live,
work, and play; therefore public safety
services must continue to be adequate-
ly funded. Jail overcrowding continues
to be a challenge. A task force is
exploring and developing alternative
sentencing programs, such as the teth-
er program, for non-violent offenders.
WHY YOU? Operating a fifth generation
family farm, my business enables me to
be available and highly visible before
my constituents on a day-to-day basis.
Having installed a designated
“Commissioner Hotline” in my home, I
have made it a priority to return calls
from residents in a timely manner.
Based on merit and hard work, I have
moved into leadership positions at the
county. I have voted with principle, and
have been a strong advocate for local
input and participation in county
issues, programs, and services. My 100
percent attendance record for commis-
sion meetings in 2007 and 2008
proves my commitment to my elected
position and my constituents. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Waterford Township Supervisor
Incumbent Democrat Carl Solden is
being challenged by Republican Gary
Wall in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general
election race for the Waterford
Township supervisor position. The
township supervisor serves a four-year
term and is currently paid $92,000
annually.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
LEADERSHIP: As supervisor, at what
point do you believe you should disre-
gard public sentiment, and cast a vote
on an item based on your own knowl-
edge and feelings about how an issue
impacts the greater community?
BUDGET: What changes in township
budgeting priorities or processes do
you advocate to deal with continuing
budgetary challenges?
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: The Waterford Board of Trustees
recently approved creation of a corri-
dor improvement authority (CIA) for
the Telegraph Road corridor, and
appointment of the new authority’s
governing board members. Please
state why you are or aren’t comfort-
able at this time with township tax
revenues being captured for public
improvements in the CIA district.
What kind of improvements would you
like to see in the CIA district?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the township at
this time, and how do you propose to
address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your oppo-
nents?
CARL SOLDEN
LEADERSHIP: We just went through
that very thing at the last few board
meetings, for example, with the
Elizabeth Lake weed eradication pro-
gram. We had 56 percent of the lake-
front owners who wanted the weed
eradication process. We went with the
majority of the people who wanted
this and I think that holds true with
any agenda item or issue, coupled
with the fact that I think whatever
you do it comes from the heart, not
so much because of the special inter-
est groups. You have to be able to
look at the total picture.
BUDGET: You have to remember I first
took office in 2000. In 2001 the bot-
tom fell out of everything and we
started getting an annual loss in rev-
enue sharing.
We need to look for new ways to
do things. We need to prioritize
things. We need to depend a lot on
new technology to serve our citizens
in a better manner for lower costs.
We’ve lost over $13.5 million cumula-
tively in revenue sharing since 2001.
We have no idea what’s going to hap-
pen here, although the county talks
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Carl Solden has served as Waterford
Township's supervisor for the past eight
years. He is a retired Waterford Township
Police Department detective sergeant.
about a 4 percent decrease in property
taxes. We’re prepared to take whatever
steps are necessary to accomplish our
mission as we have in the past.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORI-
TY: With the CIA we felt it was a neces-
sary thing to deal with. We haven’t really
moved it ahead for monetary reasons.
Now is not a good time (for the town-
ship to allow a capture of tax revenues),
although the tax structure as it is will be
a portion of the taxes over and above
the improvements that are done in the
area going to the CIA.
We’ve had a few problems in that
area. No. 1, the ball park got delayed a
bit. I see the ball park as the catalyst for
that entire area down there.
We will have to have aesthetic
improvements, highway improvements,
and make the whole area more appeal-
ing. We will not move on this until such
a time as we feel it’s appropriate. We
need to be able to attract businesses
and people to the area.
TOP ISSUES: My No. 1 priority is keep-
ing the township running through the
budget process. For the eight years I’ve
been here that’s what I’ve been saddled
with.
No. 2, I think we have to keep
embarking on new technologies. We’ve
done a very good job with technology in
the last eight years. We have people
coming in from all over the U.S. to our
DPW to get ideas on how they can
transform their operations into what we
have. We just went to a new meter sys-
tem that’s going to be read by satellite.
We can tell customers’ usage, peak
hours and see if they have a leak all
through the satellite system. We have
new technology at the police department
using the wireless system in the com-
munity. They can do all of their paper-
work in the car and eliminate the time to
go back and file. We’ve come a long way
and we intend to go farther because
each day technology changes and that
has helped us enhance our operations
Gary Wall has owned and operated a con-
struction firm for the past 18 years.
with less employees and better services.
Third, transportation is an issue
based on our economy these days, con-
sidering gasoline prices and peoples’
inability to seek transportation from
point A to point B. I’ve had a meeting at
Oakland County on a transportation sys-
tem running from Milford to the court-
house on Telegraph. That’s a start, but
it’s not a complete answer to the trans-
portation problem. We can build off of
that, but anything we do requires fund-
ing. The possibility is there and at least
it’s something to build on.
WHY YOU? I’ve got the experience and
leadership ability. I’ve been there and
worked through the tough times. I don’t
see that I’ve done anything in this com-
munity to be removed from office. It’s
been a great job, and I’ve enjoyed it. I
have a great rapport with all of the
department heads, everyone is pulling in
the same direction and we are making
progress in all areas of the community.
I’ve embarked on a fair and equal ordi-
nance enforcement approach. There are
no special favors for anybody, I’m not
tied to any special interest groups, and I
owe no one anything. I intend to keep it
that way.
GARY WALL
LEADERSHIP: You have to sort out what
is opinion and what is fact. If it’s the
majority of the community that wants it,
you have to be able to separate senti-
mental or heart-felt feelings from judg-
ment, being as you are a representative
of the voters and residents. I feel it’s
important that you represent what is the
majority of what the people want as long
as it is a common sense thing or a case
where you know nothing different from
what the voting public knows.
BUDGET: I have been in the construction
business and we’ve been, from 2000 on,
hammered and every year it’s gone back-
wards. You have to make do with what
you have. There are only so many cuts
you can make and at the same time
you’ve got departments, individuals,
PAGE 21/MHW,WAT
unions and employees that want more
benefits or more money. You have to
really take a hard-line look at how
much money you have to work with
and how you can budget it aptly.
Where necessary, you have to make
cuts that will least affect the township
as a whole.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: We are in a very tight budget
right now; there just isn’t a lot of
money to go around. I like the idea of
a CIA. There are a lot of great ideas
especially for that part of Waterford. I
don’t believe at this time that it’s a
good time to go forward because I
don’t believe we have the revenue that
it will take to start it, complete it and
go forward with it. I don’t think now
is the time to be taking money off of
tax dollars in an economy where the
property values are declining and taxes
are, I assume, decline with them. I’m
in favor of putting it on hold until
there is a more positive money flow.
When we get that ball park built that
will be the spring board that gives us
something solid to build off of.
I would like to look into fixing some
of the sewers in that area. We need to
dress up and clean up the area to
attract business and commerce.
TOP ISSUES: My No. 1 concern is to
be a representative of the residents of
Waterford, their wants, their needs
and their concerns, and seeing that
they are addressed within reason. We
need to represent and promote the
township. We have so many things to
offer in Waterford. If you can get peo-
ple to come here, they might want to
stay.
My second biggest concern is the
police department. I want to see us
have more officers; but again, we have
to work at coming up with funding for
that.
Third is working with department
heads to juggle money, budget and
make everyone happy. Property taxes
are heading in reverse. It’s that much
less that is coming into the township.
We need to work with departments to
try to make things work.
WHY YOU? My supervising experience
doesn’t come from government, it’s
been in the construction industry. I
have been in business myself for the
past 18 years. I have an impeccable
reputation in the industry. I have the
ability to run jobs and supervise peo-
ple, small and large groups, and keep
jobs and projects on schedule. I bring
those projects in at or under budget
time and time again. I’m very firm. I’m
a reasonable and fair person. Things
that aren’t right have to be dealt with
and fixed. Waterford has a lot of top
notch people that would make my job
easier. The transition from business
owner to township supervisor will be
relatively smooth. ❏
PAGE 22/MHW,WAT
Waterford Township Clerk
Republican Sue Camilleri is chal-
lenging incumbent Democrat Betty
Fortino in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general
election for the Waterford Township
clerk position. The township clerk
serves a four-year term and is current-
ly paid an annual salary of $81,965.
The following are questions our staff
recently posed the candidates, and their
responses to those questions.
CLERK’S ROLE: Clerks are often
described as the chief financial officer,
of sorts, for the community. Please
explain the role of clerk as financial
officer? Is there a need for changes or
improvements in the way the clerk’s
office handles these financial responsi-
bilities? What skills or training do you
have that qualify you for these finan-
cial responsibilities?
RECORDS: The township clerk is
responsible for record-keeping and
storage of the township’s records and
documents. What’s the state of the
township’s current record-keeping sys-
tem? What changes or upgrades, if any,
do you anticipate having to make?
BUDGET: What changes in township
budgeting priorities or processes do
you advocate to deal with financial
challenges?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the township,
and how do you propose to address
them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should vot-
ers choose you over your opponent?
SUE CAMILLERI
CLERK’S ROLE: The clerk shares
financial responsibilities with the treas-
urer and the finance director. The
clerk’s responsibilities include accounts
payable, purchasing, overseeing the
bid process and, with the other board
members, review, approval and over-
sight of the budget.
The township is well organized to
deal with all financial issues. The shar-
ing of financial operations by separate
departments creates a checks and bal-
ance system that protects township
assets. The recent addition of a finance
director is a welcome change in how
the township plans for the future ...
(and) will help prepare the township
to move forward confidently in these
difficult economic times.
As a former Waterford business
owner I will bring the ability to analyze
income and expense figures and the
ability to react to change productively.
I’m very detail oriented and I’m famil-
iar with the accounting practices in
Waterford.
RECORDS: Currently the records in the
clerk’s custody are kept in boxes and
file cabinets in town hall. It’s time to
change the way these documents are
kept. Digital technology has been uti-
lized in other departments for years. I
intend to have all the township records
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Sue Camilleri has worked in the Waterford
Township Building Department for the past
12 years. She has been a house captain
and vice president of Christmas in Action
for 10 years.
scanned and stored digitally, at little or
no cost. This will create a back up copy
of all records. It will also improve the
access to these documents and save time
and money. The equipment to do this
work is already in place so it will entail
no extra expense. I’m very familiar with
the process because I lead the team that
is scanning the Building Department
records.
BUDGET: With the revenue estimates
continuing to decline we must first look
to our core responsibilities. Priorities
should be public safety and the state-
mandated activities. But even the depart-
ments that provide these basic services
must reduce their expenses to accommo-
date reduced revenue. I will look closely
at all expenditures to be sure we are not
wasting taxpayers’ money and I will also
recommend a pay freeze for all elected
officials.
TOP ISSUES: Residents can’t be expect-
ed to support an increase in their tax
rate to finance government operations
when they are struggling to pay their
own expenses. We don’t have the luxury
of doing things the same way we have
always done them. We must seek out
new ways to keep the lid on expenses.
Blight is a growing concern for resi-
dents as increasing numbers of homes
are abandoned and maintenance falls to
lending institutions. Blighted properties
tend to drive down the value of the sur-
rounding neighborhood. I’m currently
working with the Building Department
and code enforcement to preserve the
quality of our neighborhoods by strict
enforcement of our ordinances to help
protect property values and I will contin-
ue my efforts to prevent blight.
Public safety is a high priority. I want
to work to maintain the high level of
service and protection from our police
and fire departments that the residents
of Waterford expect.
WHY YOU? I see real possibilities for
improving our clerk’s office. I will
improve efficiency by taking full advan-
tage of the computer equipment already
in place. I will expand services offered to
residents and businesses, such as
Betty Fortino has served as Waterford
Township's clerk for the past 22 years. Prior
to that, she served as an Oakland County
commissioner from 1975 to 1986.
accepting passport applications; and I
will work with the Secretary of State to
create a “no reason” absentee ballot to
encourage more voters to participate in
elections. I will reduce spending in our
clerk’s office; one immediate savings will
be not accepting the vehicle allowance
that is offered to the clerk, saving tax-
payers $20,400 over my four-year term.
My background as a successful Waterford
business owner and a 12-year employee
of the township gives me the skills and
knowledge to bring about the change we
need and to do the kind of job residents
deserve.
BETTY FORTINO
CLERK’S ROLE: The clerk is responsible
for all elections, voter registrations,
township accounting, purchasing, licens-
ing and ordinances. Payment of all bills
(except payroll) and all accounting is
done in the clerk’s office. Most charter
townships’ clerks do payroll, but
Waterford has always kept it in the trea-
surer’s office in spite of my efforts to
change it.
I majored in business at Eastern
Michigan University and ran my own
business for many years. I’m proud of
many financial improvements during the
22 years I have served as clerk. For
example:
• I initiated centralized purchasing,
designating an employee as purchasing
agent. That resulted in hundreds of thou-
sands of dollars of savings and continues
to do so.
• When I came to the township, there
was a contracted accountant who was
also doing the auditing. I supported and
worked toward a full-time accountant
and an independent auditor. Today we
not only have exceptional audits but an
excellent bond rating.
• No tax increase, ever.
RECORDS: We are able to retrieve
requested information for our citizens all
the way back to the early 1800s. We
have used our township web site to pro-
vide a wealth of information, such as
board minutes, ordinances, and specifica-
tions for all bids, forms for voter regis-
trations, absentee ballot applications and
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
election results. We began document
imaging (several years ago) which we
do when time allows. All of our deeds
and limited other records have been
completed and we will continue with
that in an off-election year. In 2005 we
were delegated to conduct school elec-
tions while operating with one employ-
ee short. While the document imaging
is a nice thing, it’s definitely not essen-
tial. The township can ill-afford non-
essential spending.
BUDGET: Our auditors have said we
are one of few communities that have
maintained a fund balance during these
dire times. They said if our board had
not had the foresight and diligence five
to 10 years ago, we would not be in
this condition. I’m proud to say I was a
key player. We began cutting years ago
and projected the worse case scenario.
We have maintained the same number
of employees through attrition and
eliminated services that were not cru-
cial for the health and protection of
our citizens. Dennis Ritter and I were
responsible for computerization of this
township which greatly improved pro-
duction.
We continually face the possibility of
arbitration and negotiation, and since
personnel is most of the expense,
workforce cuts may have to be made.
Long before it was popular, we formed
consortiums with the county, other
communities, schools and others to be
cost-effective and efficient. We will
need to expand these efforts.
TOP ISSUES: Our most important
responsibility is continued scrutiny of
our budget. In the past we started
establishing new funds (for retiree
health costs and workmen’s comp).
We have set up safeguards by staying
in compliance with governmental
accounting standards.
We need to continue our efforts to
restore the Summit Place Mall.
We have always maintained good
working relationships with schools, the
county and neighboring communities,
which has resulted in huge savings. We
need to expand this philosophy.
Sharing of manpower and equipment in
all areas is the logical process to get
more for less.
WHY YOU? I have represented the citi-
zens of Waterford for 33 years in an
effective, efficient manner. I’ve saved
the residents millions of dollars and
will continue to do so. I have always
had an open-door policy and I welcome
any citizen to express their concerns to
me. I maintained a perfect attendance
record for 21 years and haven’t missed
half a dozen meetings in 33 years. This
not only demonstrates dedication, but
more importantly, supports the fact
that I have never intentionally missed a
vote or refused to discuss a controver-
sial issue. I love my job and I’m very
good at it. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Waterford Township Trustees
Democrats Kenneth H. Hempstead,
David J. Kramer, Garry Nielsen and
Bette O’Shea; and Republicans David
Maloney and Stan Moore will face off
in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election
for four Waterford Township trustee
positions. Township trustees serve
four-year terms and are currently paid
$10,976 a year.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
BUDGET: What changes in township
budgeting priorities or processes do
you advocate to deal with recent
budgetary challenges?
COMPOST SITE: New state require-
ments for the operation of compost
sites has prompted the township to
close down its site on Hospital Road.
In the meantime, a group of township
officials is conducting a feasibility
study to determine the economics
behind running a compost facility
under the new requirements. Where
does operating the compost site fall
on your list of priorities for the town-
ship? Please state why you do or
don’t believe the closing of the com-
post site should prompt the township
to break the community up into dis-
tricts and issue waste hauling con-
tracts so all residents receive compost
pickup service.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: The Waterford Board of Trustees
recently approved an ordinance creat-
ing a corridor improvement authority
(CIA) for the Telegraph Road corridor,
and appointment of the new authori-
ty’s governing board members. Please
state why you are or aren’t comfort-
able at this time with township tax
revenues being captured for public
improvements in the CIA district.
What kind of improvements would you
like to see in the CIA district?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the township at
this time, and how do you propose to
address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your oppo-
nents?
KENNETH H. HEMPSTEAD
BUDGET: First of all, I don’t know the
budgeting process, so I have to learn
that and see if I agree with it. I would
suggest that we need to cut the budg-
et to bare bones because we’re not
going to get a lot of money from state
agencies. I would say that house val-
ues are going to go down for a while,
so we’re going to have to take a look
at that and see if there are areas in
the township budget that we can save
on. That’s my main concern, fiscal
responsibility.
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Kenneth H. Hempstead served as a 51st
District Court judge from 1969 until 2001,
and was justice of the peace in Waterford
from 1964 until 1968.
COMPOST SITE: My understanding was
one of the biggest problems was that
we didn’t own the land where the com-
post site was located. That’s another
thing we’d have to examine if we’re
going to retain it as an edifice of the
township. We’d have to acquire some
land that we aren’t using at the present
time. As for restrictions, I think it’d be
the job of the various supervisors and/or
their representatives to go to Lansing
and see if we can’t change the restric-
tions and see what area they would
bend in and which areas they wouldn’t.
I would think the idea of dividing into
districts is good and let the bids begin.
Several other communities, Ann Arbor
for instance, vacuums leaves at the curb
and sells the refuse to the citizens at a
reduced rate. The product is excellent. I
can’t see wasting it, I can’t see burning
it and I can’t see doing without it.
I don’t know where on my list of con-
siderations this exist because I don’t
know what all the considerations are at
this time. It’s important though, and I
think it should be worked out and we
should check all possibilities and see
whether we can run it as a municipal
operation or turn it over to private
enterprise.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORI-
TY: I’m in favor of the CIA. I’m in favor
of adopting something that will help
improve the corridor. I don’t know
whether, at this time, it’s advisable and
how much we’ll be spending on it. It
seems to me you’d have to look at that
and see whether the overall advantages
are to our best interest and the total
interest of the community, not just those
conducting business on Telegraph. I
would have to see the layout and respec-
tive cost and benefit from it before I
pass on that.
David J. Kramer is a recently-retired asses-
sor for Independence Township, where he
was employed for 22 years. He has served
as president of the Watkins Lake Owners
Association, and a member of the Watkins
Lake Improvement Board.
TOP ISSUES: I would say No. 1 is the
budget because of the horrible economic
times that we’re all in. It will be coming
upon us to review it until we’ve sharp-
ened our pencils as much as we can.
The second is to find other means of
supporting the township. Taxes are
imminent but there has to be another
way of doing it that’s constant and
doesn’t fluctuate. One way is to be
proactive with our Legislature and get
them to listen to our problems and sug-
gestions. I’m certain they’d welcome an
exchange of ideas.
Third is taking a look at our long-
term goals — what do we have in mind
for future development, and where is it
going to be? We need to see if our mas-
ter plan is still what we thought it was.
If not we need to adopt a new one, use
it and not abuse it.
WHY YOU? In 1964 I ran for the office
of justice of the peace in Waterford and I
was elected. I served until 1969 and was
also appointed in Pontiac and Royal Oak.
In 1969 I ran for district judge and was
the first in the 51st District Court. I
served there for 35 years. I believe that
my experience in these offices and pri-
vate practice will allow me to properly
serve the people of Waterford. I estab-
lished the first drug-free facility in
Oakland County which is still in existence
and currently occupies two buildings on
North Oakland Boulevard. I’m well aware
of the needs of the people of Waterford
from several standpoints. My education
and experiences qualify me to serve the
people of Waterford.
DAVID J. KRAMER
BUDGET: I think historically the town-
ship board has balanced the budget very
well. The Plante & Moran audit report
came out and gave a glowing review of
PAGE 23/MHW,WAT
the township board’s fiscal responsi-
bility. These challenges to budgets are
faced by all local governments.
Waterford, of course, is no exception.
I don’t know, at this point in time,
where money could be saved in lieu of
the crisis we’re in. I do know there are
proposals at the state level to defray
even more property taxes for people
who are in the foreclosure process. I
think the township board needs to
look at that and address their consen-
sus of opinion to the state as to the
impact that would have on local gov-
ernment. We may need to look at a
freeze in hiring except for essential
positions. I don’t have enough inti-
mate knowledge of the budget at this
time to say clearly what could be cut
or sustained. I do think the board is
going to work together and minimize
the change in services to local resi-
dents.
COMPOST SITE: This is a big issue. I
think there are many residents of
Waterford Township that are upset
with the closing of the compost facili-
ty. I understand that these state regu-
lations are stringent and the township
isn’t presently prepared to meet the
financial obligations.
The people of Waterford were
banned from burning leaves 12 to 15
years ago, which is a good thing, but
there was no alternative in place
except to take them to the compost
site which is now closed. There are
alternative ideas for dealing with
organic compost in the township, one
of which would be to consider the
possibility of independent contractors
to come in and find a viable way of
making it a for-profit enterprise to
remove our organic waste.
Cities like Royal Oak vacuum the
leaves at the curb, take it back to their
DPW yard and next spring sell it to
their residents. I don’t know if that
plan would work in Waterford
Township, but I do believe we should
explore these alternatives rather than
just throwing our hands in the air and
saying, “We’ve got state regulations
we can’t meet.”
I would discuss the concept of dis-
tricts for collection. It would still be a
free enterprise system, but we need to
think about our carbon footprint as a
township. In my neighborhood,
garbage companies operate five days a
week. I could not even begin to tell
you the plethora of garbage companies
operating in my neighborhood. Smith’s
Disposal alone makes three trips
through my neighborhood in one day:
one for compost, one for recyclables
and one for garbage. It’s my belief
that if we divide the township into dis-
tricts and require that free enterprise
PAGE 24 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
PAGE 24/MHW,WAT
Trustee race
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 23
garbage operating companies compet-
itively bid for those districts, we can
reduce the carbon footprint, provide
greater safety for our pedestrians and
children on the streets, and have pre-
dictable traffic in our neighborhoods.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: The CIA is a good working tool to
improve a specific area. The captured
tax dollars are spent within the dis-
trict. I do believe there is a time limit
on the district and ultimately those
tax dollars will be spread across and
used across the whole township. It
will encourage commercial develop-
ment in the area, which brings in
more tax revenue. So while the rev-
enue is captured in a specific district
during a period of time, ultimately the
revenue is spread across the entire
township’s needs.
I don’t know what plans the town-
ship has specifically for the CIA but
the concept of the CIA has worked in
other communities and if history is
any guide it will be a benefit to
Waterford Township, as well.
TOP ISSUES: The first is garbage col-
lection by district and competitive bid.
I believe that would reduce our carbon
footprint by reducing the number of
trucks operating. It would reduce
blight and protect our pedestrian traf-
fic.
The second is the CIA which would
help encourage economic growth and
beautify our township.
The third is the budget. It’s part
and parcel of a township trustee’s
responsibility.
WHY YOU? I think everyone (in the
race) brings experience with them. I
served in Independence Township as
an assessor for 20 years. That gave
me great insight as to how local gov-
ernment works. I believe that experi-
ence prepares me for dealing with
issues that come before the board and
gives me understanding as to why
some things work and others don’t. It
helps me to decide the priority of
issues and still address the needs of
the citizens of the township.
DAVID MALONEY
BUDGET: We anticipated that state
revenue sharing will be down, as it
always is. It’s difficult to anticipate
the current market, and the housing
values and property values are also
declining. I think that the board will
probably have to do what we’ve done
every year. We will have to take a look
at all of the departments. The budget
is the No. 1 priority in the township
because all of the departments are
impacted by it. We will have to sort
through it. I think we’ve gained over
$38.5 million in revenue and — even
this year — our expenditures are
exceeding our revenue. This is eventu-
ally going to take a bite our of the
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general election voter guide
David Maloney has served on the
Waterford Board of Trustees since 2000. He
is vice president of W.J. Stewart Contract-
ing Corp., where he has been employed
for 21 years. Maloney has served on the
Waterford Parks and Recreation Board. He
was state chairman for the Vietnam
Veterans of America "Agent Orange"
Committee.
reserve dollars that we have. We’ve
already lost, I think, 21 full-time posi-
tions in the last four years. We’ve done
everything that the taxpayers ask us to
do with respect to down sizing govern-
ment and managing the budget to come
up with a balance as mandated by the
state. We’re going to have to continue to
stay on the same course we’ve been on.
We’re going to have to look at the dol-
lars and the cents and we’re going to
have to balance it out.
COMPOST SITE: I think the compost
site was a plus for Waterford Township.
I’ve talked to a lot of people who used
the site. A lot of them were upset when
it was closed.
I think, like anything else, we need to
look at viable alternatives. We need to
provide this service for our citizens, but
it isn’t necessarily the highest-rated pri-
ority in Waterford Township. It’s some-
thing we need to look at from a private
enterprise standpoint. I think it will just
put an additional cost burden on the
township and the citizens if we tried to
reopen. We need to find another alterna-
tive and I think we are on the right
track.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORI-
TY: The small district that they have
designated does need some improve-
ment. I think capturing the taxes in that
area and putting those dollars back into
that area is a positive. I think it’s a good
idea to attract more people and busi-
nesses to the area by cleaning it up and
I do support it. I’m really not sure what
specifics I would like to see. I think the
CIA board they established should make
those recommendations.
TOP ISSUES: The No. 1 priority that is
going to impact us right now is the
budget. We’ve lost revenue sharing from
the state over the last few years. Our
costs are constantly increasing and our
wages and benefits are way up. That
makes up probably 90 percent of the
Stan Moore has served on the Waterford
Board of Trustees since 2004. He is owner
and operator of S&B Plumbing and Bill's
Plumbing. He is founder and president of
Helping Hands of Waterford. Moore is also
a member of the township's Parks and
Recreation Board.
costs the township has to absorb right
now. All department are being impacted
by the budget right now. We need to
make sure we can equitably divide the
money up so that none of them suffer
more than they have to.
The second priority is public safety.
We have the three millages because the
community has told us that is what they
want and they are willing to pay for it.
Our Fire Department is the only one
licensed and approved by the state to
teach paramedics. That’s a plus. I think
our fire department is a leader in this
state.
The third priority is our Parks and
Recreation Department. I think we have
to have some balance in the township
for our citizens, be it the use of the sen-
ior center or parks where people can
relax and enjoy themselves. I think all of
the programs offered in the township
are very important, and when we loose
those we’ve just about lost everything.
WHY YOU? Experience and consistency.
I’m a fiscal and environmental conserva-
tive. I do my homework, I research the
information and I try to do it objectively.
I’ve always been the people’s advocate
and I enjoy doing that. I enjoy taking on
that responsibility.
STAN MOORE
BUDGET: We are going to have to cer-
tainly take a look at each department
and see where we can make cuts. Cuts
are going to be required, there is no
doubt about it. We will have to make
cuts and yet maintain the services that
the residents are used to. I don’t know
that there is a good answer as to what
to do at this point, and I know we’ve
already made some concessions with
some departments. There are other
departments we’ve put on notice and
said they will have to make bigger con-
cessions. We’re looking at departments
like Parks and Recreation and other
areas where we’ve been giving some
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
services away. We are looking to make
those services a pay service or
increasing the percentage residents do
pay if they are already paying.
COMPOST SITE: We may have to do
the compost pickup. I think that a
service of some kind is important
because we have stopped all burning.
We’ve got to give the residents some
type of relief as far as being able to
get rid of the compost. I don’t know
that we will be able to comply (with
new compost site regulations). I know
there is a study out right now to see if
we can and how much it will cost, but
I don’t think it’s far enough along to
where I could tell you if it’s a certain
amount. I do feel that we need to do
something and I’m glad that it’s being
researched.
I, myself, pay my waste haulers
some additional money to fill 12 bags
with leaves a week and they take it
away. Of course, limbs are still a prob-
lem. If the only financially reasonable
option was issuing contracts to waste
haulers I would do that.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: I don’t believe that the corridor
authority is even going to happen
right now. I’ve been in touch with sev-
eral of the county commissioners and
they have said that it’s not going to
happen, the county is just not going
to let it go through. That being said,
I’m glad that it’s in place. If it ever
does happen, we’re ahead of the
game.
The improvements that I would like
to see, especially along the Telegraph
corridor, are aesthetics. I would like to
see it look better, have entrances to
business cleaned up and have every-
thing look better because it is one of
the entrances into the township. I
would definitely like to see it cleaned
up. It would improve the businesses,
the appearances and the views of
Waterford Township.
TOP ISSUES: The main issue right
now is the devaluation of our homes. I
don’t believe that our assessments
reflect the true value of our homes at
this point. I believe that their values
are decreasing more rapidly than is
being allowed on our assessments. I
believe that’s got to be addressed. We
need to make them more true to actu-
al value.
Secondly, budget issues are impor-
tant. We’re going to have to hunker
down and make some tough decisions
on what’s important and what’s not
important. We will have to make cuts
where necessary and sometimes it will
really hurt services and families but
it’s something we have to do.
The third important item is water
and sewage treatment. That’s going
to be a combination of working with
the DPW, the county and Pontiac. I’m
very familiar with the city of Pontiac.
I’ve worked for them for a long time
and I’ve been in contact trying to dis-
PAGE 26 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008 www.spinalcolumnonline.com PAGE 25/MHW,WAT

DAVID J. KRAMER Waterford resident for 23 years

EXPERIENCE:
• 21 years serving local government as the Assessor of Independence
Township
• Info. Tech Director at Independence Township for several years
• Served on numerous Boards & Commissions
• Involved in long-range planning
• Served on the Watkins Lake Lake-Board for several years
• Served 2 years as president of Watkins Lake Owners Association I REFUSE TO
EDUCATOR:
• Real Property Appraisal classes for many years at Oakland ACCEPT THIS AS
THE FUTURE OF
University, Mott Community College, Middleton Real Estate Training
WHAT I BRING:

WATERFORD.
• Experience in local government
• Logical decision making
• Mature decision making, Time
• A conscientious approach to decisions that affect the citizens of
Waterford Township
Vacant malls. Unattractive major corridors. Increasing blight.
Paid for by Committee to elect David J. Kramer, 1651 Eason, Waterford, MI 48328 The economy’s bad. But we don’t have to look like it.
We can do better.
I’ve lived here for 23 years and watched
IMPORTANT NOTICE: WATERFORD RESIDENTS our community’s decline. We need fresh thinking.
Elections should not be based on who has the most campaign signs, brochures,
fundraisers or endorsements. I choose not to do these things as I find them intrusive. Because
And we need action. There are many things our
of this, my campaign will only be found in this notice… Board can and should do more of to make Waterford
Electing a candidate should be based on experience, consistently and concern. Over the a place we can all be proud of again.
past eight years I’ve researched the information given me and made my decisions objectively
and without bias. We must work in the best interests of the people. The health, safety and Things to encourage beautification and revitalization.
welfare of this community are paramount. A balanced budget is the key to maintaining these There are tax credits and abatements and incentives
services.
As your Trustee, I currently serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals, Economic Development
we can utilize to draw new businesses.
Corporation and Election Commission. I have also represented you on the Cable Commission, And to spruce up the ones we still have.
Parks & Recreation Board and the Management and Administrative Policy Review Board. To make Waterford more attractive and more vital.
Tremendous constraints have been placed on our current budget due to reduction in State
revenue sharing, rising health care costs, labor costs and the everyday overhead expenses of My career was as a high-ranking advertising agency executive.
running your Township. Because of this, experience and knowledge will be the key factor in So I know how to do this. I have the ideas. I have the energy.
adjusting to our ever-changing economy while maintaining a balanced budget we can all live
with. Plante-Moran has rated Waterford as one of the top municipalities in dealing with its I care enough to do something.
finances, especially during these difficult economic times. This is credited to a current board If you care too, you’ll give me your vote on November 4th.
that works collectively in your best interests.
Upgrading Waterford can’t happen overnight.
I ask you to return me to your Waterford Township Board to continue to protect those
interests. But it can happen.
Remember, a politician cares about the voters, an advocate cares about the people… One new shop…one planted tree…one new café…
“Maloney… impressive as a maverick on the one shrub at a time.
Board of Trustees. He’s an independent Join with me for a better Waterford we can all be proud of again.
voice that never loses sight of his role as the
people’s advocate…”
Spinal Column Newsweekly, July 2004 GARRY NIELSEN
Democrat
RE-ELECT DAVID “DOC” MALONEY
WATERFORD TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE For TRUSTEE
Paid for by the Friends to Re-Elect David J. Maloney Waterford Township Trustee Paid for by Friends of Garry Nielsen Committee
5846 Southward, Waterford, MI 48329
trusteedoc@yahoo.com 5192 Durnham Drive, Waterford MI 48327
PAGE 26/MHW,WAT
Trustee race
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 24
cuss it. It’s going to be vital in this
economy because it’s going to save us
a lot of money now and a lot of
money in the future.
WHY YOU? I’ve been on the township
board since 2004 and I believe in my
heart that I have given above and
beyond what the job calls for. I will
continue to do that if re-elected. I
would like to say that I thank the vot-
ers for voting me in in 2004 and I can
only hope that they continue by vot-
ing me in in 2008.
GARRY NIELSEN
BUDGET: The recent audit of
Waterford’s financial situation has
come out with flying colors, but that’s
for right now. I just read that the
income was about $42 million and the
expenditures were $41 million, so it’s
pretty close. I’m happy to hear that
the township is solvent, but with the
mortgage crisis we’re in and state
funding declining I would anticipate
that in the next couple of years we’ll
have trouble. A reason I’m running is
because I have the experience with
budgets from my previous advertising
career to take a hard look at all of
that and see what we can do to keep
Waterford solvent. I wouldn’t know, of
course, until I get elected what those
areas are. The audits seem to think
that staffing necessary to run the
township is just fine, but we’d have
to keep a close eye on it because, as I
said, I would expect a decline in the
next year or two.
COMPOST SITE: I’m dismayed at the
closure of the facility because I think
it’s a necessary facility for the com-
munity. There has to be a way to con-
tinue its operation. I understand and
appreciate the cost of monitoring the
runoff and contaminants and appar-
ently it was decided it wasn’t cost-
effective. If elected, I would look at
other expenditures to make sure the
money that we do have is being allo-
cated where it’s most necessary. This
is an important facility. A side benefit
of it is it helps with suburban blight,
which I think is a major issue for the
township. So, I think it needs to be
looked at and continued.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: I’m 100 percent in favor of the
CIA. I didn’t know that it was tied
into Telegraph but I’m all in favor of
that. It’s a favorite issue of mine, the
suburban blight. I think it’s a problem
in the township. I don’t know about
anyone else, but in other corridors —
M-59 and Dixie Highway — it’s fast
food chain after fast food chain or
muffler shops, and it’s very unattrac-
tive. We don’t have a viable down-
town congregating place that’s attrac-
tive like some of the other communi-
ties, and any kind of attempt at beau-
tification and revitalization I’m 100
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general election voter guide
Garry Nielsen is the owner and creative
director of Nielson & Associates, an adver-
tising firm. He ran for a seat on the
Oakland County Board of Commissioners
in 2004.
percent in favor of. I don’t think it’s a
waste of taxpayer money because if it
can be made more attractive it can
attract more businesses. Beyond that I
feel the government has a social respon-
sibility to its citizens to make sure that
the community they live in is a place
that they can be proud to live in.
TOP ISSUES: I would say maintaining
the services we provide our citizens is
the first. They’ve come to expect it and
need it. We should do it without raising
taxes.
The budget is the second. How can
we ignore it? The state is experiencing
one of the worst downturns of any
state. Waterford seems to be solvent but
it’s perilous and we don’t know, with
increasing foreclosures, what the future
holds. I would expect revenues to
decline.
The third is beautification efforts and
redevelopment. There are ordinances
that support beautification and certainly
redevelopment is exemplified in the
Summit Place Mall problem. We need to
look to the future. What do we want
this community to be?
WHY YOU? As a 23-year resident, I
know Waterford and I love Waterford as
much as I’ve railed against its blight. I
know how beautiful Waterford can and
should be. My career is behind me,
though I still run an independent con-
sulting firm from my home office. At my
executive position in the advertising
industry I routinely oversaw multi-million
dollar budgets. Whatever I’d be facing
with Waterford should come as no sur-
prise and wouldn’t be difficult for me to
understand or deal with.
Beyond that, the reason why I am
running is the same as in 2004. I’m
beyond disgusted and appalled with the
Republican/Bush administration. While I
realize that the township board’s issues
are largely budgetary and non-partisan
in nature, I think that we can’t help but
Bette O'Shea has been a Waterford
Township trustee since 1993 and works as a
medical technologist for POH Regional
Medical Center in Pontiac. She is chairper-
son of the Hess-Hathaway Historic Farm
Committee and the township board's liai-
son to the Planning Commission.
be affected by our political philosophies.
Up until this year the board was occu-
pied by three Republicans and one
Democrat. Whether I win or not, I hope
Democrats do.
BETTE O’SHEA
BUDGET: Having been a part of the
board that everyone is complementing
because Plante & Moran gave us a four-
star rating for the way we’ve handled it,
we have a reserve of 10 percent roughly
and that’s wonderful under these times
when other government agencies aren’t
doing so well. What we’ve done to help
with our budget is to go outside and
find grants. The police and fire have
written a lot of grants. The departments
have, too. We’ve had the opportunity to
side up with other government agencies
and try to share fire or police protection
with those agencies so that we didn’t
have to service or buy new equipment
on our own. It’s going to be trying the
next four years but I think that the
momentum has been set with what we
have doing right now and I think if we
keep going with the staffs we have, who
are very cognizant of the need to be
careful, I think we’ll stay ahead of it for
the next four years. I hope by that time
the economy will have a better turn.
COMPOST SITE: I’m upset they closed
the compost site because it did allow
some of those people who would be less
industrious about their debris a place to
take it and it was out of the streets and
not cluttering the township. I’m wonder-
ing where the debris is going. The test-
ing of the soil and runoff was fairly
expensive and had to be done frequently.
It’s not like you can test once a year.
That means someone has to be out
there all the time. The regulations that
they are requiring are an expense that
the township doesn’t have funds to han-
dle right now.
The only thing I can think of is a pop
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
bottle collection or something to start
kicking it off but those are the rea-
sons that we can’t really just jump
back into having a compost site. It’s
just too bad because we care about
saving the environment and being
environmentally concerned and we
turn around and now can’t help the
environment in what seems like a
practical way.
I am looking forward to the results
of the study but I’m apprehensive
that they may not be able to afford it.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: It’s a tool to manage areas that
can’t be managed by the government,
the township for example. It gives us
money to jump start projects for busi-
nesses and improvements. It’s a beau-
tification that will draw people in. The
ghost town that we’re seeing at the
Summit Place Mall isn’t totally the fault
of the business people. They tried, and
a lot of them have just had to give up
because they’ve not had actual store
use to support them being there, even
with some of them getting special
treatment with their rent.
So, yes. we’re looking into revital-
izing and the CIA was one tool that
was offered. It takes about six months
for all the necessary steps to go into
place. They’ll be meeting and deciding
where the money should be invested.
It’s a tool that brought funds into the
township for us to use to improve
these areas.
TOP ISSUES: The budget is the first.
It’s a priority because that’s what we
do. We’ve raised and spent and saved.
Negotiating our contracts is part of
the budget.
Second is finding new ways to
bring money into the government
aspect of the township. We’ve had
unique things in the township to
achieve that. Maybe we can have the
residents take a dollar out of their
taxes and set up some kind of match-
ing fund for a community center.
The third is maintaining the quality
of life that Waterford residents expect
even though we are in dire straits
sometimes. Whether it’s keeping the
residents safe or providing the basics,
we’ve done marvelous things like the
nature center. We’ve been preserving
and taking care of things but I would
like to keep that going.
WHY YOU? I’m hoping that my expe-
rience on the board, since 1993, will
give me the privilege to serve the
township again. I have a unique back-
ground with being in the health care
system.
I care about Waterford. I’ve run for
trustee each time because I’ve not
had any political goals to use it as a
stepping stone. I’ve lived in Waterford
since 1968; I’ve raised my girls here. I
would like to keep that for those kids
coming up. I have a grandson I would
like to share the community with. I
would like to be a steward of the
township to make that possible. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008 www.spinalcolumnonline.com PAGE 27/MHW,WAT

general election voter guide

White Lake Trustees

Republicans Forrest J. Brendel,
Todd T. Birkle, Carol J. Burkard, and
Michael C. Powell; and Democrat
Michael E. Long will face off in the
Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election for
four White Lake Township trustee
positions. Township trustees serve
four-year terms and are currently paid
$8,014 annually.
The following are questions our staff
recently posed to the candidates, and
their responses to those questions.
PARKS AND RECREATION: Two years
ago, White Lake voters approved a
new millage for parks and recreation.
Please tell us why you are or aren’t
satisfied with the way those millage
revenues have been spent, and with
the overall progress of parks and
recreation programs in the township.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: Adoption of a White Lake
Township Corridor Improvement
Authority plan for the M-59 corridor
has been postponed due to financial
considerations. Please tell us why you
do or don’t believe the township made
the right decision to delay adoption of
the plan. At what point, if ever, do you
believe the township should adopt and
begin to implement such a plan.
BUDGET: What changes in township
budgeting priorities or processes do
you advocate to deal with recent
budgetary challenges?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the township,
and how do you propose to address
them?
WHY YOU? Why specifically should vot-
ers choose you over your opponent?
FORREST JAY BRENDEL
PARKS AND RECREATION: They’re
now getting stuff set up. It takes time
for the Parks and Recreation Committee
to get going, and they’re looking at
buying some land. It doesn’t happen
overnight, but I’m happy with the way
things are going. It should work out in
the long run and it should be what’s
best for the township.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: I think they made the right deci-
sion in postponing it. What I was told
is that we were going to get money
from the county and we were refused,
so we would just be taking money
from ourselves. Why would we start
something that we already have?
Unless things change within the tax
base, I will never see it happen. We
don’t benefit from it. Why have it if
we’re collecting our own money and
putting it in a different bank?
BUDGET: We’ll just have to look at
what money is coming in and cut
accordingly. We can’t really cut police
and fire, but if we have to cut some
personnel in different departments,
that’s what we’ll do. We have no
choice.
TOP ISSUES: The No. 1 priority is the
Forrest J. Brendel has served as a White
Lake Township trustee for over 11 years,
and has owned and operated a business
in the township for over 30 years.
budget. We need to keep this township
up and running. I think we’ve done a
good job this past year of keeping
money saved. I think the new board will
continue the good work.
The second thing is the fire depart-
ment and the third thing is the police
department. We need to have good
equipment and personnel.
WHY YOU? I feel I’m experienced. This is
my fourth term as a trustee and I’m kind
of a people person. If a citizen has a
problem with getting something done
through the township, I go out and try
to work with them.
I was born and raised in the town-
ship. My business is here. I’m not going
anywhere, and I know the background of
this township and how it’s been over
the last 30 to 40 years.
TODD T. BIRKLE
PARKS AND RECREATION: Progress has
not moved as fast as the residents
would like to see. Things that are visible
haven’t really shown up yet, like maybe
more bike trails and improved parks, but
I think with some of the things going on
and the township hiring a grants writer
position they’re looking at really moving
ahead with the parks system. I would
also like to see the trails system
improved. I know they’ve also attained a
lobbyist in order to obtain funds for
parks.
It’s my hope that those funds would
be used for parks and not put forth to
just a specific area such as a corridor
improvement, because White Lake has a
lot of opportunity for a good parks and
trail system and that’s one of the goals
in my campaign.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORI-
TY: The township saw the writing on the
wall that the plan was not going to pass
through the Oakland County Board of
Commissioners. The township needs to
go back to the drawing board and define
the area of the actual corridor improve-
ment area and narrow it down a bit.
I’m in favor of a corridor improve-
ment authority. One of the goals in my
campaign is to work with business own-
ers or people that own vacant buildings
Todd T. Birkle was a Waterford Township
trustee from 1994 to 2000. He's served as
chairman of the White Lake Planning
Commission. He is current the manager of
support services for Oakland County.
in White Lake, especially along the M-59
corridor, and attempt to get these build-
ings filled with new tenants. New busi-
nesses mean new jobs and more tax rev-
enue, therefore offsetting some of the
investment in the corridor.
I don’t know how successful these are
going to be over the next couple years
given the fiscal constraints, but I’m in
favor of the concept itself if there is a
good return on investment to that plan.
BUDGET: White Lake is in an enviable
situation as far as commercial growth.
However, there are a lot of steps we will
have to take to look to cut or consoli-
date services with other municipalities,
whether it be police and fire and cutting
some of our contributions to them, but I
think there’s a lot of things we can do
internally.
In my role with Oakland County, I
have faced some of these challenges. I
oversee a $14 million budget. We have a
budget task that we put in place where
we have to cut expenditures over the
next three years because we haven’t hit
rock bottom yet, as far as declines in
property values are concerned.
We’re going to have to take a proac-
tive approach, and there are several little
things that we can do that can add up
to big changes. For example, the way
township purchases fuel for it’s fleet
vehicles, they can obtain a fleet fueling
card and not pay taxes on fuel at the
time it’s purchased. That’s a savings
right out of the box because right now
the township has to apply to the federal
and state government to get these taxes
refunded to us.
TOP ISSUES: The most important issue
facing the township right now is the
budget and the fact that we are in a
downturn as far as residential values. We
need to look at and control our expendi-
tures and look at ways to consolidate
services. That is really my area of expert-
ise in my role with Oakland County. I
oversee a budget of $14 million dollars;
that’s larger than the White Lake operat-
ing budget. I’ve had experience with
budgeting and making cuts and looking
at ways to consolidate.
Another issue of importance is the
water and sewer system in the town-
ship. There is a need for a long-term
master plan, especially as it applies to
the sewage system, and where we are
going to shift our flow. We’re looking
expansion of the system, yet I know
the Commerce system we send our
flow to is about at its max, I believe,
without making some improvements.
There’s talk about sending our flow to
Pontiac via Waterford. We would have
to have some say with the Pontiac
system, but I think that’s a big issue
that needs to be dealt with in the near
future, as well as possible iron filtra-
tion for our water. Our water has a lot
of iron in it; you can see it on the side-
walks in our neighborhoods.
Another issue is the traffic flow in
our community and the need for more
traffic studies. You hate to have the
traffic be stop-and-go on M-59, and
there needs to be some road improve-
ment.
I think something that brings busi-
nesses here is a good parks and trail
system. If that brings redevelopment
into the community then that is some-
thing that I want to see happen.
WHY YOU? You should be involved in
the community in which you live in,
and I’ve been involved in White Lake
since I moved here in 2004. I’m
presently the chairperson of the
Planning Commission. I was an elected
township trustee in Waterford from
1994 to 2000.
Also in my role with Oakland
County, I oversee a budget of $14 mil-
lion dollars, which is larger than the
operating budget of White Lake, and I
supervise 42 employees. I feel that I
have a good, sound understanding,
especially on the budgetary issues.
I pledge to the people of this com-
munity that I will provide them with a
responsive voice on the township
board.
CAROL J. BURKARD
PARKS AND RECREATION: Right now,
we have a number of people on our
parks and recreation committee who
are moving forward. I think we have
about $500,000 in that account. They
have been studying very hard on how
to spend that money wisely; and to
me, what the people have voted for is
pedestrian pathways. In our economy
today, people would really be using
those for bikes and walking.
They really haven’t spent the
money yet but I believe their plans on
moving forward with pathways con-
necting the different state parks
together is a very important part of
the plan. They’re also looking at a
piece of property, Lumer Park off of
McKeatchie Road. That one was
offered to the township a few years
ago for a dollar. Right now the state is
PAGE 28 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
PAGE 28/MHW,WAT
Trustee race
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 27
offering it to the township for
$99,000, which I think is way too
much money. We’re also going to be
looking for grants for improving the
pathway in that particular park and I
think that would be particularly nice.
I’ve also heard of pedestrian path-
ways north and south of Highland
Road. It’s my interpretation that they
should be continuous, inviting and
well-maintained. It would link the peo-
ple to restaurants, shopping and
entertainment, and it would connect
people to a destination.
We do have a pathway down M-59
that really needs to be maintained and
looked at. I would expect to see some-
thing moving forward in the next year
or two.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: I was the only vote on the board
that asked not to postpone the authori-
ty plan. I felt that the authority comes
in two parts. The beginning is setting
up the boundaries and we could have
started that process and been ready.
Our consultants recommend we do that
and I agreed with them.
I believe the authority is the direc-
tion the township should go. If you
look at most townships, they have
one or a downtown development
authority. It’s crucial for the growth of
White Lake Township. The information
I had was that the county was not
willing to look at this at this time, but
they’ve looked at them elsewhere. I
would hope from month to month the
supervisor would be in contact with
the county to see when we’re ready.
I believe this is one of the most
important issues that has come
before us in my 12 years on the
board, to take our township into the
future in a correct way, to prevent
deterioration and promote our eco-
nomic growth. I would like to be on
the board if that comes up again.
BUDGET: Right now, White Lake, out
of every township in Oakland County,
is the only one that I know of that is
not really hurting at this time because
of the amount of commercial develop-
ment that’s happening. We’re very
fortunate. Plante & Moran just hap-
pened to come in and look at our
auditing book and they just couldn’t
believe how fiscally-healthy our town-
ship is. We were happy to hear that.
Our auditors, Janz and Knight, just
gave the report to our three in-house
officials saying the same thing.
At this time, I don’t see anything
that’s going to hurt our township. We
have a very conservative board now.
Hopefully we will in the future too,
because we have put ourselves in a
healthy position.
TOP ISSUES: When we take our oath
of office, public safety is No. 1. The
passage of the millages was very
important for public safety. We also
need to look at our roads to see if
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Carol J. Burkard has been White Lake
Township's clerk since 2000. She was previ-
ously a township trustee and a White Lake
Library employee.
public safety is able to get through OK
to get to a safe spot. We also need walk-
ing and bike paths that are safe for our
residents to use.
No. 2 is our environment. Fifty per-
cent of White Lake can never be built
upon because it’s either a wetland, state
land, or a lake. We always have to be
mindful of our fragile environment and
our shrinking natural resources that we
are caretakers to.
No. 3 is our infrastructure, which is
important so that we have clean water
and a sewer system.
WHY YOU? I have been on the board for
12 years and I’ve been a public servant
in White Lake for over 20 years with my
service at the library.
I’ve been a trustee before, the town-
ship clerk for eight years, and I really
feel that with the experience that I’ve
had and the development that’s gone on
in White Lake the last 12 years, I would
like to continue being a part of it.
I believe my experience speaks for
itself and I really care about my town-
ship and its residents and I would like to
continue as the people’s partner.
MICHAEL E. LONG
PARKS AND RECREATION: I think at
this particular time, what they have for
this millage, and what they’re using it
for is working well. They have a grant
writer and there seems to a little ani-
mosity concerning how things are done,
but I think that the grant writer has
shown an ability to get money for the
necessary things that are there.
What I would like to see there in the
future is a possible development on the
south side of M-59 that has to do with
the Huron River watershed that is locat-
ed on Cedar Island Road between Oxbow
and Bogie Lake Road. Again there’s a lot
of “ifs” to get this done, but if voted in
as one of the trustees, I’d like to see it
go forward.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORI-
TY: I sat on the CIA Board originally. The
CIA is a very good idea if you can imple-
ment it like it’s supposed to be done, by
each tax base entity returning a certain
portion of revenue to the township CIA
board. The corridor plan is based on one
of the downtown development proposals
that came up many years ago and White
Lake didn’t do. To try to reimplement it
Michael E. Long was the owner of Long
Construction Co. for 35 years before retir-
ing. He has served on the White Lake
Township Planning Commission for 12
years.
would be a satisfactory thing for the citi-
zens of White Lake. Hopefully we can
somehow reintroduce the CIA plan that
is currently on the table so it can possi-
bly be reinstated.
BUDGET: Currently our township is very
fiscally responsible. Our current supervi-
sor, Mike Kowall, has done a fine job in
keeping this in line, along with the
township board. The issues of budget
cutting coming from various places like
the state and so forth are not going to
get any better, so we have to learn to
control what we have and work within it
and make sure at the end of the year
that we come up with a balanced budg-
et. It can be done but you have to take
the budget as a whole and then dissect
it and then from there decide where you
can do the right cuts to remain fiscally
responsible.
The biggest thing would be the police
and fire budgets so that they impact
themselves rather than impacting the
township budget.
TOP ISSUES: First would be fiscal respon-
sibility, and maintaining a balanced budg-
et, which is working very well.
Secondly, I would like to see some-
thing established in the south end to
save the Huron River headwaters.
No. 3 is kind of a difficult one —
watching our controlled growth. Sitting
on the Planning Commission for 12
years, I’d like to see us continue to
watch our growth and do the right thing
to enhance the community and still not
take away the neighborhood atmosphere
that still exists.
WHY YOU? Currently we have a few
board members at the trustee level that
seem to have a little too much of their
own self-interest, which has been
reported. I for one have always been and
will always be strictly for what is better
for the township based on the citizen
response and not so much by what is
politically motivated.
MICHAEL C. POWELL
PARKS AND RECREATION: I was
extremely pleased when the residents
approved that millage. I’m a major pro-
ponent of parks and recreation in our
community. Growing up with my chil-
dren, we had to load our bikes in a car
to get to the pathways and utilize them.
I know our grandkids are in the same
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
position and I’m disappointed we
don’t have an integrated pathway sys-
tem in White Lake Township. I have
been responsible for the design of
many pathways here in Oakland
County, and would like to see those
pathways extended through White
Lake Township.
I was a part of the Parks and
Recreation Committee until recently,
and I’m excited about the possibilities
here.
I’m disappointed and concerned
that it takes so long politically to
move forward on any plans of action.
It’s very difficult because you have a
planning agenda that you have to deal
with first, then you meet with all the
home and property owners along the
routes of those pathways and then
you have to purchase easements, so it
takes many years to facilitate the
installation of the pathways them-
selves.
During the last three years, we
have modified the development ordi-
nances in White Lake that mandate
not only sidewalks but pathways along
the major thoroughfares as those devel-
opments get produced in the township.
That should have been done many,
many years ago, and we could have had
a major start on the pathways.
I’m in favor of the pathway that is
being proposed to link the Pontiac
Recreation Area to the Highland
Recreation Area through the ITC corri-
dor. I believe it will greatly enhance the
opportunity for our residents to go
cross-country. That pathway will eventu-
ally go all the way from Rochester down
to Kensington and allow our citizens to
enjoy biking in non-motorized recreation
around the township.
We’re very close to seeing that now
turn into actual pathway construction,
both along M-59 and major corridors
here in the township.
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHOR-
ITY: The final approval on the corridor
improvement authority was postponed
due to the inability of the taxing author-
ities to come together and agree to the
tax increment financing portion of the
authority. It needed to be postponed,
but quite frankly, it has been postponed
too long. I believe it should be readopt-
ed, but in a different shape. If in fact
you can get taxing authorities to allow
the capturing of their taxes in the dis-
trict, that’s great — it provides money
for improvements.
There’s another aspect that hasn’t
been talked about yet, and that’s the
ability to control development and
standards within that authority. That’s
just as equally, if not more, important
than collecting funds for initiating
projects.
It is very difficult for Waterford to
go back and reinvent its frontage on
M-59. If we don’t deal with that now,
we will never be able to.
BUDGET: The state revenue sharing
has been dropping over the years and
the non-statutory revenue sharing will
PAGE 29 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Trustee race
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 28
continue to drop if not be eliminated.
The predictions from the county
assessor and the local assessor are
that property values are going to
drop, which is where we get most of
our funding for the local government.
There are two ways to keep our
budget balanced. One is cut expendi-
tures. The township may have to look
at extending use of cars a longer time
for both police and fire and office per-
sonnel. We have a number of other
areas we have not had to cut yet, but
will have to be looked at. We have to
maintain our revenue to sustain our
expenditures.
The other thing is we are in the
enviable position of still looking at
new development in White Lake. The
residential market has flattened out,
but the industrial and commercial
market is still growing and we’re
blessed with that. Our new assess-
ments have remained the same due to
the increased controlled development
along the M-59 corridor.
TOP ISSUES: The first is the budget.
After sitting on the board for the last
three years, I am very concerned with
the forecasting of much lower revenue
and the expenses going up due to fuel
costs. When the current board took
office we requested that we not only be
David Carl
ANDERSON
For Circuit Court Judge
Vote
November 4, 2008
for
David Carl Anderson
for
Circuit Court
JUDGE
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
provided a summary of what expenses and
revenues occurred during the previous
month, but every check that was written
and every expense that was expended
from each department on a line-by-line
basis so we can monitor how the money
is going and it wasn’t just summarized at
the end of the month or quarterly. The
reviewing of those details is going to
become more important so that we can
realize how we can control the expenses
in the township. We only have control
over the expenses, not the revenues.
My No. 2 concern is the roads and
the traffic. Being a civil engineer, I’m
very much aware of the overwhelming
impression of the traffic and the poor
condition of the roads here in western
Oakland County. The Road Commission
for Oakland County and all the other
departments claim they don’t have
funds, so we have to be extremely cre-
ative as to how we take care of those
issues. I believe that a regional traffic
study needs to be undertaken to deter-
mine how the routing of traffic can be
designed away from the more residential
areas and spread out to more of the
north-south roads instead of the ones
that are currently used. And my major
concern is the gravel and dirt roads in
the township.
The third biggest concern I have is
development — the quantity and the
quality. I’m extremely opposed to any
strip shopping centers. If we don’t put
forward these standards that developers
EXPERIENCE! The reason so many judges have endorsed David Carl Anderson to be
your next Oakland County Circuit Court Judge. THE ONLY JUDICIAL CANDIDATE
WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF TRIAL-TESTED COURT ROOM EXPERIENCE!
CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES
OAKLAND COUNTY
Hon. James M. Alexander
Hon. Martha D. Anderson
Hon. Steven N. Andrews
Hon. Leo Bowman
Hon. Rae Lee Chabot
Hon. Mark Goldsmith
Hon. Linda S. Hallmark, Probate
Hon. Cheryl A. Matthews
Hon. Fred M. Mester
Hon. Denise Langford-Morris
Hon. Rudy J. Nichols
Hon. Colleen A. O’Brien
Hon. Daniel Patrick O’Brien
Hon. Wendy L. Potts, Chief Judge
Hon. Edward Sosnick
Hon. Joan E. Young
MACOMB COUNTY
Hon. James M. Biernat
Hon. Richard L. Caretti, Chief Judge
Hon. Peter J. Maceroni
Paid for by the Committee to Elect David Carl Anderson
for Oakland County Circuit Court Judge
32400 Telegraph Rd., Ste. 104, Bingham Farms, MI 48025
Michael C. Powell has served as a White
Lake Township trustee for the past four
years. He is a civil engineer. Powell is the
dangerous building hearings officer for
Commerce Township, and the past munici-
pal engineer for Highland Township.
have to meet, they will buy property and
tell us what to approve instead of us
telling them what we want.
It’s important that White Lake install
the ordinances and the CIA to set stan-
dards and warn developers when they
come in that we will not accept strip
shopping centers or the overdevelop-
ment of the frontage of M-59 without a
lifestyle center, a multi-use facility or a
campus-style center.
WHY YOU? I would like the opportunity
to serve the residents of White Lake
Township for another four years. I
moved into the lakes area in 1958 and
graduated from the Walled Lake Schools.
I have been a municipal engineer since
Hon. Antonio P. Viviano
Hon. David F. Viviano
Hon. Tracey A. Yokich
WAYNE COUNTY
Hon. Susan D. Borman
Hon. Michael J. Callahan
Hon. William Callahan
Hon. Gershwin A. Drain
Hon. William J. Giovan, Chief Judge
Hon. Warfield Moore, Jr.
Hon. John A. Murphy
Hon. Michael F. Sapala
Hon. Richard M. Skutt
Hon. Jeanne Stempien
Hon. Isidore Torres
Hon. Robert L. Ziolkowski
DISTRICT COURT JUDGES
Hon. Michelle Friedman Appel, 45B
Hon. Laura Cheger Barnard, 71A
Hon. Robert M. Bondy, 52-1
Hon. James B. Brady, 47th
Please visit my website:
www.DavidCarlAndersonForJudge.com
PAGE 29/MHW,WAT
1982 dealing with the sewers and
water services, the quality of the lakes
and the roadways of those communi-
ties that I represent. So I have a good
background on all those items that this
township is going to be faced with over
the next four years and beyond.
I’m also a professional civil engi-
neer that has worked with all the sur-
rounding communities — Commerce,
Milford, Waterford, West Bloomfield,
Novi, and Wixom. I have a great rela-
tionship with them. I’ve worked with
the Oakland County Drain Commission
and the road commission, the state
Department of Environmental Quality,
and the state Department of Natural
Resources virtually on a weekly basis.
Therefore, I have a very good under-
standing of how those agencies work.
I have a very good understanding
of how the township functions and
the more technical aspects of the
township itself.
Prior to my election three years
ago, I would have to sit through all
the public meetings and just give my
recommendations because I didn’t
have a say in what happened. Since
then, I have used my experience over
the last 30 years to bring everything
that I’ve learned to the benefit of
White Lake Township. Therefore, I’m
asking the residents to give me
another chance to continue what has
been started and re-elect me to the
White Lake Board of Trustees. ❏
Hon. Dennis C. Drury, 52-4
Hon. Kelley R. Kostin, 52-2
Hon. Michael S. Maceroni, 41A
Hon. Michael C. Martinez, 50th
Hon. Michael A. Martone, 52-4
Hon. Phyllis C. McMillen, 51st
Hon. Julie A. Nicholson, 52-3
Hon. Marla E. Parker, 47th
Hon. Dennis N. Powers, 52-1
Hon. Cynthia Thomas Walker, 50th
RETIRED JUDGES
Hon. Edward Avadenka
Hon. Harold M. Bulgarelli
Hon. Gus Cifelli
Hon. Stephen C. Cooper
Hon. Louis E. Fairbrother
Hon. William P. Hampton
Hon. Barry L. Howard
Hon. Norman L. Lippitt
Hon. Francis X. O’Brien
Hon. Gene Schnelz
Hon. Deborah G. Tyner
PAGE 30/MHW,WAT
Oakland Circuit Court
David Carl Anderson, Mary Ellen
Brennan, Lisa Gorcyca and Thomas E.
Kuhn will compete in the Tuesday, Nov.
4 general election for two seats on the
Oakland County Circuit Court bench.
The two candidates that receive the
most votes will serve six-year terms.
Circuit court judges are paid approxi-
mately $140,000 per year.
The following are questions we
posed to the candidates, and their
responses to those questions.
JAIL: The Oakland County Jail has
experienced chronic inmate over-
crowding for months, leading to the
early release of scores of non-violent
prisoners. A citizen survey indicated
overwhelming opposition to a tax
increase to pay for a new jail. What do
you see as a circuit court judge’s role
in addressing the jail inmate popula-
tion issue? What, if any, alternatives
would you support to deal with the jail
overcrowding issue?
ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING: When is
it appropriate for you, as a judge, to
use alternative sentences rather than
impose a traditional jail term? What
sentencing alternative proposals, if
any, would you suggest upon being
seated as a judge?
JUDICIAL DISCRETION: As a judge,
how faithful do you feel the bench
should be in accepting a prosecutor’s
recommendation for sentencing? At
what point would you stray from the
recommended sentence, either in favor
of or against a defendant? Please pro-
vide examples.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the circuit court
at this time, and how do you propose
to address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should vot-
ers choose you over your opponents?
DAVID CARL ANDERSON
JAIL: In order to alleviate the jail over-
crowding situation, Oakland County
Circuit judges must utilize alternative
sentencing when dealing with non-vio-
lent criminal offenders. Alternative
sentencing approaches that should be
used include supervised probation,
monitored work release programs, and
drug court programs. In addition to
alternative sentencing approaches,
reasonable bonds need to be set by
both district court judges and circuit
court judges involving individuals
charged with non-violent crimes.
ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING:
Alternative sentencing is a cost-effec-
tive way of keeping the jail population
at a manageable level, and without
having to incur huge costs for the
construction of new county jail facili-
ties. The cost for a new Oakland
County Jail is estimated to be over
$100 million, and the additional
expense associated with the operation
of a new jail is approximately $20
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
David Carl Anderson has his own law
practice in Troy. He currently serves on
the Oakland County Bar Association's
Board of Directors.
million per year.
Alternative sentencing approaches
such as supervised probation, monitored
work release programs, and drug court
programs are all positive and cost-effec-
tive ways of sentencing non-violent crim-
inal offenders. Alternative sentencing
approaches should be used on a regular
basis by circuit court judges to keep the
prisoner population at a manageable level.
Violent criminal offenders should remain
incarcerated in the Oakland County Jail
until their case is fully adjudicated.
JUDICIAL DISCRETION: When a person
pleads guilty to, or is found guilty by a
jury of a criminal offense, that individual
is sent to the probation office for the
preparation of a pre-sentence report and
sentencing recommendation. The pre-
sentence report gives the judge crucial
background information regarding the
person to be sentenced. While the pros-
ecutor’s recommendation and defense
counsel’s recommendation for sentenc-
ing are factors the court may listen to,
the judge needs to sentence a defendant
based upon the overall protection and
safety of the citizens who live in the
community.
Individuals who commit violent crimi-
nal acts need to be incarcerated for the
protection and safety of the community.
Individuals who commit non-violent
criminal offenses such as property
crimes or drug offenses, are good candi-
dates for alternative sentencing options
such as monitored work release pro-
grams, supervised probation, and drug
court programs.
TOP ISSUES: The three most important
issues facing the Oakland County Circuit
Court at this time are jail overcrowding,
increasing the utilization of alternative
dispute resolution programs, and
increasing the use of computer technolo-
gy in the court system.
Both the circuit court judges and the
district court judges in Oakland County
need to work together to set reasonable
bonds and sentences for non-violent
criminal offenders. Incarceration is most
Mary Ellen Brennan is currently the judicial
attorney/case coordinator for the 44th
District Court. She has worked in various
divisions of the Oakland County
Prosecutor's Office.
appropriate for violent criminal offenders
to keep the community safe.
Since 97 percent of all Oakland
County Circuit Court civil cases settle
before trial, increased emphasis on early
civil intervention conferences, media-
tions, and arbitrations should be pur-
sued by the court. This will help keep
the length of litigation and the cost of
litigation to a minimum.
Lastly, with the great increase in com-
puter usage, e-filing programs and the use
of other computer technology to keep the
cost of litigation and the time individuals
must spend in court to a minimum need
to be aggressively pursued.
WHY YOU? I have been a litigator for my
entire 31-year legal career. The position
of Oakland County Circuit Court judge
requires a person serving in this role to
be a person with broad based litigation
experience. I’m the only candidate run-
ning for the Oakland County Circuit
Court who has over 100 completed
criminal and civil jury trials. In addition,
I’m the only candidate running for the
Oakland County Circuit Court who has
broad based experience in family law,
criminal law, civil law, equity law, arbitra-
tions, and mediations. This is the exact
experience I will be called upon on Jan.
1, 2009 to perform as an Oakland
Circuit Court judge. All the other candi-
dates running for Oakland Circuit Court
judge will need six to 12 months to
learn the entire job, and they will do so
at taxpayer expense. Due to my broad
based experience as a litigator, I will be
able to perform this job on day one, at
no expense to the taxpayers of Oakland
County. I respectfully request your vote
in the Nov. 4, 2008 general election.
MARY ELLEN BRENNAN
JAIL: I will impose alternative sentences
whenever appropriate. The programs I
will consider are placement in adult
treatment court, work release and home
tether.
Adult treatment court is appropriate
for individuals who have substance
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
abuse issues that impact their deci-
sion-making. Work release and home
tether are appropriate for the non-vio-
lent offenders. Both restrict the defen-
dant’s freedom but allow him or her to
stay employed. These programs cost
the taxpayers less than jail housing.
Adult treatment court holds people
accountable while also providing the
tools and support to change their
lives.
ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING: I will
look at each case individually to decide
when to impose traditional jail time vs.
an alternative sentence. Factors I will
consider are the nature of the offense,
the attitude of the offender, the life
experience of the offender, and the
input of the victim (if there is one).
Jail is appropriate for a repeat
offender who takes no responsibility
for his/her behavior and has no desire
to change the way he/she makes deci-
sions. In other cases, the goal is reha-
bilitation. A first-time offender who
seems to understand what went
wrong and shows genuine remorse
and an understanding of the harm
he/she caused would be a candidate
for alternative sentence.
Some alternative sentences I will
consider are intense substance abuse
counseling, work release programs
and volunteering at facilities where a
person can obtain a sense of perspec-
tive about his/her life and role in the
community.
JUDICIAL DISCRETION: When impos-
ing a sentence, a judge should consid-
er (but not necessarily agree with)
input from all participants in the sys-
tem — victim, prosecution and the
defense. However, in doing so, a judge
should at all times remember that a
primary purpose of sentencing is to
protect law-abiding citizens from crim-
inals. Sentences exceeding guidelines
and recommendations are appropriate
in cases of violent crimes or when the
victims are more vulnerable, such as
with children or senior citizens.
TOP ISSUES: The top issues facing the
circuit court are jail overcrowding
(addressed above); docket manage-
ment; and lack of a mental health
court.
I will address docket management
issues by running an efficient court-
room. I will be on time and prepared,
set a high standard of professionalism
and expect lawyers to be on time and
prepared, as well. I will have a good
working knowledge of the files on my
docket. I will adhere to the case flow
management guidelines set forth in
the Supreme Court Administrative
Order.
I would support a pilot program for a
mental health court. A mental health
court functions much like adult treat-
PAGE 32 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
PAGE 31/MHW,WAT www.spinalcolumnonline.com SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY

FABRIZIO
JOSEPH G.

FOR 52-2 DISTRICT JUDGE

Winner of the Primary Election, and now endorsed by all other challengers in that race
“It’s Time to Elect a New Judge for Our District Court”

ENDORSED AS BEST QUALIFIED

•Oakland Press •Oakland County Deputy Sheriff’s Association
•Oakland & Wayne County Judges •Michigan Court Officers Association

“I urge you to vote for Joseph G. Fabrizio on November 4, non-partisan.”

Gerald E. McNally
52-2 District Judge, Retired

www.FabrizioForJudge.com
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Joe Fabrizio, 4630 White Lake Rd., Clarkston, MI 48346

MARY ELLEN
BRENNAN
JUDGE
FOR CIRCUIT Proven •Trusted • Endorsed
More than 20 years litigation in probate,
Experienced criminal prosecutor and civil attorney general civil, trial & appellate courts
Rated Well Qualified by the 3,000-lawyer Oakland County Bar Probate & Circuit Court Facilitator,
Association* and the Women Lawyers’ Association of Probate Court Conservator & Guardian,
Michigan - Oakland County Region Probate Court Fiduciary Trustee
Endorsed by lawyers and Oakland County Circuit and District The Only Candidate Endorsed as Best Qualified
Judges • Spinal Column
Endorsed by law enforcement organizations • The Oakland Press
Endorsed by the Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, The • Detroit Free Press
Oakland Press and the Michigan Chronicle • Law Enforcement
•All Oakland County Probate Judges
Endorsed by Democratic and Republican elected officials
Endorsed by the South Oakland Bar Association Our Most Vulnerable Deserve A Qualified Judge
*2004 election. The OCBA has not rated candidates for the 2008 election

THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR CIRCUIT COURT

www.brennanforjudge.com
Paid for by Mary Ellen Brennan for Circuit Judge Committee
Straight ticket is not a vote for judge. You must flip your ballot to the judge section to vote for Frankel!
322 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, MI 48009
PAGE 32/MHW,WAT
Circuit Court
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 30
ment courts by sentencing non-violent
offenders to mental health evaluation,
intense counseling, and medication
compliance assistance. All of this takes
place within the community.
WHY YOU? I have been an attorney
for 18 years. For the past six years,
as the judicial staff attorney/case
coordinator I have been responsible
for all aspects of docket management
for civil and criminal cases. I conduct
pre-trial and settlement conferences,
review files before trial or hearing,
identify evidentiary issues and assist
the court in making rulings. I’m in the
courtroom every day. I have served in
that uniquely neutral position, allow-
ing me to evaluate files from a judge’s
perspective.
I’m most qualified for this position
because of the broad experience, skills
and temperament that I will bring to
the bench. In addition to having sig-
nificant criminal and civil courtroom
experience, I possess the common
sense, humility, and life experience
that comes with being a married
mother of three children. I’m commit-
ted to creating a courtroom that is
efficient and productive and where
justice is served.
LISA GORCYCA
JAIL: My role as a circuit court judge
in addressing the jail overcrowding
issue is to mete out sentences that
balance the protection of the public
against fashioning an appropriate sen-
tence for the crime committed.
Sentences must take into account
defendants who are repeat offenders,
seriousness of the offense and those
who prey on elders and children.
There currently exist a number of
jail alternatives I support and some
that I would encourage expanding. GPS
tether systems are a useful and suc-
cessful jail alternative I support and in
appropriate cases should be utilized
more frequently. Use of tether is also
more cost-efficient than the price of
daily incarceration. Work release pro-
grams also free up jail beds and allow
defendants to continue employment
while paying their debt to society.
Lastly, drug courts are successful pro-
grams that boast a low recidivism rate
and free up jail space.
ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING: The most
appropriate factors in the determina-
tion to utilize alternative jail sentences
are the seriousness of the offense, past
criminal history of the defendant and
likelihood of rehabilitation.
As a sitting judge, I would encour-
age expansion of GPS tethering.
Mental health courts should be
explored since the jails have neither
the resources nor expertise in dealing
with the mentally challenged in our
criminal justice system. I would also
utilize programs supported by the
Department of Community Corrections
such as Step Forward and alternative
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general election voter guide
Lisa Gorcyca has been an assistant
Oakland County prosecutor since 1993
and is currently the chief of the domestic
violence division. She is a former major
crimes prosecutor and has been an
instructor at the Oakland County Police
Academy.
incarceration centers.
JUDICIAL DISCRETION: A prosecutor’s
sentencing recommendation is but only
one factor in the sentencing equation. A
judge should hear and consider informa-
tion from the defense regarding mitigat-
ing circumstances as well as information
from the probation department who
conducts a lengthy pre-sentence report.
Due to the passage of statutory sentenc-
ing guidelines there is little room for
arbitrary sentences. The court may
depart from the mandated sentencing
range, but only if there exists a substan-
tial and compelling reason. Substantial
and compelling reasons only apply in
exceptional cases. The reasons justifying
departure should keenly and irresistibly
grab the court’s attention and be recog-
nized as having considerable worth in
determining the length of the sentence.
TOP ISSUES: Jail overcrowding is a per-
petual problem. With limited county
resources it is vital the justice system
appropriately addresses the difference
between violent and non-violent offend-
ers and balance the protection of society
against holding offenders accountable.
Docket congestion is another major
issue facing the court. Due to the high
volume of cases, it’s important that the
courts are efficient as possible. Litigants
want and should have their cases decid-
ed on an expeditious basis. I would con-
sider implementing “rocket dockets” and
utilizing more alternative dispute resolu-
tions.
The alarming number of youthful
offenders appearing in court must be
addressed. It’s my goal to keep youthful
offenders from entering the adult crimi-
nal system via a combination of punish-
ment, deterrence, rehabilitation, mental
health treatment (when necessary) and
education. I would create a partnership
with schools so that students could see
first-hand the ramifications of criminal
behavior and drug and alcohol abuse.
WHY YOU? The circuit court is common-
ly referred to as the trial court and trial
experience is what I would bring imme-
diately to the bench. Having tried over
Thomas E. Kuhn is a former Royal Oak City
Commissioner and currently a trustee for
Oakland Community College.
150 trials and handled over 10,000
cases, my courtroom experience is
unmatched. I have dedicated my entire
15 year legal career to public service and
to protecting victims of crime as an
Oakland County assistant prosecutor. My
vast experience in trying murder, rape,
domestic violence, and elder abuse
cases, where families and victim lives are
torn apart and emotions run deep, have
provided me a training ground for the
development of an even-handed but firm
temperament. I have an avid grasp of
courtroom procedure, rules of evidence
and protocol. I am accustomed to work-
ing long hours on case preparation and
research, both of which are habits that
will transfer to the bench.
THOMAS E. KUHN
JAIL: We need to assure that violent
criminals are in jail. The safety of our cit-
izens, their families and their neighbor-
hoods is the highest priority. In recent
years, a number of Oakland County
courts have successfully established
drug courts to address non-violent sub-
stance abusers. Drug courts utilize
intensive, community-based treatment,
rehabilitation, and supervision for drug
defendants to cut high recidivism rates.
These courts divert non-violent, sub-
stance abusing offenders from jail into
treatment: They help break the cycle of
criminal behavior, alcohol and drug use,
and incarceration. They also play a criti-
cal role in helping families and teens deal
with youthful drug addictions. Drug
courts reduce crime by lowering re-
arrest and conviction rates, improve sub-
stance abuse treatment outcomes, and
reunite families; as an important side
benefit, they also assure measurable
cost savings for the taxpayers.
ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING: I support
tough, fair sentencing for criminals. The
state sentencing guidelines help to set
out the parameters for sentencing:
Certainly violent criminals need to be in
jail. In addition to the violent criminals,
our courts have been inundated with
non-violent substance abusers, and with
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
the mentally ill. Previously, these
groups weren’t a major responsibility
of the courts; however, the mental
health support system in our state
has been shredded in recent decades
forcing many of these individuals into
the criminal justice system. We need
to get non-violent substance abusers
into intensive, community-based
treatment, rehabilitation and supervi-
sion programs to cut the number of
repeat offenders. We need to get the
mentally ill into community-based pro-
grams that address their illnesses.
JUDICIAL DISCRETION: A judge is
required to be independent. Because
citizens have the opportunity to vote
for the judges who reflect their com-
munity, neighborhood and family val-
ues, judges should use their own
independent judgment in sentencing
criminals. The state establishes guide-
lines for sentencing, and prosecutors,
and probation officers give their rec-
ommendations; however, in our sys-
tem of separation of powers, the final
decision on sentencing reasonably
rests with an independent judiciary.
TOP ISSUES: Case Management: I will
address delays in our justice system
by being hard-working. I will be at
court every day and use extended
hours. I will work to settle cases
promptly, and utilize alternative dis-
pute resolution when appropriate.
Prison/Jail Overcrowding: Public
safety must never be compromised;
however, we must reserve prison
space for violent offenders and expand
boot camps to prevent young, non-
violent offenders from graduating to a
life of crime.
Integrity: We need to have judges
with the highest integrity and dedica-
tion to hard work. A judge must also
have great legal ability, fair-minded-
ness and excellent judicial tempera-
ment. I believe that I’ve demonstrated
these qualities during my 23 years of
private practice as an attorney, and
through my 16 years of service as an
elected official in Oakland County.
WHY YOU? I will serve the citizens
with the highest integrity and com-
mitment to justice. I’m committed to
treating attorneys, parties and all
other citizens coming before the court
fairly — with respect and dignity.
I will do everything possible to effi-
ciently use the time spent at court by
attorneys, parties and other citizens,
creating longer and more flexible
hours.
I will expedite decision-making. I
will make judicial decisions promptly
while displaying a high level of com-
petence and knowledge of the law.
I will continue to be greatly
involved in the community. I’m aware
of the values of our citizens. My
extensive public service makes me
knowledgeable about Oakland County,
and its community, neighborhood and
family values. I will reflect those val-
ues as an Oakland County Circuit
Court judge. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Oakland Probate Court
Mark Frankel and Daniel A. O’Brien
will compete in the Tuesday, Nov. 4
general election for a non-incumbent
seat on the Oakland County Probate
Court bench. Probate court judges
serve six-year terms and are currently
paid approximately $140,000 per year.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
CASELOAD: The Oakland County
Probate Court’s annual caseload sta-
tistics indicate steady growth in the
number of new cases filed over the
past four years. Please state why you
do or don’t believe the probate court
has adequate personnel and financial
resources to accommodate the
increasing caseload. What changes, if
any, do you advocate to help handle
the growing caseload?
MEDIATION: Those involved in cases
handled by the probate court can seek
a resolution outside of court through
mediation. Please state why you are or
aren’t satisfied with the probate
court’s mediation program. What
changes, if any, do you advocate in the
program to better serve the public and
ease the court’s caseload?
CHILDREN’S ADVOCATES: Volunteers
are appointed by the probate court to
represent the best interests of a minor
on a minor guardianship case by
investigating and reporting on the
child’s and the proposed guardian’s
situation. Please tell us what changes,
if any, in the child advocate program
you would support.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the circuit court
at this time, and how do you propose
to address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your oppo-
nents?
MARK FRANKEL
CASELOAD: Recently enacted probate
statutory law has helped ease the bur-
den on the court by streamlining the
administration of simple estates. I will
work with the court administration
and with the members of the probate
bar to further streamline the handling
of estates. Much of the pressure can
be alleviated by my setting an example
in the courtroom, by opening court
promptly and having my staff pre-
pared to handle matters quickly. I will
work to make sure that parties
appearing before me are heard and
that their matters are decided quickly
and decisively.
MEDIATION: I’m the only candidate
for probate court that is qualified for
both the circuit and probate court
mediation panels and the only candi-
date that regularly conducts facilitative
mediation. I’m a firm believer in the
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Mark Frankel has experience in probate/
general civil trial and appellate courts, as
well as a prosecuting attorney. He has
been a probate and circuit court facilita-
tor, discovery master, receiver, conservator
and guardian, fiduciary and trustee.
use of mediation to resolve issues in the
probate court. Many disputed probate
matters are conflicts between family
members. Mediation undertakes to get
the parties to sit down and discuss their
dispute and to devise their own resolu-
tion. I have found this process to be a
valuable tool in healing such rifts
between family members. Additionally,
mediation reduces the number of cases
that the court must try, reducing the
court’s caseload.
CHILDREN’S ADVOCATES: The attor-
neys and lay people that volunteer as
child advocates and guardians ad litem
do an excellent job. They are concerned
and dedicated. They are fearless in
reporting abuse and neglect. Their only
focus is on what is the best for the
child. They are invaluable to the court.
We do have to be vigilant and ensure
that all new volunteers, attorneys and
non-attorneys, are adequately trained so
that they appreciate their responsibility.
TOP ISSUES: The most important issues
facing the probate court are the
increased caseload occasioned by the
aging of the population, the increased
incidents of elder abuse, and juvenile
crime. I will work with the court admin-
istrator and the probate bar to further
streamline the probate docket. I will con-
tinue to work with volunteer groups
which provide important educational and
support services, such as Youth
Guidance and the Citizen’s Alliance, to
reduce elder abuse and juvenile crime. I
will be vigilant on the bench when
addressing youth offenders to reduce
recidivism.
WHY YOU? I’m the only candidate with
extensive probate litigation experience.
Judges appoint me as a personal repre-
sentative, trustee and conservator
because of my experience and integrity.
I’m dedicated to the protection of senior
citizens and incapacitated persons. As an
experienced facilitator, I understand the
Daniel A. O'Brien has a general litigation
practice that deals with commercial and
criminal law, divorce, wills, trusts, and other
areas. He is a former assistant Oakland
County prosecutor and electrical engineer,
and has worked as a magistrate.
importance of helping parties to resolve
disputes themselves, and, when a reso-
lution is not possible, I know a judge
must make a fair decision. I will ensure
parties are treated fairly and with respect
and that their rights are protected.
DANIEL A. O’BRIEN
CASELOAD: I will spend substantial time
speaking to all of the clerks and staff to
learn first-hand what their concerns are
about the increasing caseload, and their
ideas for handling it. Serious study must
also be given to determine the rates of
growth of different case types, the
judge/staff-hours necessary to handle
them, and the expected rate of growth
of the different “populations” that gen-
erate them. If projected growth would
overwhelm the current resources, I
would first hire additional clerical per-
sonnel, and then consider seeking leg-
islative authority to utilize highly-skilled
lawyers for part-time positions, who
would exercise specific judicial authority,
as I am presently doing as a judicial
magistrate. These part-time judicial posi-
tions would not appreciably increase
costs, primarily because they would not
be eligible for benefits. Since judges are
the most costly resource, I would work
to significantly increase the work I could
handle before asking for more judges.
MEDIATION: Mediation is great, if the
parties are open to mediation, the case
presents issues appropriate for media-
tion, and the parties can afford media-
tion. While some say “the best resolu-
tion is the one the parties make them-
selves,” I have seen cases where the
best resolution would have been for the
judge to make the decisions he or she
was elected to make. Almost nothing
focuses the lawyers’ minds on their
cases like knowing the judge will make
tough decisions, and is prepared to try
cases. Also, not all mediators are suited
to do the work of mediation, but have
PAGE 33/MHW,WAT
sometimes received their appoint-
ments for political/personal reasons,
and to pad their resume. The court’s
certification of a mediator only means
that he completed the class, and is
not a certification that he is a good
mediator.
CHILDREN’S ADVOCATES: Two keys
to a successful child advocate program
are well-trained advocates, and vigi-
lant, thoughtful judges who are in
touch with the advocates and their
cases. I would make sure that I had a
good working relationship with the
advocates, and that I understood their
strengths and their limitations.
Advocates are bound to be more effec-
tive when they are placed in the prop-
er situation, so that their primary
duties are in their strengths. I would
also provide as many opportunities as
possible for the advocates to obtain
regular, quality training online and live.
I would make this training available to
the guardians, as well.
TOP ISSUES: This survey has addressed
at least three important issues: case-
load, children’s advocates, and assisted
outpatient treatment. A key ingredient
to effectively dealing with these issues,
over which I would have direct control,
would be developing a staff, working
with me, who are always at the service
of the people who come to the court for
resolution of their problems, not just
management. I would be personally
available to my staff and to attorneys to
discuss cases in a way that encourages
candor and resolution of problems.
When people walk into my courtroom, I
want them to see a judge who is work-
ing hard, and who is familiar with the
cases and people that come before me.
Recognizing that a judge needs to be
able to see issues from all perspectives,
I would provide additional time every
week for meeting with lawyers and staff
to discuss the effectiveness of the court.
WHY YOU? I have seven and a half
years of judicial experience as a judicial
magistrate, making decisions that
directly affect the safety and well-
being of the people of Oakland County.
I’ve had the opportunity to deal direct-
ly as a judge would with citizens,
attorneys and police. Mediators don’t
make judicial decisions. They simply
present compromises. Additionally, as
a research attorney for over two years
in the Court of Appeals, I analyzed the
records of hundreds of cases, includ-
ing probate matters throughout the
state. As a trial lawyer for 18 years in
criminal and civil cases, I gained a
unique insight into the role of judging.
No other candidate has had such
broad and substantial experience. I will
be ready on my first day to assume
and effectively exercise the authority of
the office. ❏
PAGE 34/MHW,WAT
White Lake
52-2 District Court
Joseph G. Fabrizio is challenging
incumbent Judge Dana Fortinberry in
the Tuesday, Nov. 4 election for a 52-2
District Court bench seat. District
court judges serve six-year terms and
are currently paid approximately
$138,000 per year.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
JAIL: The Oakland County Jail has
experienced chronic inmate over-
crowding for months, leading to the
early release of scores of non-violent
prisoners. What do you see as a dis-
trict court judge’s role in addressing
the jail inmate population issue?
What, if any, alternatives would you
support to deal with the jail over-
crowding issue?
ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING: When is
it appropriate for you, as a judge, to
use alternative sentences rather than
impose a traditional jail term? What
sentencing alternative proposals, if
any, would you suggest upon being
seated as a judge?
JUDICIAL DISCRETION: As a judge,
how faithful do you feel the bench
should be in accepting a prosecutor’s
recommendation for sentencing? At
what point would you stray from the
recommended sentence, either in favor
of or against a defendant? Please pro-
vide examples.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the 52-2 District
Court at this time, and how do you
propose to address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your oppo-
nents?
JOSEPH G. FABRIZIO
JAIL: This is an important issue that
has been even further aggravated by
the recent elimination of Oakland
County’s Boot Camp program and the
closing of the jail in Southfield. To
avert early releases, the three branch-
es of government must work together
in the spirit of cooperation to find a
successful plan to end the problem.
The adoption of Public Act 140 will
allow the court to handle overcrowd-
ing in a more sensible manner. Recent
jail renovations and programs such as
work release, in-patient drug treat-
ment and drug court all help ease the
issue of jail overcrowding.
ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING:
Alternative sentences are appropriate
only when they fit the facts of the
criminal case. Every case is unique,
and the sentence must fit the crime.
Whether a traditional jail term, or an
alternative sentence, this fundamental
concept cannot be compromised.
Programs such as work release, in-
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general election voter guide
Joseph G. Fabrizio is the founder of
Fabrizio & Brook. He has represented indi-
vidual and business clients, including
financial institutions and banks.
patient drug treatment and tethers are a
few alternatives that should be consid-
ered.
JUDICIAL DISCRETION: A sentence
should always fit the facts of the case.
As a judge, I will always keep an open
mind as to the arguments and recom-
mendations set forth by both the prose-
cutor and defense attorney. However, a
sentence shouldn’t be blindly rendered
based only on recommendations. The
ultimate decision as to sentencing is the
judge’s to make after full consideration
all of the facts and circumstances.
TOP ISSUES: Civility — I will exhibit
proper judicial temperament. Individuals
who appear before me will be treated
with courtesy and respect, and will be
given an adequate opportunity to be
heard and to meaningfully participate in
the judicial process.
Respect — I will respect the value of
other people’s time. All hearings will be
held in a timely manner in order to
ensure jurors, parties and witnesses can
return to their regular routines as soon
as possible. I will work hard and make
fair decisions in a timely manner.
Facilities — The 52-2 District Court
facility has not kept up with the popula-
tion growth in this district and is ill-suit-
ed to serve the needs of a district of this
size. The need for a larger facility is yet
another reason to show up on time,
properly schedule hearings and issue
decisions in a timely manner.
WHY YOU? I will uphold the oath of
office, and will make every effort to
restore the public’s confidence in its
judiciary.
DANA FORTINBERRY
JAIL: In 2007, the Legislature amended
the County Jail Overcrowding State of
Emergency Act, thereby largely removing
most judicial participation in jail over-
crowding issues. The circuit and district
courts now are represented on a Jail
Overcrowding Committee, which meets
periodically to set minimum bonds for
prisoner release upon declaration of an
overcrowding emergency by the sheriff.
Dana Fortinberry was elected to the 52-2
District Court bench in 2002. She has been
a magistrate, trial attorney, and prosecu-
tor.
The new process appears to be working
well. I still make it a point, however, to
go over jail inmate lists weekly to check
for bench-warranted and newly-arrested
defendants who are being housed at the
jail. I then accelerate scheduling of those
individuals so their cases may be
processed as quickly as justice allows.
This accelerated scheduling saves tax-
payer dollars and protects our communi-
ties by preserving valuable jail space to
insure that repeat and dangerous offend-
ers can be kept behind bars where they
belong.
ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING: Michigan
law provides for a one-time deferral of a
conviction for first-time offenders for
such crimes as minor possessing alco-
hol, possession of marijuana, domestic
violence and for other crimes committed
by offenders under the age of 21. These
statutes allow the court to grant a dis-
missal of the charge upon successful
completion of a period of strict proba-
tion. As judge, I have implemented a
highly successful sobriety court pro-
gram. Utilizing the method known as
“therapeutic justice,” alcohol-addicted
repeat drunk driving offenders are strict-
ly monitored through daily testing,
intensive therapy, 12-step program
attendance, weekly probation oversight
and bi-weekly court hearings. Positive
behavior is rewarded and negative
behavior is swiftly sanctioned. Most par-
ticipants attain and maintain sobriety
during the program and following gradu-
ation, resulting in fewer drunk drivers
threatening our loved ones on the roads
of our community.
JUDICIAL DISCRETION: While the prose-
cutor can make sentencing recommenda-
tions and must indicate a lack of objec-
tion prior to the court utilizing some
sentence deferrals allowed by law [e.g.
MCL 769.4a in domestic violence cases
and MCL 436.1703(3) in minor in pos-
session of alcohol cases], sentencing is
strictly the job of the judge. I always
request input from the prosecutor and
all crime victims who wish to speak at a
sentence hearing, and I always order
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
restitution for crime victims where it
is requested and verified. I also listen
to defense counsel’s elocution on
behalf of his or her client, and to the
defendant if he or she wishes to make
a statement. It would be improper for
me to provide an example of a situa-
tion where a deviation from the rec-
ommendation of the prosecutor would
be appropriate. Each case must be
decided on its own merits, in the
interest of justice for all concerned.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is protecting our
community from repeat and dangerous
criminal offenders. I am dedicated to
protecting our families from criminal
behavior. That is why I am endorsed
by the Police Officers Association of
Michigan, Oakland County Sheriff’s
Command Officers Association and
Michigan State Police-Groveland Team.
No. 2 is effective management of
court resources in a time of declining
tax revenue. The 52-2 District Court is
among the most fiscally-responsible
courts in Oakland County and the
state. I eliminated the $900,000-per-
year budget deficit taxpayers paid
before my election.
No. 3 is embracing innovative
methods to end recidivist criminal
behavior and educate youth about the
justice system. I created a state-recog-
nized sobriety court program, making
sober and productive citizens out of
alcohol-addicted drunk driving offend-
ers. Court in School takes real court
cases to high schools, allowing stu-
dents to see real defendants sen-
tenced for crimes like marijuana pos-
session, drunk driving, minor possess-
ing alcohol and retail fraud.
WHY YOU? Your district judge is the
first line of defense between criminal
offenders and your community — not
a job to trust to someone with limited
experience. My depth of experience
and proven dedication far exceeds that
of (the other) candidate in this race.
Experience as a trial attorney, as a
prosecutor and as a magistrate pre-
pared me well to serve as judge.
I have forged a reputation as an
innovator. As prosecutor, I created a
special team to prosecute sexual
offenders who victimized children.
That team was so successful that I
received an Achievement Award from
the National Association of Counties.
Continuing to innovate as judge, I
created the sobriety court program to
get drunk driving offenders sober; the
Community Service Garden, a produc-
tive alternative to jail for non-violent
offenders; and the Court in School
program to educate young people
about the consequences of criminal
behavior and substance abuse. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Six-year terms
Incumbent Phillip J. Abraham, chal-
lenger Shirley J. Bryant, incumbent
Sandra Ritter, and challengers Carlyle
Fielding Stewart and Timothy
Terpening will compete in the Tuesday,
Nov. 4 general election for two six-year
terms on the Oakland Community
College (OCC) Board of Trustees. OCC
trustees are not paid for their service.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions. Terpening didn’t respond to our
candidate questionnaire.
BOARD DYNAMICS: A recent report by
the Higher Learning Commission criti-
cized Board of Trustees members’
behavior, and some faculty and staff
members described the board as being
“dysfunctional.” Explain why you do or
don’t agree with those assessments. If
you agree, state how you would work
to improve board relations.
BUDGET: In what ways should OCC
seek to increase revenues, cut spend-
ing, or both, to remain on solid finan-
cial ground? Please explain why you do
or don’t agree with the way the cur-
rent board has handled OCC’s finances.
FACILITIES: Explain why you do or
don’t believe OCC’s building facilities
and equipment are adequate for pro-
grams needed to prepare students for
the future. What building or equipment
upgrades, if any, would you like to see?
PROGRAMS: Explain why you do or
don’t believe OCC is meeting the pub-
lic’s needs through existing programs.
What specific program changes, if any,
are necessary at this time.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the college at this
time, and how do you propose to
address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should vot-
ers choose you over your opponents?
PHILLIP J. ABRAHAM
BOARD DYNAMICS: The Higher
Learning Commission determined
board dynamics have been poor for
over 15 years. A big part of the prob-
lem is long-term trustee Sandra Ritter.
She has been on the board for 30
years, creating a disruptive and con-
frontational situation for board meet-
ings. Thus, an important part of the
solution is up to the voters this
November: They need to replace Ritter.
Another element of board dysfun-
tionality is the unseemly influence of
the faculty union. The Ritter faction
seems responsive only to them — not
to the public.
The Higher Learning Commission
had the same criticism of the OCC
Board over 10 years ago. Why should
we accept this? If the most disruptive
board members are replaced, it will be
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
OCC Trustees
Phillip J. Abraham has served on the OCC
Board of Trustees since 2002. A CPA, Abraham
is a managing partner with the accounting
firm Abraham & Associates, PC. He served on
the Royal Oak City Commission from 1989 to
1991 and 1996 to 1997, and the Citizen
Finance Committee for Royal Oak Schools
from 1993 to 1994.
relatively simple to address the Higher
Learning Commission concerns. The
board can meet with facilitators, provide
proper orientation for new members, and
run meetings in an orderly manner con-
sistent with Roberts’ Rules of Order.
BUDGET: The budget should reflect the
needs of our residents. More of the budg-
et should go to providing retraining pro-
grams, nursing training, online classes,
and technology-based classes. In the past
two years, too much of the budget has
gone to trustee trips out of state, and
out of the country, and to various trustee
perks; too little gets to the classroom.
It’s also important to maintain afford-
able tuitions. I oppose any increase in the
county millage; however, the renewal of
the existing millage in 2012 is critical for
maintaining OCC programs and facilities.
FACILITIES: OCC has done a good job
expanding facilities at the Highland Lakes
(Waterford) campus. In particular, the
new nursing wing, and the new medical
technology is critical for supplying our
area with needed nursing professionals.
OCC has to assure facilities have tech-
nology necessary for retraining programs,
medical, work study and other programs.
PROGRAMS: Retraining, technology,
online and nursing programs should be
the top priority for expansion. Oakland
County desperately needs strong retrain-
ing programs to retain citizens who have
lost their jobs. Extensive online courses
would allow those with work and family
obligations to get training or retraining
while balancing their other important
obligations. OCC needs to be a leader in
online courses and programs.
Technology-based employment is the
futurey. We need to assure that our citi-
zens have the skills necessary to move
this future forward with extensive and
appropriate courses and training.
Shirley J. Bryant has 35 years of experience in
public education as a teacher and adminis-
trator, including 28 years with Birmingham
Public Schools as executive director of com-
munity education/relations. She has served as
a trustee on OCC's Foundation Board; presi-
dent of the National Community Education
Association; board chair of Orchards
Children's Services; and chair of Birmingham
Youth Assistance.
The nursing needs in our area are well-
documented. OCC needs to expand nursing
training to assure we will be able to meet
the demands of an aging population.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is increase public
accountability. The OCC board needs to be
more publicly accountable. Board meet-
ings must be televised; trustee expendi-
tures must be brought to the board table
at each meeting; trustee credit cards
must be stopped; expensive out-of-state
trips must be severely curtailed; and for-
eign trips must be prohibited.
No. 2 is assure tax dollars are spent in
the classroom, not on wasteful adminis-
trative and board extravagances.
No. 3 is increasing technology. OCC
needs to dramatically increase online
class offerings, so that working people
have access to retraining and career train-
ing despite family and work responsibili-
ties. In addition, OCC needs to re-focus
the programs offered to provide more of
those in great demand in the community
— more technology-oriented classes,
more nursing and health care.
WHY YOU? We need to assure excellence
at OCC. My background will assure
greater accountability and responsibility
on the OCC Board: BA in accounting; over
20 years experience as a certified public
accountant; over 20 years working on
local boards and commissions, including
building authorities, audit review, asset
management, retirement boards and the
Royal Oak City Commission.
We need to stop the OCC trustee
abuse and end the OCC trustee credit
cards which have been flagrantly mis-
used; end the extravagant trustee trips
abroad, such as to China; televise OCC
board meetings so the public can see the
board in action; and assure competitive
bidding for all contracts.
OCC needs to begin extensive online
PAGE 35/MHW,WAT
courses that people can take from
home; it needs to increase courses in
areas where there is strong demand:
nursing, technology and job retraining.
SHIRLEY J. BRYANT
BOARD DYNAMICS: The assessment is
accurate and it has been that way for
many years. The 1998 Higher Learning
Commission report described the
board’s unprofessional and unproduc-
tive behavior. Ten years has passed
without improvement, but now the col-
lege’s actual accreditation may be
endangered. It’s time for new leader-
ship. I will advocate for bringing in a
conflict resolution and board develop-
ment expert. I will work to rebuild the
board’s trust and respect within the
college community and with taxpayers.
I will support the chancellor and his
administration in developing a partici-
pative strategic plan to help students
grow into productive and contributing
citizens with the essential job skills for
a global economy. The board must do a
better job to fulfill its responsibilities.
BUDGET: OCC has a budget of $150
million annually. Of that amount, 40
percent comes from the millage passed
in 2000. A millage renewal is necessary
for the college to avoid facing facility
deterioration or even worse, the neces-
sity of cutting or reducing programs for
students. In the current economy, mill-
age renewals will be a tough sell with
the public image the board has. The
board must regain the trust and
respect of the community.
OCC should rely on the goals of a
strategic plan and tie budget needs and
staff evaluation to the plan. More atten-
tion must be paid to students who
need new employment skills through
awarding scholarships.
It’s imperative the board have com-
petitive bids on construction projects
and tuition must remain affordable.
FACILITIES: The facilities appear to be
in good shape, though constant main-
tenance is necessary to protect taxpay-
ers’ investment. There’s a need for more
classrooms that are specifically enhanced
for use of technology. A $25 million
major renovation and expansion is
planned for the Southfield Campus which
is critical because the largest population
center serviced by OCC is now in the
southern part of the county, whereas the
largest campuses are located in the
northern sectors. Some renovation and
expansion of the administration building
should be untaken to create a board
room that is larger and more welcoming
to the public … or board meetings
should be moved to a larger facility.
Accommodations must be made to
videotape or cablecast board meetings.
PAGE 36 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
PAGE 36/MHW,WAT
OCC board
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 35
PROGRAMS: OCC’s nursing program
should expand because a large aging
population has created more demand.
OCC has the largest nursing prepara-
tion program in Michigan with a high
quality and quantity of offerings, but
it’s still not enough to meet the need.
Last year there were 600 applications
for 300 places in the program and the
average student had a GPA of 3.67.
Michigan will need 18,000 nurses by
2015, which OCC has a social and
moral obligation to meet.
OCC has become a transfer college
with 47 percent of students stating a
clear intention to go on for a four-year
degree. The college must expand its
best programs in health services, tech-
nology and human and public services
(such as training for firefighters and
police through the CREST program).
TOP ISSUES: We must improve the
board’s governance and ensure the col-
lege remains accredited by the Higher
Learning Commission. Without accredi-
tation, students can’t transfer their
credits to a four-year university. With
input from the staff and community,
the board should serve as policy archi-
tects while allowing staff to perform
management duties. Students deserve
board support in helping staff make
the college the best that it can be, and
constant turmoil on the board is not
helpful in reaching that goal. The col-
lege needs a clear vision for the future
achievable through a participative
strategic planning effort. Finally, the
mandate to respond to evolving needs
of students and community should
strengthen through greater participa-
tion in continuing education and
retraining for the job skills necessary in
today’s global economy.
WHY YOU? I have 35 years experience
in public education as a teacher and
administrator (28 years with Birming-
ham Public Schools as executive director
of community education/relations). I will
bring much needed professionalism and
integrity to the board. Board experience
includes: trustee of OCC Foundation
Board; president, National Community
Education Association; board chair,
Orchards Children’s Services; chair,
Birmingham Youth Assistance, trustee,
Leadership Detroit; and trustee,
Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of
Commerce. Awards and honors include:
Eastern Michigan University College of
Education Hall of Fame, 2007; the Anti-
Defamation League’s Women of
Achievement Award and the
Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of
Commerce “Athena Award” for out-
standing professional and community
service. I will work toward making OCC
our nation’s best community college.
SANDRA RITTER
BOARD DYNAMICS: I agree with the
Higher Learning Commission’s assess-
ments.
People who know me know I have a
successful history of being a consensus
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Sandra Ritter has served on the OCC Board of
Trustees since 1978. She has worked as a
principal at the Burton Glen Academy, assis-
tant principal at Waterford Mott High Schools,
director of development with Metropolitan
Affairs Corp., and a teacher in the Detroit and
Waterford school districts. Ritter has also been
a statewide coordinator for the Michigan
Adult Literacy Initiative and a higher educa-
tion consultant for the state Department of
Education.
builder and mediator. It’s those skills that
I will use to help develop positive relation-
ships with other board members to bring
about a board that is mission-driven and
focused. I have confidence in other mem-
bers and their ability to come together
and be keepers of the vision and dream
for OCC and our students.
BUDGET: I agree with the way the college
is handling finances. In the face of declin-
ing property tax revenue, increased health
care and retirement costs, and poor eco-
nomic conditions, the college is in a good
financial position. Our Standards and
Poor’s AA+ rating is based on steady
trends and healthy financial reserves; our
audit was clean and revealed the college
has a strong and liquid position regarding
reserves. Per the Higher Learning
Commission, “A review of the annual
financial statements and monthly budget
reports clearly indicate that the college
successfully manages its resources.”
FACILITIES: Bricks and mortar are not
particularly flexible when new programs or
needs arise. Our facilities were built to
respond to a culture that was solely cam-
pus based. Campus life is still a priority as
the Higher Learning Commission discovered
on their visit, “physical resources, build-
ings, and grounds are well maintained with
extensive renovation projects for aesthetics,
functionality, and enhancement of the edu-
cational environment.” We are using tech-
nology and thinking beyond the campus to
provide programs and instruction. Our
value to the community hinges on our abili-
ty to keep a step ahead of changing tech-
nology, employment and economic trends.
PROGRAMS: OCC is meeting the needs of
the public through its existing programs,
continued program review and develop-
ment of initiatives that provide our stu-
dents with the skills they need to be com-
petitive. We rely on our health care, man-
ufacturing and community partners to
help us interpret their industry’s trends
and develop educational programs that
best prepare our students to meet those
needs. Additionally, as noted in the Higher
Learning Commission’s report, “The
Strategic Plan for 2008-2012 clearly
demonstrates that the college under-
Carlyle Fielding Stewart has served on the
Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary
Board of Trustees for four years. Pastor of the
Hope United Methodist Church in Southfield
for the last 25 years, Stewart founded the
Carlyle Stewart Foundation, which gives
tuition and book scholarships to needy stu-
dents. He is also co-founder of the Southfield
Education Action Committee.
stands its own capacity for program
development, emerging technologies,
demographic shifts and globalization.”
TOP ISSUES: First is restoring public
trust in the board. I pledge to work with
the other members to establish leader-
ship goals and a common agenda. I will
help bring about a focus on college values
and strategic planning; and spend more
time celebrating accomplishments of the
faculty and successes of our students.
Second is investing our resources in
the economic development of our county.
We can expand our partnerships with the
stakeholders of Oakland County; intensify
our commitment to emerging sector com-
panies, Automation Alley and other pri-
vate and public initiatives to create jobs,
train and build a skilled workforce that is
flexible and knowledgeable.
Third is dealing with shrinking finan-
cial resources. Our challenge is to protect
the college programs and services while
being challenged by declining property tax
revenue, increased health care and retire-
ment costs, and in general, poor econom-
ic conditions regionally and nationally.
WHY YOU? Those who know me and
who have worked with me acknowledge
my commitment to education. As a pro-
fessional educator, volunteer, and public
servant, I have a profound grasp of the
issues that confront education.
As an OCC board member, you can rely
on my commitment to providing quality
instruction and programs. I have 30 years
of service to the college and demonstrat-
ed my commitment to putting students
first. The college possesses a strong fac-
ulty, exemplary programs and student
development services. I pledge continued
support to work with all stakeholders to
make sure our programs continue to be
timely, relevant, accessible and affordable.
CARLYLE FIELDING STEWART
BOARD DYNAMICS: Shared governance is
an important hallmark of OCC, which
means that the Board of Trustees, faculty,
employees, students, and community col-
laborate in making decisions that will ulti-
mately affect the life, health and vitality
of the college. This process should clarify
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
purpose and unite decision-makers
around common goals and objectives.
For shared governance to have mean-
ing, the board should also practice it.
I would work as a harmonizing and
unifying force by helping to establish
new ground rules for interaction and
communication that will help create
board solidarity and refocus its funda-
mental purpose for being.
BUDGET: Maintaining and balancing
the budget are always important. As
prudent stewards of its various
resources, the college should increase
revenues by supporting the upcoming
mileage, by offering quality programs
that will draw students and increase
enrollment, and by developing coopera-
tive education opportunities that will
encourage industries to subsidize those
OCC programs that help train and qual-
ify their labor forces. Strengthening the
Business and Community Alliance
would also be helpful.
FACILITIES: The Board should regular-
ly review the condition of college facili-
ties and where feasible make necessary
recommendations for renewal,
improvement and new building con-
struction through capital projects.
PROGRAMS: The college is meeting the
current needs of the public but there is
room for improvement. Continuing
emphasis should insist on developing
educational programs that will prepare
students to vocationally and profes-
sionally compete and qualify for jobs in
the current job market. Meaningful
education also means relevant educa-
tion; helping students to receive the
type of training that will place them
head and shoulders above peers.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is getting the
mileage passed which is approximately
60 percent of the current OCC budget.
No. 2 is developing board unity and
implementing regular board self-evalua-
tions so it can move beyond its current
factionalism and work in the best inter-
ests of the college and the people of
Oakland County. No. 3 is cultivating a
unified strategic plan including policies
for establishing and perpetuating solid
accreditation; developing more top-
notch programs for students, strength-
ening faculty, clerical and administrative
support, and instituting plans for the
enhancement of all areas of the college.
WHY YOU? As former student, I have
attained the highest degree in my field,
the Ph.D., and know what it means to
be a student in a competitive academic
program. As former professor, I under-
stand the demands, needs and chal-
lenges of faculty as persons and profes-
sionals. As a board member of an insti-
tute of higher education, I have experi-
ence that gives me insight into the
ethics, expectations and operations of
board members. As a senior pastor for
25 years, I have compassion for people
and know how to negotiate and work
to achieve goals and objectives. As a
student of life, husband and father, I’m
still learning, still eager to learn and
have an open mind and sense of adven-
ture for the learning process. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Partial Term
Sherry Cormier-Kuhn, Debbie
Macon, Christopher P. Maloney, and
Thomas Patrick Sullivan will face off in
the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election
for a partial term on the Oakland
Community College (OCC) Board of
Trustees. The winner will serve a term
ending Dec. 31, 2010. OCC trustees
are not paid for their service.
The following are questions our staff
recently posed to the candidates, and
their responses to those questions.
BOARD DYNAMICS: A recent report
by the Higher Learning Commission
criticized current Board of Trustees
members’ behavior, and some faculty
and staff members have reportedly
described the board as being “dys-
functional.” Please explain why you do
or don’t agree with those assess-
ments. If you agree, state how you
would work to improve board member
relations.
BUDGET: In what ways should OCC
seek to either increase its revenues,
cut spending, or both, in order to
remain on solid financial ground?
Please explain why you do or don’t
agree with the way the current board
has handled OCC’s finances in the last
two years.
FACILITIES: Please explain why you
do or don’t believe OCC’s building
facilities and equipment are adequate
for offering the kind of programs
needed to prepare students for the
future. What specific building or
equipment upgrades, if any, would you
like to see?
PROGRAMS: Please explain why you
do or don’t believe OCC is meeting the
public’s needs — including students’
and employers’ — through existing
program offerings. What specific pro-
gram changes, if any, are necessary at
this time.
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your oppo-
nents?
SHERRY CORMIER-KUHN
BOARD DYNAMICS: Anyone watching
the OCC Board would be appalled at
the disruptive conduct of some board
members. In the face of that disrup-
tive conduct, it’s obvious that the
OCC board chairs have been unable to
maintain orderly meetings or to
assure proper adherence to Roberts’
Rules of Order. Because the Board has
been incapable of reining in the mis-
conduct of its members, the voters
must be the ones to decide whether
they want this kind of representation
— during this year’s OCC elections.
Other than the continual disruption
of board meetings, the Higher
Learning Commission’s issues are eas-
ily resolved. Full orientation of new
board members should be instituted.
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
OCC Trustees
Sherry Cormier-Kuhn is an instructor of higher
education in Wayne State University's College
of Education. She is a former instructor at
Western Oregon University and a general and
special education teacher in the L'Anse
Creuse School District. She has been a mem-
ber of the Network of Michigan Educators
Steering Committee and the Michigan
Development Disabilities Council Education
Work Group Subcommittee. Cormier-Kuhn
served on the Royal Oak Board of Education
from 1992 to 1996.
The board should establish a facilitator
to work with board members, as they
have in the past. Finally, the board chair
must insist that Roberts’ Rules of Order
are followed during meetings, and that
trustees act with respect and civility
toward each other.
BUDGET: OCC must keep its tuition
affordable — particularly in these hard
times. If we want to retain our citizens
whose jobs have disappeared, we need
to provide retraining that is affordable. If
we want to provide training for our
young men and women just out of high
school, so that they can stay in this area
with good jobs near their families, the
tuition for that training must be afford-
able.
OCC can work within the current mill-
age level, if we stop inappropriate expen-
ditures and have proper financial over-
sight.
OCC must stop the wasteful spending
on trustee perks that has continued for
years and years with the current board.
Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for inter-
national trips for trustees. The trustees’
frequent out-of-state trips should be lim-
ited. It’s inappropriate for trustees to be
going to all these exotic places, staying
at five-star hotels, and all at the taxpay-
ers’ expense.
FACILITIES: OCC has committed around
$15 million annually to building mainte-
nance and improvement. OCC needs to
continue to look to the needs of the
community when deciding their future
building, facility and equipment needs.
The new wings at the Highland Lakes
Campus have been important because of
the overwhelming need for additional
nurses and medical assistants in our
area.
It’s important that OCC’s buildings be
Debbie Macon has served on the West
Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees for the
past 12 years, served two four-year terms on
the Bloomfield Hills Board of Education, and
has been vice chairwoman of the Oakland
School-To-Work Partnership/Educational
Advisory Group.
properly maintained and up-to-date tech-
nology be provided for training and
retraining; however, there is no need for
expansion to new and different locations
— as suggested by some OCC trustees.
Instead, OCC should look to expanding
its online course and program selection.
Online courses and programs will allow
significant expansion while improving
accessibility for those living at a distance
from the OCC campus offering a particu-
lar course or program.
PROGRAMS: The need for online pro-
grams and courses is paramount.
Unfortunately, OCC has lagged way
behind other post-secondary institutions
in these kinds of offerings. That’s too
bad. OCC was established to provide
training for students, many of whom
have conflicting family and job responsi-
bilities. Online courses would be far and
away the most effective means of reach-
ing these students. Online courses
would provide more flexibility for those
seeking retraining and training, as well
as easier accessibility for those living too
far from a particular campus offering a
program or course. It makes no sense to
force residents of Milford, for example,
to have to go down to Southfield in the
middle of a week day to get courses only
offered at that campus.
WHY YOU? I will bring change to OCC’s
dysfunctional board. I have extensive
experience in education: BA, MA, Ed.D.
degrees in education; 17 years as a spe-
cial education teacher; four years on a
local school board; National Board of
Professional Teaching Standards certifi-
cation; numerous education seminars
and training programs.
I will stop the outrageous abuse of
credit cards by trustees who spend tax-
payer money for their own personal
PAGE 37/MHW,WAT
expenses. This practice, which violates
state law, has gone unchecked for far
too long.
I will oppose expensive and unnec-
essary trips by trustees. For example,
just this August, trustees voted to
send one of their own to China. These
sorts of trips have nothing to do with
education in Oakland County and
everything to do with trustee abuse.
I will work to get tax dollars to the
classroom: increasing nursing, tech-
nology-oriented, and online classes.
Those are areas where the Oakland
taxpayers need their dollars spent.
DEBBIE MACON
BOARD DYNAMICS: The fact that the
board is dysfunctional can’t be disput-
ed. As a board member I will actively
work to address expectations for the
board as identified by the Higher
Learning Commission. I favor cre-
ating a distinct eight member board
leadership team inclusive of the seven
elected board members and the chan-
cellor. Improving relationships among
and between members of the board
leadership team is both a function of
the amount of time members spend
together and how their time together
is utilized. I suggest increasing the
number of meetings and workshop
sessions to allow members to work
with a leadership coach, mediator or
facilitator on the specific disciplines
necessary for building high trust rela-
tionships inclusive of listening, com-
municating, consensus building, coop-
erating, problem-solving and self
assessment. As a board member, I will
work toward creating and sustaining
the high trust environment necessary
for effective stewardship, teaching,
learning and innovation to occur.
BUDGET: OCC is currently on solid
financial ground as a result of the con-
fidence and foresight of voters to pro-
vide a charter millage in 1964 and
renewable millage authorized for 2002
through 2012. I agree with the way
OCC’s finances have been handled in
the past two years due primarily to
the existence of the college’s 2002-
2007 Strategic Plan and the follow
through by college administration and
staff to execute its objectives. The
board has to date not adopted a
strategic plan beyond 2007. I believe
it’s imperative for the board to adopt
a new Strategic Plan, moving effective-
ly to support our region’s economy by
preparing students for our future.
FACILITIES: With the very recent
adoption by the board of a major
expansion of the Southfield Campus,
planned over the next three-and-a-half
years, OCC’s facilities and equipment
will be capable of more adequately
PAGE 38 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
PAGE 38/MHW,WAT
OCC board
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 37
meeting the needs of a diverse stu-
dent body for future employment in
health sciences. Continuous technolo-
gy upgrades will demand attention as
more individuals seek the flexibility of
distance learning. The emerging sec-
tors will additionally dictate expanded
emphasis in the future.
PROGRAMS: OCC meets the public’s
needs by an ever expanding array of
innovative program offerings. Campus
leaders are sensitive to the needs of a
very diverse student body. I have
observed first-hand how very effec-
tively OCC administrators and educa-
tors work with students of all ages,
local school districts and businesses
within the community. In fact, almost
everyone I’ve spoken with in the last
several weeks has a great story to
share about their relationship with
OCC. The college is a gem and I look
forward to supporting its mission.
WHY YOU? Active study and hands-
on practical application of governance
best practices as both a township
trustee and school board member
have well prepared me for the role of
OCC trustee. I’m viewed by con-
stituents as respectful, community-
minded, inclusive, an independent
thinker, a consensus builder and
skilled in dialogue and deliberation —
all disciplines honed and practiced as
a long-time leader in the League of
Women Voters and a great diversity of
non-profit and community-based
organizations.
I well understand the roles and
responsibilities of governance boards
including those that have adopted the
policy governance model, as has the
OCC board, from years of active par-
ticipation in board professional develop-
ment as both a student and teacher.
Since 1992, I have served in leader-
ship roles as part of Oakland County’s
commitment to preparing students for
the workplace, effectively leveraging my
formal education and degrees in both
education and business.
CHRISTOPHER P. MALONEY
BOARD DYNAMICS: The term “dys-
functional” isn’t the correct term to
be applied to this situation. wherefore
the current OCC Board of Trustees
members have acted unprofessionally
in a position which requires profes-
sionalism. I do agree with the fact
that our current leaders of OCC have
presented themselves unbecoming
merit the position and purpose of
their elected office. Even though polit-
ical parties have their differences and
friction naturally occurs among
diverse peoples, the primary position
and purpose of OCC trustee is that
the quality of education for students
comes first. As a trustee of OCC, it
will be my responsibility as a leader in
our community that bridges be built
to overcome these frictions. With it I
bring my experience from the automo-
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Christopher P. Maloney has over 20 years
experience working in industrial leadership in
the automotive and defense industries, and
over five years entrepreneurial leadership in
small business development and manage-
ment inclusive to service to the U.S.
Department of Defense, the Pentagon, and
various defense contractors.
tive industry where such a diverse work-
force is evident and success in bridging
social issues is an everyday success.
BUDGET: I don’t agree with how the
current board has managed fiscal respon-
sibility. To being with, we must redefine
the purpose of the college. First, stu-
dents must be adequately prepared to
matriculate into four-year schools, i.e.
the University of Michigan, Michigan
State University, Wayne State University,
etc., or gain the necessary skills in order
to achieve long-term secure employment.
The current curriculum at OCC must
reflect this purpose. In doing so, there
will need to be spending cuts in certain
obsolete areas of the curriculum. This will
make the school more efficient and effec-
tive. Likewise, increased spending will
need to occur in areas which will make
students competitive in both academia and
industry. Wasteful college operational costs
will need to be reviewed and cuts will be
made, as needed.
FACILITIES: Having attended both MIT
and the University of Chicago, I’m a firm
believer that it isn’t the buildings which
constitute the physical structure of a
school, but rather the quality of the teach-
ers. It has been my experience when I
attended the University of Michigan, that
it built beautify buildings, but the quality
of education was basic, at best. It’s my
own preference that I would rather study
in a barn under the direction of a Nobel
laureate as opposed to attending a beau-
tiful campus and learn from a proverbial
nobody. At this time, with the economy
in such a depressing state, I see the cur-
rent structures of OCC being more than
adequate to do the job. With that being
said, it would benefit OCC more to invest
in our current teachers, and to hire those
better to help augment the quality of
education offered at OCC.
PROGRAMS: At this time OCC isn’t meet-
ing our community’s needs. The curricu-
lum at OCC is mediocre at best. As I have
said before, we must work together to
redefine the purpose of OCC. It’s my
direction to see that it develop students
first and foremost for the transfer into
competitive four-year institutions. If this
isn’t the ambition of the student, then
Thomas Patrick Sullivan has had a dental
practice for 40 years. He's served as president
of the Oakland County Dental Society, a
trustee with the Michigan Dental Association,
and treasurer of the Michigan Dental
Association Insurance and Financial Group
Board of Directors. Sullivan has been director
of the OCC Foundation for the last 12 years,
and treasurer of the foundation for the last
eight years.
they need to be provided with the best
vocational training that will help ensure
long-term secure employment in the
workforce. The programs that need
more development are those in math,
science, and engineering.
WHY YOU? Experience: Over 20 years
educational leadership resulting in train-
ing at both the world’s most prestigious
technical institute, the MIT Sloan School
of Industrial Management, and one of
the world’s finest scientific research uni-
versities, the University of Chicago; over
20 years industrial leadership in the
automotive and defense industries on
projects exceeding $1 billion in research
and development costs with profits in
the multiple billions; and over five years
entrepreneurial leadership in small busi-
ness development and management
inclusive to service to the U.S.
Department of Defense, the Pentagon,
and various defense contractors.
THOMAS PATRICK SULLIVAN
BOARD DYNAMICS: I agree that the
Board of Trustees of Oakland Community
College have been dysfunctional, and
have acted in an uncivil, disrespectful
manner. With over 30 years of board
experience, both on non-profit and for-
profit boards, I would work within the
board structure to change the existing
image, and increase the morale of the
college community. This would be
accomplished by treating people with
respect, dignity, plus working with the
other trustees in a collegial, collaborative
manner to accomplish the mission of
Oakland Community College.
BUDGET: There are three main sources
of revenue for funding Oakland
Community College. They are state
appropriations, approximately 13 per-
cent; tuition and fees, 24 percent; and
property taxes, 61.5 percent. With the
support of the taxpayers of Oakland
County and the passage of the millage
renewal, we can keep Oakland
Community College on solid financial
ground. I believe that the budget has
been well managed. As an aside, I don’t
think that the Oakland Community
College board needs to pay consultants
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
to improve respect and all-around
board relations. The people that the
voters elect to represent them should
act responsibly in the discharge of
their duties as trustees of Oakland
Community College.
FACILITIES: The Higher Learning
Commission found that Oakland
Community College is blessed with
facilities that are conducive to a pro-
ductive learning environment. There
has been $25 million appropriated for
improving and expanding the
Southfield Campus, and this shows
that Oakland Community College is
addressing the needs facility and
equipment-wise to prepare students
for the future. There are always on
going to be maintenance issues that
need to be addressed in order to keep
Oakland Community College a state-of-
the-art educational facility.
PROGRAMS: Oakland Community
College has an advisory committee on
workforce and economic development.
The goal is to address the education
and training needs of the community,
always aiming to keep more current.
There is ongoing assessment of
Oakland Community College’s educa-
tional programs, services and opera-
tions, given our rapidly changing eco-
nomic climate.
WHY YOU? It’s time for change; the
Oakland Community College board has
been plagued with problems for some
time, being labeled non-collaborative,
lacking civility, and dysfunctional.
I bring to the Board of Trustees
over 30 years of board experience. I
have served the Oakland County
Dental Society as councilman, treasur-
er, secretary, president-elect, president
(1980-1981) and past president. On
the state level, I was a trustee of the
Michigan Dental Association from
1984 to 1991, and served as a mem-
ber of the Michigan Dental Association
Insurance and Financial Group Board
of Directors, a for-profit corporation
(1989-2002). During this time I was
treasurer. I have had the opportunity
to be a director of the Oakland
Community College Foundation since
1996 to the present, plus the privi-
lege of serving as its treasurer since
2000 to present. I also serve as a
director of the Meadowbrook Center
for Learning Differences as its treasur-
er.
As a candidate for trustee of
Oakland Community College, with my
experience on both non-profit and for-
profit boards, I know my role as a
board member and would work dili-
gently to represent the people of
Oakland County.
If I’m elected trustee I would work
within the board structure to change
the existing image, and increase the
morale of the college community. This
could be accomplished by treating
people with respect, dignity, plus
working with the other trustees in a
collegial, collaborative manner to
accomplish the mission of Oakland
Community College. ❏
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general election voter guide

Walled Lake School Board

Incumbent Dr. William Balestrino,
challengers Mathew Cornish and Greg
Janicki, and incumbent Kathy J. Lyall
will face off in the Tuesday, Nov. 4
general election for two six-year terms
on the Walled Lake Schools Board of
Education. School board members
aren’t paid for their service.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
LAND ACQUISITION: Last year the
Board of Education approved spending
$4.62 million to acquire 80.31 acres
of Proud Lake Recreation Area proper-
ty for use as a future school building
site, despite projections indicating the
district’s student enrollment will con-
tinue to decline. Tell us why you do or
don’t believe the acquisition was a
good decision in the public’s best
interest. If you’re inclined to disagree
with the decision, would you go so far
as to advocate selling the land and
refunding the proceeds to taxpayers,
who provided the money for the land
acquisition by approving a bond issue?
BUDGET: Michigan’s schools face a
permanent budget crisis. In what spe-
cific areas do you believe the district
must change its spending? On the
revenue side, in what ways should the
district be looking for new funding
sources? What, if any, changes would
you like to see at the state level to
address school funding?
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: State lawmakers
have discussed legislation that would
allow public school officials to carry
concealed weapons inside school
buildings in an effort to deter the kind
of gun violence tragedies witnessed
across the nation in recent years.
Please state why you do or don’t think
it’s a good idea for school officials to
carry guns while in school buildings.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the district at
this time, and how do you propose to
address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your oppo-
nent(s)?
WILLIAM BALESTRINO
LAND ACQUISITION: If previous
school boards had lacked the foresight
to purchase land for future school
sites, Walled Lake as a district would
not have had the capability to grow
with the expanding population.
Granted, vacant land would most likely
have been available for the elementary,
middle and high schools that we have
built. However, the cost of acquiring
the needed properties immediately
prior to construction would have been
at a significantly higher cost to tax-
payers.
At present, projections for our stu-
dent population are declining. It’s only
Dr. William Balestrino has served on the
Walled Lake Schools Board of Education
since 2004. He has a dentistry practice in
Novi.
another sign of Michigan’s economic sit-
uation. It’s wise to assume that once the
economy improves, and it shall, the
quality of Walled Lake Consolidated
Schools will attract young families to our
area again. At that time the Proud Lake
property will become a valuable asset for
our continued growth.
BUDGET: School funding is the major
issue facing all school districts. School
funding in the state has a basic structur-
al deficit: By that I mean, until there is a
change from how Michigan schools are
funded we will continually run into finan-
cial difficulties.
Proposition 11 must be altered or
eliminated so that the state is not redis-
tributing taxes from our area to other
districts. School funding must have more
local control. Walled Lake Schools area
residents have always been generous
and supportive of education.
Beyond significant legislative
changes, we as a district must continue
the “belt-tightening” and look to other
potential revenue streams. Increasing
the support of local fund raising (for
example; the Foundation for Excellence)
is one possibility. These programs pro-
vide classroom resources that might
otherwise come from the district’s gen-
eral fund.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: No.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is union negotia-
tions. Encourage the shared vision of
our district in working toward excel-
lence. Present solutions that do not pun-
ish our great employees and teachers
and yet give the district some breathing
room with the budget through shared
sacrifice.
No. 2 is the current funding short-
fall. In addition to requesting help from
our employees during negotiations, I
would press for more department budg-
et cutting and improved efficiencies.
Although other districts have priva-
tized certain departments and services,
it should only be as a last resort. All the
district’s employees have shown dedica-
tion to our schools and students.
Thanking them by eliminated their posi-
Mathew Cornish has worked for several
southeast Michigan financial services firms
over the past 10 years. He has also worked
in the public sector with Michigan munici-
palities and universities.
tion is just wrong.
It can’t be stressed enough that addi-
tional educational program cuts or their
elimination can only be considered in the
most desperate of situations.
No. 3 is meeting educational
needs/state requirements in the current
fiscal situation; maintaining the pro-
grams that our children benefit most
from; and minimizing cuts that directly
effect students.
WHY YOU? Having lived in the district
over 20 years, I have seen many changes
effected by the area’s growth. All three
of my children have attended Walled
Lake Schools from kindergarten through
high school. Through my children’s
school experiences and as a business-
man, I have obtained a perspective of
both the positive and negatives of our
district. I believe my view is one that is
shared with many parents and business
owners in our area.
My school board experience has been
during one of the most difficult times for
Michigan. The poor economy has been
reflected in the budget woes that we
have faced as a school district. During
the last four years I have strived to mini-
mize budget cuts to programs that
would impact on the children’s educa-
tion.
I will use my experience as a school
board trustee, a parent and area busi-
nessman to shape my decisions and
guide me, always keeping the children
and their educational experience the pri-
ority.
MATHEW CORNISH
LAND ACQUISITION: The financial out-
look for most Michigan school districts
is at best challenging. Walled Lake is no
different. While purchasing land is some-
times necessary, I must admit this pur-
chase is puzzling. I believe such purchas-
es should only be made when the need
is clear and plans for use defined.
Unfortunately in today’s economy,
undoing this purchase might not be fea-
sible. The board must determine how it
can use this land in a financially respon-
sible manner. This might include selling
the property or some other use.
Whatever the decision, it must be in
the best interest of the district both
educationally and financially. We do not
have the luxury of expansion without
strong justification.
BUDGET: It doesn’t take an in-depth
review of revenues and expenditures
to figure out that the district is facing
major challenges. Funding is flat at
best with little prospect of this chang-
ing. Expenditures are down slightly
but not nearly enough. The district
has been balancing the budget by
using its savings. Unfortunately, this
can’t last forever.
The district must be proactive to
grow revenues by capitalizing on its
reputation to attract new students. It
must also be proactive in working to
keep existing students. Further, the
district must take a difficult and
detailed review of all expenditures.
Expenditures must be brought in line
with revenues. Failing to make these
difficult decisions now could result in
decisions later that are even more dif-
ficult.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: If security is a
concern, then it should be addressed
through a comprehensive security plan
undertaken by the district in conjunc-
tion with state and local law enforce-
ment. Allowing school administrators
to carry concealed weapons inside
school buildings doesn’t promote the
overall safety of students or staff. The
district must proactively address secu-
rity concerns in a comprehensive man-
ner long before such plans are needed.
Allowing school officials to carry
concealed weapons is neither a com-
prehensive nor well thought out plan.
Allowing such action could actually
reduce the overall security by introduc-
ing other unintended opportunities for
violence.
TOP ISSUES: The most important
issue facing the district is navigating
the changed financial environment
while preserving the high educational
quality for which Walled Lake has
become known. The district must
make difficult decisions in allocating
funding across its many educational
priorities. We must focus on core fun-
damentals such as limiting class sizes
and providing proper instructional
resources to ensure the highest quali-
ty education.
We don’t have the luxury of funding
programs that may provide value but
don’t directly support the most impor-
tant priorities. The district must be
proactive. The District must not make
decisions as a response to surround-
ing school districts. Schools today
must compete for every dollar of fund-
ing. A reactive district is an uncompet-
itive district. An uncompetitive district
risks further erosion in enrollment and
PAGE 40 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
PAGE 40/MHW,WAT
School board
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 39
subsequently reduced funding.
WHY YOU? I am passionate to see
that Walled Lake retains its reputation
as an outstanding place to learn. I am
driven to make sure every aspect of
the district’s operations remain finan-
cially healthy not only today but in the
future, as well. I’m focused on educa-
tional quality, financial responsibility,
and creativity. I believe these charac-
teristics will be essential for Walled
Lake to retain its reputation for edu-
cational excellence.
As a parent in the district, I want
to work to ensure that all children are
completely prepared when they gradu-
ate. We must make every effort to
give our children the greatest educa-
tional opportunities available. I will
work to make this happen.
GREG JANICKI
LAND ACQUISITION: Understanding a
complex and important action like the
one described requires research and
due diligence. As I was not on the
board at the time, I can’t evaluate a
decision out of context without the
information the board had available
and considered at that time. What I
can describe is my decision-making
process, if this issue came to the
board’s attention during my tenure,
should I be elected. Every decision I
make will begin with a thorough
analysis of all available information —
asking lots of questions of both inter-
nal and external sources. Any recom-
mendation then must be based on
whether the decision supports our
district’s mission. I will consistently
recommend decisions that serve the
best interest of district students.
BUDGET: The premise of your ques-
tion, while accurate to a point, is
quite pessimistic. I believe our state
will recover, but do understand that
school funding will continue to be a
top priority that must be addressed.
Regarding changes to the district
spending, I believe programs that
have the most direct impact on stu-
dent achievement should be support-
ed. However, school funding decisions
will never be about simple choices
that can be summarized in a brief
questionnaire. Investments the Walled
Lake School District makes must be
clearly linked to the district’s mission
to be “the best educational system in
America.” Making judgments about
revenue or expense choices now, out
of context of the issues facing the dis-
trict at a particular moment, trivializes
the complex decisions that must be
made. I will recommend decisions that
serve the best interest of district stu-
dents.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: We should con-
tinue to explore effective and proven
safety approaches and active interven-
tion strategies, as the district has
done, to address the risk of such
events occurring. I don’t believe that
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Greg Janicki is chief operating officer at
CSM Worldwide. He has served on the
Walled Lake Schools Foundation for
Excellence and the district's NCA
Leadership Team since 2007.
the current state of safety and security
in the Walled Lake Schools necessitates
arming school officials with guns.
TOP ISSUES: My top priorities for the
Walled Lake School District are to sup-
port curriculum that creates student
leaders; deliver effective resources to
ensure a safe, high-performing district;
and establish clear measures of success
in all areas.
To achieve these goals, I will recom-
mend decisions that serve the best
interest of district students. I will also
endeavor to provide the district team
with the resources necessary to deliver
curriculum and services to achieve stu-
dent success. Additionally, I believe the
district must emphasize community
involvement, encouraging parental sup-
port in and out of the classroom. Also, I
would encourage all areas to closely
examine their impact on the achievement
of the district’s mission and ensure that
every member of the district team
knows that they have a positive influ-
ence on district success.
WHY YOU? I’m running for the Walled
Lake Board of Education because I
believe in the district’s mission to be
“…the best educational system in
America.” As a parent and community
member, I believe our district can pro-
duce caring and responsible students
who will lead our community.
I’m active in the Walled Lake School
District through my current role as a
trustee on the Walled Lake Foundation
for Excellence, as a member of the
District NCA Leadership Team and as
chairman of various PTA fund-raising
committees. Additionally, my role as chief
operating officer with CSM Worldwide has
provided me an opportunity to demon-
strate that I can make mission-critical
decisions, create results with and through
other people, and lead by building a vision
that others want to be a part of. All these
skills are necessary for a school board
trustee to be successful.
KATHY J. LYALL
LAND ACQUISITION: I support the
Board of Education’s decision to pur-
chase the Proud Lake Recreation Area
Kathy J. Lyall has served on the Walled
Lake Schools Board of Education since
February 2008. She is the Loon Lake
Elementary School PTA president. Lyall is
also currently vice president of the Twin
Suns Lakes Homeowners Association, and
previously served as secretary.
property for use of a future school build-
ing site. In the year 2000 this bond was
passed because Walled Lake’s projec-
tions for enrollment continuously
increased. We didn’t own any suitable
property that could be used to build a
new middle or high school. Projections
with regards to enrollment are difficult
to predict in Michigan because of our
economy and populations shifts. For
example, we predicted declining enroll-
ment for this school year; however, our
enrollment actually increased.
This Board of Education has the
responsibility to procure building sites
within our district for future boards.
Some of our most recent construction
was made possible because of property
purchased more than 20 years ago.
Without this property, we would not
own land suitable to building a middle or
high school in the future.
BUDGET: There are several ways our
district can continue to modernize how
we spend our monies. We must continue
to look for grants to offset our general
operating budget. We must carry on
working with Oakland Schools to find
innovative ways to save money while
providing the same services our commu-
nity anticipates. Finally, we need to con-
sistently use our sinking fund to repair
and replace routinely used items; for
example, boilers, roofs, etc.
The state must guarantee funding at
the rate of inflation and consistently dis-
burse payments on a timely basis. The
state should not have the option to
make mid-year cuts. The state budget
should be adopted before schools are
required to finalize their budgets.
Sinking funds should be expanded to
include expenditures such as buses and
technology. This would allow us to
spend more funds from our general
budget on areas that directly affect our
students’ ability to achieve.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: I don’t agree with
school officials carrying concealed
weapons in schools. We have trained
administers and staff, plus our liaison
officers assigned to each of our high
schools, to handle emergency situations
safely. Our students take part in regular
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
drills involving a number of emergen-
cies, including lockdowns. On Sept.
18, 2008, I witnessed Walled Lake
Schools’ emergency readiness during a
Patriot Services emergency simulation
at Western High School. This simula-
tion was funded through a Homeland
Security grant. For me, it was a dis-
turbing situation to witness and one I
hope our district never faces; however,
our staff and students did a superb
job taking their responsibilities seri-
ously while focusing on several situa-
tions simultaneously. We have con-
firmed through this exercise, not only
are we prepared to work and commu-
nicate with five law enforcement agen-
cies efficiently, but our staff can utilize
their training and apply it while being
professional and sensitive.
TOP ISSUES: My focus will remain in
the classroom. I’m dedicated to mini-
mizing the impact of budget reduc-
tions in areas directly affecting our
student’s ability to achieve. I take
responsibility for budget decisions and
will work diligently to reduce the
effect on our programs, staff and stu-
dents.
I believe our district needs to pro-
vide every student with a first-rate
education, regardless of academic and
social challenges. I support interven-
tions such as Reading Recovery,
Reading and Math Essentials, Project
Rise, and Community High School. In
addition, I believe we need to maintain
support systems to ensure every stu-
dent is successful.
Our district needs to remain
focused on continuing to improve stu-
dent achievement, reflective in bench-
mark and state assessments, and
improved graduation rates. I support
giving our staff more collaborative
time to analyze individual student’s
data and implement best practices.
WHY YOU? I am passionate about
remaining on the Walled Lake School
Board because I believe in our dis-
trict’s educational standards. I’m the
proud involved parent of two elemen-
tary school children. Since my appoint-
ment (02/08), I have toured all 22
schools, met all principals, many staff,
transportation personnel and school
administrators. It has been a priority
for me to meet parents and con-
stituents to learn more about our
diverse community.
I will continue using my results-ori-
ented management strategies acquired
during professional and volunteer
experiences to make our district supe-
rior by securing long-term resources,
developing cutting-edge curriculum,
providing safe environments, and
maintaining open communication. My
highest priority will be our students.
Examples of my community service
include: Walled Lake School Board,
Lakes Area Youth Assistance, PTA
President (three terms) and Legisla-
tive Representative, vice president and
secretary for my homeowners associa-
tion, and creating the resolution to
Keep Michigan Students Safe. ❏
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Partial Term
Huron Valley School Board
Challenger Sean Carlson and incum-
bent Joe Ghislain will face off in the
Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election for a
partial term on the Huron Valley
Schools Board of Education. The win-
ner will serve until Dec. 31, 2009.
Board members are paid $30 per
meeting.
The following are questions our
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses.
BUDGET: In what specific areas do
you believe the district must change
its spending? In what ways should the
district be looking for new funding
sources? What, if any, changes would
you like to see at the state level to
address school funding?
SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT: The
Huron Valley board has extended
Superintendent Jackie Johnston’s con-
tract for an additional year. Johnston
is now under contract to work from
July 1, 2008 until June 30, 2011.
Please explain why you do or don’t
support the common practice of annu-
ally extending a superintendent’s con-
tract by one year.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: State lawmakers
have discussed legislation allowing
public school officials to carry con-
cealed weapons inside schools to
deter the kind of gun violence
tragedies witnessed across the nation.
State why you do or don’t think it’s a
good idea for school officials to carry
guns while in school buildings.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the district, and
how do you propose to address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should vot-
ers choose you over your opponents?
SEAN CARLSON
BUDGET: We need to review how well
we are leveraging the district’s spend-
ing and at what level we are involved
in cooperative purchasing programs
that help contain costs. Are we using
state (MiDEAL) and local cooperative
purchasing programs to manage dol-
lars being spent?
Regarding revenues, we should
work closely with local leaders to
encourage commercial development.
More businesses in the district is one
way to increase revenue.
Lansing needs to address the
inequity in the per-pupil foundation
allowance we receive. There’s no rea-
son our children should receive less in
state funding. Yet students in neigh-
boring districts like Walled Lake and
West Bloomfield receive a higher per-
pupil allowance than students attend-
ing Huron Valley, anywhere from $200
to $1,000 more.
SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT: I
don’t support the current practice.
Adding extensions to contracts that
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Sean Carlson has worked as director of
corporate procurement for Blue Cross Blue
Shield Michigan, chief procurement officer
for the state of Michigan, and chief of staff
for Speaker of the House Andy Dillon.
far in advance leaves the district finan-
cially exposed and at risk. If for whatever
reason the board made the decision to
go in a different direction on leadership,
the district would be at risk of paying
two superintendent salaries. The board
shouldn’t consider extending the con-
tract until 12 to 18 months prior to the
end of the contract.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: A gun carried by
school officials won’t deter an event. If
there’s a concern about violence a better
solution would be to work with local
police to provide support and presence. I
also believe the knowledge of students
that school officials could be carrying
weapons would create an adverse effect
on the learning process.
TOP ISSUES: A quality education is
what’s needed to prepare the children of
Huron Valley for college and a competi-
tive workforce. A centerpiece to ensuring
a quality education is pursuing best-in-
class student/teacher ratios. Huron
Valley schools have a 25:1 pupil/teacher
ratio, one of highest in the county.
Critical teaching and learning can’t take
place with lopsided ratios. This is espe-
cially true in the kindergarten through
fourth-grade.
A balanced budget is equally impor-
tant. A core strategy should be an
aggressive plan calling on Lansing to
provide equity in its distribution of the
per-pupil foundation allowance. Our stu-
dents receive from $200 to $1,100 less
than those in neighboring districts. It’s
not right and needs to be changed.
Finally, we need to champion commu-
nity commitment between parents,
teachers, and administrators to promote
our students’ success.
WHY YOU? Community connection: I’m
a proud father of two young children
and want to ensure my children, as well
as the children of Huron Valley receive
an education that prepares them for col-
lege and a competitive workforce.
Experience in saving tax dollars is
another reason. At the state of
Joseph Ghislain is a former YMCA board
member and currently works for Ford Motor
Company.
Michigan, I saved in excess of $500 mil-
lion in taxpayer dollars and developed
and executed effective cost-containment
strategies.
JOE GHISLAIN
BUDGET: Michigan’s schools budget cri-
sis and the way schools are funded are
major issues for Huron Valley. All costs
need to be reviewed and reductions
made in areas that don’t adversely affect
education, like reducing energy costs.
This is where my experience in opera-
tions and maintenance and as a certified
energy manager can help.
On the revenue side, we need to con-
tinue to offer high quality education and
choice programs, like the International
Academy, to make our schools the edu-
cation of choice both in the district and
the surrounding area.
At the state level, I would like to see
Lansing do two things — continue equi-
ty increases to districts like Huron Valley
that are well below other schools in
their county, and perform a study to see
what the true cost of education to the
state standard is and adjust funding
accordingly.
SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT: The
annual renewal of a superintendent’s
contract is common practice. While there
are always pro and cons to any method,
I oppose changing this for three rea-
sons. First, since it’s common practice,
changing it could put us in a competitive
disadvantage if we ever had to hire
another superintendent. Second, running
a school district shouldn’t be focused on
just year-to-year improvements but also
over time. The contract gives the district
stability and allows the board to give
positive feedback through renewal or
puts the superintendent on notice that
things must change. Finally, since board
members change, the fate of the district
can’t be left to the “whims” of new
board members who may not know
school operations and the governing
laws.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: I agree with the
PAGE 41/MHW,WAT
current district policy which is to not
allow weapons of any kind into the
building. Isn’t it possible one or two
large students could overpower a
smaller teacher and take away a gun?
Carrying a gun also means the school
official may have to use the weapon.
At what point would they determine
when this type of excessive force
would be necessary? What about the
liability and the possibility of wrongful
death? These are issues that highly-
trained police face every day, not
something an untrained school district
should take on. As a district we con-
centrate on intervention and preven-
tion, and I hope we don’t get to a
point where this is necessary.
TOP ISSUES: The top three priorities
are a great education for all children,
fiscal responsibility, and collaboration.
Children are our most important
resource and as a parent of a child
with a learning disability, I know what
great education for all children really
means. We learned to be advocates for
her needs. As a board member I will
continue to be an advocate for all chil-
dren.
While providing a high-quality edu-
cation, we still have an obligation to
the taxpayers to be prudent. With my
background and experience, I will work
to make sure we reduce costs without
jeopardizing education.
Collaboration is the key in working
together to achieve district goals. I
have worked not only with the UAW
and CAW but on numerous commit-
tees, task forces, and boards. I under-
stand the importance of working
together and getting to common
objectives and goals.
WHY YOU? I have two daughters who
graduated from and one daughter still
at Milford High School, so I’m not a
politician, just a parent who cares
about the district. I care about chil-
dren, their education and well being. I
have been involved with organizations
that educate and support children,
including Junior Achievement, YMCA
Parent/Child Programs and March of
Dimes. I want to give back to the com-
munity and district using my business,
operational and energy management
experience from over 22 years at Ford.
I want return the investment the com-
munity and district made in me when I
was appointed in May 2007. I’m hard
working and have studied district
operations, school funding and the
legislation/laws that govern them,
earning the Certified Board Member
Award and Award of Merit from
Michigan Association of School
Boards; and want to use this knowl-
edge to continue to serve the Huron
Valley Schools community. ❏
PAGE 42/MHW,WAT
Four-year terms
Huron Valley School Board
Incumbent Lisa L. Blackwell, chal-
lenger Lee Ann Clifford, and incumbent
Charles Dittmar will compete in the
Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election for
two four-year terms on the Huron
Valley Schools Board of Education.
Board members are paid $30 per
meeting for up to 52 meetings per
year
The following are questions are
staff recently posed to the candidates,
and their responses to those ques-
tions.
BUDGET: Michigan’s schools face a
permanent budget crisis, not merely a
temporary challenge linked to a mea-
ger economic recovery. In what specific
areas do you believe the district must
change its spending? On the revenue
side, in what ways should the district
be looking for new funding sources?
What, if any, changes would you like to
see at the state level to address school
funding?
SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT: Huron
Valley Schools Board of Education has
extended Superintendent Jackie
Johnston’s contract for an additional
year. Johnston is now under contract
to work from July 1, 2008 until June
30, 2011. Please explain why you do
or don’t support the common practice
of annually extending a superinten-
dent’s contract by one year.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: State lawmakers
have discussed legislation that would
allow public school officials to carry
concealed weapons inside school build-
ings in an effort to deter the kind of
gun violence tragedies witnessed
across the nation in recent years.
Please state why you do or don’t think
it’s a good idea for school officials to
carry guns while in school buildings.
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the district at this
time, and how do you propose to
address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should
voters choose you over your oppo-
nents?
LISA L. BLACKWELL
BUDGET: Huron Valley is 24th out of
28 in state funding in Oakland County.
This district doesn’t have a spending
problem. Our financial challenges are
caused by a structural deficit created
in large part by the state’s
inability/desire to provide funding
increases that match the inflationary
increases seen in our expenses. This is
why a major focus of the current
school board and of this district has
been continued cost containment and
revenue generation.
Our “Schools of Choice” campaign
has been very successful. Even as
Michigan’s student population
decreases dramatically, we continue to
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general election voter guide
Lisa Blackwell has served on the Huron
Valley Schools Board of Education for the
past four years. She is currently the school
board's vice president.
exceed our schools of choice enrollment
goals. This is a substantial source of
supplemental revenue for us. We are cur-
rently working on a very comprehensive
energy audit to keep utility costs to a
minimum. We are active participants in
the Oakland Schools consortium initia-
tive. We recently formed a group that is
attempting to emulate the “Kalamazoo
Promise.”
We have had a very successful and
stakeholder inclusive “grassroots” fund-
ing campaign focused at state legisla-
tors. We will continue these efforts to
keep our local legislators in tune to what
deep budget cuts do to a school district.
SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT: Keeping
quality staff at every level is a major
focus of this board. Our district is lucky
to have a superintendent with the quali-
ties and skills of Mrs. Johnston. The
superintendent’s performance is evaluat-
ed yearly and a decision to extend the
contract is made at that time. It’s impor-
tant to note that studies show the
tenure of a superintendent has a direct
effect on student achievement. Therefore
multi-year contracts are desirable from
the board’s point of view.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: If by school officials
you mean administrators and other staff,
the answer is pointedly no. School offi-
cials, in the capacity defined above, are
not trained professionals in the areas of
firearms, nor are they trained profession-
als in the gun violence tragedies that
have plagued our nation. Huron Valley
Schools currently has police liaisons that
do work in our schools and do carry
firearms. This is perfectly acceptable as
this is what they are trained to do. The
safety and security of our students and
staff continues to be a high priority for
the board. We routinely collaborate with
our local municipalities to analyze and
improve our processes in that area.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is successful imple-
mentation of the state-mandated new
graduation requirements. One of the
main goals in Huron Valley is success for
Charles Dittmar has served on the Huron
Valley Schools Board of Education for the
past four years. He is employed as an envi-
ronmental consultant.
Lee Ann Clifford served on the Huron Valley
School District's Building Utilization
Committee and District Parent Council for
the last two years. She is currently presi-
dent of the Highland Elementary Parent
Teacher Organization.
all students. The new graduation require-
ments will present challenges as we
strive for this goal. Students have very
different learning styles and some may
struggle with the new mandated class
requirements. We need to make sure we
keep these students engaged and con-
nected to the classroom. Our interven-
tion programs will be more important
than ever at the high school level.
Innovative class scheduling will be key as
we promote and include electives, arts
and athletics into the student’s year. As
class offerings become more rigorous, it
will be more difficult to find highly quali-
fied teachers in the mandated content
areas. We need to continue to attract
and retain the quality staff we have in
this district.
No. 2 is equity in funding. The dispar-
ity in per pupil funding throughout
Oakland County and the state must be
dealt with. We need to continue the
efforts to close the funding gap between
the top funded district and the lowest.
I’m not suggesting we take money away
from the top funded districts, just boost
the lower funded districts to close the
gap. The quality of a child’s public edu-
cation should not be based on where
they live or the value of their home. We
will continue our grassroots efforts to
close this funding gap, as well as work
with the Legislature to do an Adequacy
and Equity Study. Such a study will
determine the appropriate dollars needed
to fund education at a level consistent
with the content we expect schools to
deliver.
No. 3 is declining enrollment.
Declining enrollment is a state wide epi-
demic. Michigan’s current economic con-
dition is causing mass exodus of families
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
with school-age children. We will con-
tinue to attract new students to our
district with our dedicated staff, quality
test scores, high graduation rates and
beautiful facilities. In order to remain
fiscally responsible to our stakeholders
we will continue to evaluate the utiliza-
tion of our schools.
WHY YOU? Currently I have four chil-
dren in the Huron Valley School system
— one in high school, two in middle
school and one in elementary. I live
every decision I make as a board mem-
ber whether its revised high school
graduation requirements, changes in
middle school curriculum or changes in
elementary schools. I believe it is a
perfect time for me to be on the school
board.
Four years of experience bring a
totally new perspective to the job. It
brings confidence, knowledge, trust,
understanding, compassion, and an
overall calm to the job. I have built a
good rapport with parents, administra-
tors and teachers in the district. They
trust me to take care of our schools
and our kids.
I’m very appreciative of the oppor-
tunities given to me to strengthen my
abilities as a board member through
seminars and classes. I have achieved
Level One and Level Two certification
as well as my Advocacy Skills Specialist
certification.
I’m just a normal person granted
the privilege and honor to give back to
my community through my school
board service. I love this job and would
appreciate the opportunity to continue
my good work.
LEE ANN CLIFFORD
BUDGET: We created a building to rent
out for additional revenue. I think as a
district we should be looking to rent
out other things that might raise rev-
enue, such as buses for trips for our
senior citizen outings. If we are okay to
rent out space in our schools for out-
side programs, then we should be okay
for the buses to be used.
SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT: I sup-
port this practice, just for the simple
fact that the superintendent won’t be
out looking for different positions. We
are secure in knowing that we have
someone to run the schools, and the
superintendent is secure in knowing
they have a job.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: If the district gets
that bad, that our principals have to
carry weapons into the schools, I
would like to see more security in the
schools. I do realize that some of the
tragic events have happened in schools
that have had security. If we did need
to put guns in the schools they need
to be put in a locked central location
PAGE 47 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
OCTOBER 22-28, 2008
Waterford School Board
Paul K. Coughlin, Stephen K. Dooley,
Heather Halls, John Himmelspach,
Karen M. Laszlo, Robin McGregor,
Aimee McKeever, Virginia Poehlman,
Michael J. Ristich, and Joan Sutherland
are competing in the Tuesday, Nov. 4
general election race for four seats on
the Waterford Schools Board of
Education. The candidates receiving the
two highest vote totals will serve six-
year terms, and the candidates with the
third and fourth highest vote totals will
serve four-year terms. Board members
are paid $30 per meeting attended.
The following are questions recently
posed to the candidates, and their
responses. Ristich didn’t respond to
our candidate questionnaire.
BUDGET: In what specific areas do you
believe the district must change its
spending? On the revenue side, in
what ways should the district be look-
ing for new funding sources? What, if
any, changes would you like to see at
the state level to address school fund-
ing?
SEX EDUCATION: Debate on whether
public school sex education curricu-
lums should be based solely on teach-
ing abstinence as the only way to avoid
unwanted pregnancy and sexually
transmitted diseases resurfaces period-
ically. State why you do or don’t sup-
port that concept. State why you do or
don’t believe the curriculum could
include both abstinence and other
methods of birth control and disease
prevention.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: State lawmakers
have discussed legislation that would
allow public school officials to carry
concealed weapons inside school build-
ings in an effort to deter the kind of
gun violence tragedies witnessed
across the nation. Please state why
you do or don’t think it’s a good idea
for school officials to carry guns while
in school buildings.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: Explain
why you do or don’t believe parents
are given enough opportunities to par-
ticipate in the district’s decision-mak-
ing process? Who are the school
board’s true constituents?
TOP ISSUES: What are the three most
important issues for the district at this
time, and how do you propose to
address them?
WHY YOU? Why, specifically, should vot-
ers choose you over your opponents?
PAUL K. COUGHLIN
BUDGET: The state funding formula
for education simply isn’t working at
any level — K-12, community colleges
or our universities. Such a major priori-
ty as education needs to have a fixed,
guaranteed commitment. The shock
wave sent through district budgets like
ours, causing uncertainty in curriculum
and hiring, has to stop.
To ask the state to make a particu-
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general election voter guide
Paul K. Coughlin has served on the Waterford
Foundation for Public Education for the past
12 years, four as president. He has owned
and operated the Runnin' Gear store, a tech-
nical running shop offering the latest and
best running and walking shoes and apparel,
for 28 years.
lar budget item off limits, and not ask
the school district to do the same in it’s
budget procedure seems disingenuous,
but I will again point out the priority
education represents. A full and diverse
education is always in our best interest.
When budget cuts are necessary at the
district I believe it should be done
across the board, avoiding the entire
dismantling of particular departments.
Waterford’s nationally recognized fine
arts department, for instance, repre-
sents part of teaching the whole child.
SEX EDUCATION: First let me say I
think it should best be taught at home.
Conceding that sex education needs to
be addressed in school, as well, I feel
that teaching abstinence, while possibly
the best method and thus the curricu-
lum of choice, needs to be supplement-
ed. I support at least making young
adults aware of more options. A blind
eye to the activities of our youth will not
prevent unwanted pregnancies or dis-
ease. The epidemic of incurable disease
calls for education. Whether kids take
advantage of alternatives to abstinence
to become promiscuous is again a ques-
tion I believe that is best addressed at
home, but if they are considering that
path a chance to better educate youth
on the consequences and safeguards are
realistic.
Please keep in mind, regarding any
issue, my respect for the wishes of the
community would be foremost as a rep-
resentative on the board.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: Having guns in
school is a lot like the issue of teaching
sex education — if more options are
available are you more apt to use them?
If an event occurred where force
appeared unavoidable, I would rather
leave the guns to trained professionals. I
understand that response time is of the
utmost, but an untrained response could
also lead to further tragedy. If we have
proper emergency procedures, which
Waterford has had the foresight to
ensure, the decision of deadly force
should be left to the police.
Stephen K. Dooley has worked in law enforce-
ment, including as a school liaison officer. He
also has coached local youth sports.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: It’s the
board’s responsibility to be open, honest
and responsive — it’s the community’s
responsibility to be involved.
A board’s constituency includes the
entire community, from students and
parents to retirees and businesses; and
as a board member the more informa-
tion and community opinion I receive the
better my decision-making process.
Waterford enjoys an involved community
but needs to continue the effort to
encourage two-way communication.
I’ve had the opportunity, through my
years on the Waterford Foundation for
Public Education, to observe the district
as an outsider on the inside. This privi-
lege convinces me that continuing com-
munication, making it clear to everyone
what we have to offer as a district, will
answer questions and encourage involve-
ment. The district currently hosts expos
and open houses, curriculum nights and
advisory groups, parent teacher confer-
ences and Internet communication, to
name just a few of the avenues open to
all of us. I say get on board.
TOP ISSUES: At the state level I will reit-
erate my opening remarks about school
funding. Much work needs to be done to
encourage our decision-makers to find a
more equitable and dependable funding
formula.
As a community, I also reiterate, we
need to make a commitment to be better
informed and involved. I believe Waterford
is a progressive district (i.e. the early
institution of all-day Kindergarten mim-
icked by neighboring districts) and we are
working hard to get our message out —
but I also believe we need to work harder.
A community commitment to the system
builds the district.
In our own homes we need to stress
responsibility and respect. Discipline
shifted from home to school when our
attitudes at home changed — time to
send it back with a more active and
open dialogue with parents.
WHY YOU? I’m a product of Waterford
Schools, Cranbrook Schools, and possess
PAGE 43/MHW,WAT
Heather Halls is the executive director of
the Waterford Coalition for Youth. She has
been a PTO/PTSA Executive Board member
for six years, and served on the Superin-
tendent's District Advisory Council.
a BA in psychology from Albion
College. My wife, Linda, and children,
Amy, Megan, and Eric, also attended
Waterford Schools. As a business owner
I have spent 28 years in Waterford and
for the past 12 years have served on
the non-profit Waterford Foundation for
Public Education supporting fund-rais-
ing efforts to supplement Waterford
classrooms.
The foundation has allowed me to
visit every school building and given
me a direct line to our most innovative
and creative teachers. Providing fund-
ing on a grant basis, the foundation
has given me a window on the wishes
of this dedicated staff, as well as a
look at the deficiencies of public
school funding. I believe this informed
outside view and my business experi-
ence is important to the school board,
providing perspective and an opportu-
nity to introduce fresh vision.
STEPHEN K. DOOLEY
BUDGET: The Waterford School
District needs to increase its fund bal-
ance. We currently have approximately
6.3 percent in the fund balance. This
puts the district in a position where
they have to borrow around $ 6 mil-
lion to cover operational costs until
their state funding comes in. This loan
costs the district around $250,000. If
the fund balance was near the recom-
mended 15 percent, they would not
have to incur this cost.
In these difficult economic times
it’s imperative that every effort is
made to keep any cuts away from the
classroom. We need to continue to
actively pursue grants and other fund-
ing sources that are not taken directly
from community members’ pockets.
SEX EDUCATION: It’s important for
the school district to have sex educa-
tion in the curriculum. I also believe
that the schools should have an open
door policy with the parents to view
the curriculum and any literature that
PAGE 44 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
PAGE 44/MHW,WAT
Waterford board
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 43
goes along with it.
The curriculum should include both
abstinence and other methods of birth
control and disease prevention. The
curriculum should stress that absti-
nence is the only sure method to avoid
pregnancy and remain free from sexu-
ally transmitted disease. It should also
supply our students with the knowl-
edge to make informed decisions. We
need to be proactive and realistic when
it comes to protecting our children as
they become young adults.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: As a former
school liaison officer, I can say
unequivocally that I’m against any leg-
islation that allows school officials to
carry concealed weapons in school.
They are not trained in defensive tac-
tics or weapon retention in the event
someone tries to disarm them. I’m a
firm believer that the liaison officers
need to be kept in the schools. This
isn’t only a benefit to the school but
also a benefit to the police to have offi-
cers who are familiar with our kids.
We won’t make our schools safer by
adding more weapons in the building.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: I believe
the parents in Waterford have the
opportunity to get involved in the deci-
sion-making process. There are school
board meetings that are televised and
open to the public where parents have
the opportunity to address their con-
cerns directly to the board. There are
meetings with the superintendent that
are also open to the public.
I was recently in a meeting that
was open to the public where I, along
with numerous other parents, was
able to provide input into the future
direction of the district. We were
asked for positive and negative input
and were able to prioritize those ideas
as a group.
TOP ISSUES: First is the safety and
security of our students and staff. I
intend to be involved with our school
liaison officers on a regular basis so
that I can be aware of the safety con-
cerns and other issues in our build-
ings. I will also push for training for
our staff to ensure they know how to
respond to emergencies.
Second is balancing the budget and
remaining fiscally responsible. It’s
more important than ever that we con-
tinue to make decisions that ensure
the survival of our school district. We
also need to be aware of how our deci-
sions affect the community.
Third is improving the image of the
Waterford School District. The image
and reputation of Waterford schools
have declined over the years. We have
a very good staff and student body. We
need to get past the tainted test
scores that are published in the papers
and showcase the many great oppor-
tunities that exist in our community
and our schools.
WHY YOU? I have resided in Waterford
since the first-grade. My wife graduat-
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general election voter guide
John Himmelspach has served on the
Waterford Schools Board of Education since
1992, including as the board's president, vice
president, secretary, and treasurer. He has
worked at Chrysler Corporation in Security
Services for the last year, and as a West
Bloomfield Township police officer from 1977
to 2008, retiring as an administrative lieu-
tenant. Himmelspach was the department's
first school liaison officer. He has served an
officer of several district PTAs; and was a
founding member of the Waterford Coalition
for Youth.
ed from Waterford schools and our two
children currently attend Pierce Middle
School and Schoolcraft Elementary. I
coach our children in various sports and
I’m a very strong advocate for our com-
munity. I bring a unique perspective with
my law enforcement background and
school liaison experience. I have no per-
sonal agendas and I’m not tied to either
side in bargaining. Most importantly, I
love our community and care about the
futures of our children.
HEATHER HALLS
BUDGET: Budgets everywhere are of
critical concern in our country’s econo-
my. Because salaries and benefits are 87
percent of our district’s total budget,
this is one key area in which to focus.
Re-evaluating day-to-day expenditures is
another important element for review.
What are other districts doing and how
can we remain competitive? Our district
has or may soon be implementing
changes such as reorganizing trans-
portation routes, adapting school start
times, consolidating printing venues,
and offering all-day kindergarten, for
example. Efforts to increase grant fund-
ing would be beneficial. When continuing
state funding shortfalls already exist, I’m
concerned about the long-term impact of
the governor’s 21st Century Schools
Fund. There are many items to consider
in balancing and sustaining a budget and
it takes the collaborative review of many
to be successful in addressing the
numerous needs and concerns.
SEX EDUCATION: Sex education is an
important topic which I believe should
ultimately begin at the family level. Not
all families choose to educate their chil-
dren in the same manner, nor at the
same age. Each child is unique in their
maturity and readiness to handle this
topic. One of the most important things
we can do is educate students in the
risks associated with sexual activity,
including pregnancy and disease, as well
as dating safety. We can be proactive in
enhancing comfort levels for families to
have discussions with their children by
Karen M. Laszlo has been a PTA president, a
classroom mom and coach. She previously
served as national director of education
design for Domino's Pizza, Inc. Laszlo has
served on the Waterford Foundation Teacher
of the Year Committee, and current co-man-
agers her husband's dental practice.
offering educational opportunities for
parents on this subject. In addition we
can provide an atmosphere in school
where students feel comfortable in pur-
suing their concerns. Resources are in
place in our community which compli-
ment these support systems.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: It’s critical to place
emphasis on prevention strategies which
educate and equip students, families and
community members in reducing the
risks of violence. It’s equally important to
review studies and statistics on the effec-
tiveness and safety in implementing legis-
lation which allows school staff officials
to carry weapons. I’m not convinced that
the effectiveness over the risks has been
proven. Teachers are in school to teach.
We have resources in place within our
school district, including police liaisons
and prevention specialists to respond and
assist in violence prevention and reduc-
tion. I would prefer to see an increase in
the numbers of these resources. State
lawmakers must go beyond the statistics
of school violence and confer with the
experience and training of law enforce-
ment and safety professionals before
implementing such legislation.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: Research
demonstrates that parent involvement in
their child’s learning experience is posi-
tively related to the child’s achievement
— at all ages. Parents frequently step
back from involvement as their children
get older for fear that they “don’t need
them” anymore. Being involved is imper-
ative to sustaining success and achieve-
ment, as well as continuing and strength-
ening the growth of family relationships.
Parents are given many opportunities
to participate in the decision-making
process, offer feedback and ideas.
Unfortunately, not all take advantage of
it. I strongly encourage more parents and
community members to attend PTSA
meetings, school and community events,
board meetings and to get involved in
school committees and elections. Talk to
your school’s teachers and administra-
tors. Parents have the opportunity to
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
provide first-hand perspectives of
their experiences, good or bad, and
it’s a great way to develop collabora-
tive relationships.
TOP ISSUES: Safe and secure environ-
ments encourage positive learning
experiences. Pressures are great over-
all for youth and adults, especially in
our struggling economy. Regularly
evaluating the effectiveness of current
systems in place is important. Our
community’s diversity continues to
grow, including 39 different languages
being spoken in the Waterford School
District. Increased academic mandates
and required outputs have made it dif-
ficult to create time for focus on posi-
tive social and cultural awareness and
education. Through the coalition, I
organized and collaborated with the
district in bringing Rachel’s Challenge
to all seventh through 12th-graders,
which focuses on creating kinder,
more compassionate, respectful envi-
ronments at school and in the com-
munity. Expanding on the many
awareness programs currently in place
in our schools and searching out addi-
tional venues for positive results is
important. Strained relationships exist
within the district. I offer trusting,
collaborative energy in the issues we
face and am approachable and com-
mitted to Waterford.
WHY YOU? I’m the executive director
of the Waterford Coalition for Youth.
My husband and I have two children in
Waterford schools. As a 32-year
Waterford resident and a graduate of
Waterford Mott, I have served in many
roles on the executive boards and com-
mittees at elementary and middle
school, in addition to serving on the
Superintendent’s District Advisory
Council and Safe Schools Healthy
Communities $5.7 million Grant
Advisory Board. My parents are retired
educators in the Waterford School
District (Spry) and my siblings graduat-
ed from WTI/Waterford Kingsley
Montgomery. My involvement and col-
laborative experience within Waterford
extends communitywide, including the
Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce,
Police Department, Fire Department,
Optimist Club, Youth Assistance,
Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy
Communities, Waterford New Horizons
Concert Band, Golden Age Club and
Christmas in Action. I’m committed to
Waterford, to youth and to a positive
future for our community. Please visit
www.votewaveofthefuture.com.
JOHN HIMMELSPACH
BUDGET: The Waterford Board of
Education has instituted $23 million
in budget adjustments over the past
five years. We have kept the Fund
Balance at 5.5 to 6 percent. We have
made budget adjustments without
making more than a half dozen lay-
offs. We have reduced administration
by 25 percent; secretaries by 23 per-
cent; custodial/ maintenance by 20
percent and transportation by 15 per-
cent. For the 2008-09 school year we
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general election voter guide

Waterford board
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 44
have hired over 70 professional
teaching staff, allowing us to keep
class sizes the same during these
times of budget cuts. We have made
$12 million in improvement through
the sale of energy bonds without an
increase in taxes. Payments through
the savings realized have reduced
energy costs. We have received a $12
million grant from the Oakland
Schools Special Education Fund to
renovate our Kingsley Montgomery
building. We have also received a
$5.7 million dollar federal grant to
increase the safety and health of our
schools.
SEX EDUCATION: The health of our
children is a vital issue to schools and
our community. Public schools are
required to teach a sex education cur-
riculum that is reviewed by parents of
our children. Each family has the
right to provide alternate sex educa-
tion to their children or work with
the district to insure that their indi-
vidual child gets the both the knowl-
edge of preventing unwanted preg-
nancies and diseases while maintain-
ing their family values. I firmly believe
that the curriculum should include
abstinence along with birth control
and disease prevention.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: In 31 years of
police work, I have been trained in
weapon use and safety. Staff that
would carry guns would not have the
hours of training that police go
through that insures safe and proper
discharge, and the safety of
bystanders is at the forefront of any
weapon discharge. This district has
maintained a strong police/school liai-
son officer program and is instituting
a $5.7 million dollar grant to improve
the safety of our children.
Weapons belong in the hands of
police professionals, not first-grade
teachers.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: The
Waterford School District holds numer-
ous decision-making committees at
both the school building level and the
district level. Parents enjoy participat-
ing in these efforts that allow them to
be part of educational improvement,
budget priorities, and facility use. We
have more than doubled our parent/
community “feedback” opportunities in
the past few years.
The school board’s true con-
stituents are the 11,000 Waterford
children age 1-25 working to obtain
the best education available.
TOP ISSUES: First is budget con-
straints of the state of Michigan, our
parents, and our local businesses. We
must continue to find ways to control
costs and find alternative funding
sources.
Second is high school graduation
requirements. Our students face the
toughest graduation requirements in
the country. We must work to find
options for students to meet these
Robin McGregor has served for eight years as
president of various PTA/PTSA groups. She is
chief steward for her union.
requirements outside of the normal four
years of traditional high school.
Third is new trends in education. The
Waterford School District must maintain
its position as a leader in meeting educa-
tional needs. This means looking beyond
the traditional brick and mortar of the
kindergarten through high school facili-
ties that school has been taught in for
centuries.
WHY YOU? I was first elected to the
Waterford Board of Education in 1992
and re-elected in 1996, 2000, and
2004. I have served as the board’s pres-
ident, vice president, secretary, and
treasurer, and am currently the board
vice president. I have worked at Chrysler
Corporation in Security Services for the
last year, and as a West Bloomfield
Township police officer from 1977 to
2008, retiring as an administrative lieu-
tenant. I was the department’s first
school liaison officer. I have served as a
vice president of the Riverside
Elementary School, Della Lutes
Elementary School and Pierce Middle
School PTAs; and was a founding mem-
ber of the Waterford Coalition for Youth.
KAREN M. LASZLO
BUDGET: Do you cut programs or per-
sonnel? This can only be adequately
addressed when on the “inside” where
there is access to this information. Once
there, appropriation of funds must be
looked at objectively to assess what’s
working and where to make cuts. Our
district continues to implement budget
reductions including the addition of all-
day kindergarten, a reduction in weekly
newsletters, and re-routing of school
bus transportation to include one-way
service for sports teams. Grant opportu-
nities must be sought through both the
government and corporate avenues, as
must districts of similar demographics
with successful funding programs.
As for state funding, that is one tan-
gled web. The state must carry through
on its “promised” funding so that schools
can plan their budgets. The state needs
to listen to educators currently in the field
for both funding needs and the education-
al requirements necessary to keep up with
this global economy.
SEX EDUCATION: You often hear how
kids today are growing up too fast. This
is only part of the equation: Children are
Aimee McKeever has been an educator for 23
years. She currently holds several leadership
positions within the local and state union, as
well as community leadership positions and
within the public schools as a parent.
exposed to much more earlier in life;
however, their brain development for
processing information is still where it
was for kids many years ago. Therefore,
if sex education is taught in school, it
should include abstinence and other
methods of birth control because clearly
just one or the other isn’t effective
enough. However, I think the larger
debate is whether sex education is in the
curriculum at all. Many families feel this
is of a highly personal nature and should
be addressed at home or through the
other educational programs readily avail-
able in our community. What I would
like to see addressed in a class are the
health, well-being, educational, and exer-
cise benefits to proper nutrition and how
to achieve those along with conquering
the obesity epidemic.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: I don’t think it’s a
good idea for school officials to carry
concealed weapons. This would result in
easier access for a student intending to
do harm to gain access to a weapon.
The only school officials carrying a
weapon should be highly trained to do
so, such as our police liaisons. There are
too many emotional and physical stress-
es throughout a school day that could
cause a student or teacher to make a
momentary error in judgment that would
have lasting catastrophic results due to
the easy access of a concealed weapon.
Of much greater value would be an
increase in the number of effective pro-
grams already in place in violence pre-
vention and strategies for dealing with
the social and emotional stresses our
children face at home and school.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: Parents have
two powerful tools that must be used
wisely: their vote and voice.
Parents must address educational
concerns and celebrations — often vent-
ed on the proverbial soccer fields of life
— with teachers and principals, continu-
ing on to the district administration and
board if need be. However, it’s too easy
for parents to give up when they feel
they aren’t being heard. Parents need to
support one another in PTA meetings
and to attend board meetings to really
discover what is happening and affect
change. Additionally, the board and
administration must provide both a
forum and approachable demeanor to
welcome these voices. Forums were
begun last year and continue; however,
the amount of parental involvement is
disappointing and parents must com-
mit to investing proactively in these
forums and wisely reacting to con-
cerns with a willingness to be part of
the solution. Our children need you
every step of the way.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is ensuring funda-
mentals in math and writing are
taught and strategically built upon.
Current assessments and aligning of
the curriculum must be continued but
with more timely, accurate, and correc-
tive steps along the way. We are on a
good track and must continually tweak
without reinventing the whole wheel.
No. 2 is increased, timely, and
responsive communication at all levels
to parents, students, and community
members, which is vital, as is an
approachable administration to the
needs and concerns of teachers and
students. Frequency of district and
school newsletters can be increased
with the use of Edline. The accom-
plishments of our teachers and stu-
dents must be celebrated and shared.
The community must be engaged and
valued.
No. 3 is expectations must be
raised and adhered to in academics
and citizenship. School administrators
must be held accountable and take
pride in the ownership in the continu-
ous improvement of student achieve-
ment.
WHY YOU? I have been married for 20
years and have three children in
Waterford schools. Volunteer roles
include PTA president, chairmanships,
classroom mom, and coaching, to dis-
trictwide initiatives. I’m a previous
national director of education design
for Domino’s Pizza, Inc., a current
Sprint athlete, serving on the
Waterford Foundation Teacher of the
Year Committee, and co-managing my
husband’s dental practice. I feel our
District’s glass is half full. However,
that is not satisfactory. Our kids
deserve an excellent education that
best prepares them for tomorrow. I’m
a perpetual student that listens,
learns, acts and grows. I have a repu-
tation for being approachable, trust-
worthy, efficient, and making a posi-
tive impact. I’m discerning and take
the time to assess and evaluate. Water-
ford must build on its strengths, cor-
rect its shortcomings, and continually
engage the community for a mutually
beneficial and rewarding relationship.
ROBIN McGREGOR
BUDGET: First, we need to start look-
ing at the 7 percent annuity that
administrators get every year. I believe
that these should be in line with the
raises that all other staff are receiving
rather than a raise just because.
Additionally, we need to keep look-
ing for ways to bring money into our
district. There are many grants and
company sponsorships available. For
instance, Waterford just received a
grant that is worth almost $6 million.
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Waterford board
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 45
Finally, I believe that there are
changes that need to be made at the
state level, in terms of budgeting. The
state should allocate money and keep
this budget for an entire year. Over the
past few years, many cut backs have
been made at multiple times during the
school year, thereby stopping schools
from planning a solid budget.
SEX EDUCATION: Sex education
starts at home and it should be a
family decision. Currently, the state
sets its own benchmarks for sex edu-
cation. Under these rules, if a parent
decides that he or she doesn’t want
his or her children exposed to this
information, then he or she can
request that they not participate. This
system allows each student and their
family the opportunity for open dis-
cussion without imposing on personal
views. As a result, this provides the
most flexibility and options for each
individual and family.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: I don’t think that
allowing staff members to carry con-
cealed weapons is the answer to the
violence that we have seen in schools.
Waterford has had a very good safety
record. Bringing weapons into our
classrooms could provide more oppor-
tunity for future violent acts to occur.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: The
school board’s constituents consist of
the entire community, from senior citi-
zens to the single person without
children, to parents whose children
have graduated and families with chil-
dren that are still in school.
Therefore, every parent and communi-
ty member has the opportunity to be
involved in the school system and/or
their children’s education. It depends
on each individual’s personal level of
involvement. For instance, I have been
and am very involved in the Waterford
School District. Before my children
graduated from the Waterford school
system I worked full-time, contributed
to my community, and still played an
active role in the Waterford School
District. In fact, I even helped to cre-
ate changes and bring programs to
our district. Now that my children
have graduated, I’m still involved with
the school district. I’m even a parent
advisor for Kettering’s Interact group
(a student community service group).
TOP ISSUES: The three most impor-
tant issues are settling the staff’s
contract, improving our school dis-
trict’s college rankings, and improving
the building environments in our
schools. We need to consider that
before our teachers and staff mem-
bers can teach our students to the
best of their abilities, it’s important
for them to know where they stand
and have some sort of stability.
Furthermore, for our students to
move forward with the challenges
that they are facing today, they need
to be prepared. By communicating the
positive aspects of our school district
www.spinalcolumnonline.com
general election voter guide
Virginia Poehlman has served on the
Waterford Schools Board of Education since
1991, and is the board's current treasurer. She
is the owner and CEO of Troy Freight
Expediting LLC. She is a member of several
state and national school board associations,
and several community-based organizations.
we can show colleges that our students
are prepared while helping our students
to have the best possible opportunities.
Finally, to improve the environments of
our schools, we will need to remove mold
and allergens which bother both students
and staff members and stop them from
doing what they are in school for.
WHY YOU? Voters should vote for me
because I care about our schools, stu-
dents, and staff members. I have always
been a part of Waterford Schools and
still am today. Through my involvement,
I have proven myself. People know me as
someone who always follows through
and does what I say I am going to do.
Moreover, I believe that education is the
key to our community. Without good
schools our community can’t flourish.
After all, our legacy to our children is
their education and that legacy depends
on the decisions that we make today.
AIMEE McKEEVER
BUDGET: She state needs to re-examine
the formula used to fund public schools.
Most schools, if not all, will never be
able to adequately fund their districts
with the present system. Secondly, in this
county we need to examine the large fund
balance at the Oakland Intermediate
School District. With local districts in such
dire straits we should be able to get more
financial assistance from the ISD. School
districts are not for-profit, we should be
spending some of the money if we have it.
Locally, I believe the district should re-
examine the budget spending, making
sure cuts are not in the areas that directly
affect children.
SEX EDUCATION: (This) has been and
probably will continue to be a debatable
issue. That’s why it’s very important to
have the parent/community input on
these issues. Advisory committees are
always reviewing the curriculums and
making changes as society changes with
the times. What the curriculum covers is
important and should be followed up
with parental support/communication at
home.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: Absolutely not.
Guns have no business in the school
environment. Who would decide on the
officials that would carry these guns?
Who makes the decision when to use
the gun? Who makes the decision as to
Joan Sutherland has served as secretary and
vice president of the Waterford Mott PTSO,
and is a founding member and sponsor of the
Waterford Mott Junior Optimist Club. She has
over 20 years of leadership experience in
business, including roles as a supervisor and
department manager, college instructor, cor-
porate trainer, systems and business analyst.
what is constituted as an event when
weapons need to be drawn? We are edu-
cators educating and reinforcing actions
and behaviors of right and wrong on a
daily basis. We are not law enforcement
officers trained to handle volatile situa-
tions with guns.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: Parents are
given ample opportunities to be involved
in the decision-making processes in this
district. There are several organizations
and committees within the schools, as
well as opportunities to meet one-on-one
with administrators and staff, with the
ultimate involvement being at the school
board level, serving its constituents of
community members, parents and stu-
dents. Community members and parents
just have to choose to be active and
involved.
TOP ISSUES: The most important issue
is to settle all contracts with all units in
the district. Within my 23 years as an
educator I have served on negotiating
teams and feel I bring vital experience to
the table. Secondly, the communication
between employer and employees should
be improved upon, making sure all par-
ties receive information in a respectful
and timely manner.
WHY YOU? I have been an educator for
the past 23 years. I have worked at all
grade levels and in many areas of special
education. I have and currently hold sev-
eral leadership positions within the local
and state union, as well as community
leadership positions and within the pub-
lic schools as a parent. I have a daughter
currently attending Kettering High
School which encourages me to be apart
of the decision-making/input part of the
school community. I feel my past and
present experience in public education
demonstrates a commitment to serve on
the Board of Education and the
Waterford School District.
VIRGINIA POEHLMAN
BUDGET: Waterford has been aggres-
sively seeking ways to cut costs while
still providing full programs for the stu-
dents we serve. We have closed build-
ings; we centralize services and collabo-
rate with the township and the county
whenever possible so that tax dollars are
not spent twice. I’m proud of the system
we have of constantly monitoring and
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
consolidating wherever possible. We
have kept the reductions as far from
the classroom and our students as
possible.
I would like to see the state realize
that if our schools were better funded
the prison system would need less
funding. Currently prisoners are funded
at twice the level our students are. Are
they being rehabilitated? Would they be
prisoners if they were given the best
education possible? I think not.
SEX EDUCATION: I believe parents
should be allowed to review the sex
education curriculum and make the
decision on whether their student
should attend the class. I believe the
school should teach abstinence but
give options if abstinence is not cho-
sen. Schools are not a moral compass,
but the vehicle that delivers informa-
tion. It’s the family’s job to set bound-
aries and values for their children.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: This needs more
open discussion to weigh the pros
and cons. Initially I feel if an individual
is well-trained, and certified, they
should be allowed to carry. In this day
and age there are too many incidents
with students and teachers being held
hostage, when a trained, certified per-
son could diffuse the situation, and
save lives.
The answer is in the police liaison
program which we just bolstered dur-
ing my tenure.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: The dis-
trict continually gives parents oppor-
tunities to be involved in the decision-
making process. Currently we are
holding “stakeholder” meetings
involving every group that touches the
Waterford School District to align the
goals and mission of the district. This
was first done 17 years ago. We
involve parents as much as possible in
the decision-making process. For
example, when a student applies for
readmission to our schools following
an expulsion, a parent is on the com-
mittee that makes the decision. We
couldn’t begin to serve this communi-
ty half as well without our parents.
We have PTSA’s in every building plus
the District Advisory Council which
includes a parent and meets with the
superintendent and a board represen-
tative throughout the year.
TOP ISSUES: My top three issues are
a safe and secure environment for
staff and students; a fair contract,
also keeping the environment for our
staff free from stress and unrest by
providing good fiscal management of
the resources available to the district;
and future tough decisions in
Waterford coming with the never-end-
ing funding questions, as well as
jumping the No Child Left Behind and
Michigan Yes hurdles being thrown at
us by the state and federal govern-
ments. We have to find a way to com-
ply with guidelines while best serving
our students and employees. I intend
to be sure the voice of Waterford is
heard loud and strong at state and
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Waterford board
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 46
national levels to cease picking on
public schools and start working
together with them.
WHY YOU? I have served this commu-
nity well over the past 17 years while
building excellent facilities, combined
with good fiscal management. Hard
decisions had to be made to maintain
fiscal responsibility to keep from laying
people off, or initiating programs or
policies like pay to play. I’m approach-
able to parents, students and the
community and am available to help
them solve a problem they may have
within the district. I care deeply about
our schools and the students we
serve. I believe in public education and
I have worked hard to see us get to
where we are today. I will continue to
work to see us improve even more.
JOAN SUTHERLAND
BUDGET: In the Waterford School
District, the salaries and benefits of
staff, teachers and administrators rep-
resents almost 87 percent of district
expenditures. This is consistent with
most organizations in the service sec-
tor throughout the nation.
Benchmarking should occur to ensure
that the costs associated with admin-
istration, including contracted admin-
istrative positions, are also consistent.
I would pursue revenue increases
through a targeted and comprehensive
approach to grant writing. At the
Huron Valley board
❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ PAGE 42
and kept out of the children’s reach.
TOP ISSUES: No. 1 is overcrowding
in a couple of our elementary schools.
I would like to see equal numbers in
all our schools. Otherwise we will be
going though another Apollo situation
in a few years.
No. 2 is keeping the open enroll-
ment, Schools of Choice and year-
round programs going. Again, equal
numbers in the schools help to
ensure this. Right now there are at
least two schools that aren’t open to
enrollment, and if out-of-district par-
ents want their children to attend
these schools they would be turned
away. That isn’t acceptable in this day
and age.
WHY YOU? I would like to see the
schools equaled out. We are a large
district with lots of space to redis-
trict. I feel that with the classrooms
overcrowded the students are losing.
We need to reduce the class size to
ensure that each student has a
chance to be the best that they can
be. This would also help to grow the
school district to enable more of the
Schools of Choice and the open enroll-
ment students to go to the schools
that they want and are available to
take them. I’m not the kind of person
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general election voter guide
state level, I would like to see school
funding changes which would hold firm
the communicated foundation allowance.
The state shouldn’t be permitted to
reduce the foundation allowance or cate-
goricals after the money has been bud-
geted by school districts, and in some
cases, after it has already been spent.
SEX EDUCATION: Sex education is an
integral part of a student’s education and
is best taught at home. However, there
are a significant number of students who
never receive this very important infor-
mation that could save their lives.
Therefore, I believe that sex education
should be taught in the schools utilizing
a concise, factual and medical approach.
The current and future health of our stu-
dents is dependent on them being armed
with the necessary information to make
mature and informed decisions, and to
understand the physical, social and emo-
tional impacts. The risks are far greater
than in generations past, and disease
prevention should be paramount. The
education program should be formulated
with parental input, and include discus-
sion points which are required of the stu-
dent to solicit the opinions, views, and
values of their family members.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: I don’t believe that
school officials should carry guns while in
school buildings. While I recognize that
legislators are looking for ways to keep
students safe, allowing school officials to
carry a gun in school would be an escala-
tion of the violence. Schools should be
free from violence and threats, and there
are community officials and police officers
that votes without reason. I question
things that I feel are not right for the
students. The district would benefit with
more parents doing that.
CHARLES DITTMAR
BUDGET: I believe that the district
needs to continue the process of finding
cost efficiencies in the budget by review-
ing and improving management process-
es, evaluating energy costs, and looking
for savings in benefit costs while main-
taining benefit levels. On the revenue
side, I would like to see us maximize the
utilization of the pools, fitness centers
and field houses at both high schools,
and to look into having various depart-
ments (such as the technology or food
service) providing services for a fee to
outside organizations.
On the state level, growing the econ-
omy within the state is the best way to
get additional funding for schools with-
out cannibalizing other state services. I
would also like to see legislation pass to
expand uses for building and site sinking
fund revenues.
SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT: I sup-
port the practice of annually extending
the superintendent’s contract by a year
because it provides a level of certainty to
the district and to the superintendent in
terms of continued leadership for a job
well done. That being said, in order to
help minimize the exposure for the dis-
trict, my personal opinion is that the
who are trained to handle a weapon, as
well as being trained to handle the ensu-
ing ramification.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: Parental
Involvement is paramount to the success
of a child, as well as to the success of
our schools and community. Parents
should be encouraged to participate in all
levels of their child’s education, serving
as advocates for their educational oppor-
tunities and experiences. Further,
parental feedback to the school board
(positive and negative) is a necessary
part of the democratic process. School
boards are representatives from the
community at large, and have the pro-
found privilege of representing the best
interest of the students, parents, staff,
administration and community members.
All are stakeholders in the educational
process with varying perspectives that
must be heard and represented.
TOP ISSUES: Waterford has outstanding
students, parents, teachers, administra-
tors, staff and facilities. However, the
perception of those in and around
Waterford is often negative. This needs
to change, and requires a positive
approach with improved communication
and community involvement. I would like
to implement a community website that
connects our schools and community
organizations to all parents and commu-
nity members. In addition, standardized
test scores need to improve, which
requires a strategic targeted and data-
driven approach. We are losing students
to neighboring districts and private
schools, which affects the dynamics in
contract term should be two years
instead of three years in length, regard-
less of the person in the position of
superintendent.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: This is a topic that
requires further discussion and study. On
the surface I can see the potential deter-
rence effect of an evil person not know-
ing whether the first adult they come in
contact with when entering the school is
armed or not. However, I can also under-
stand that the numbers of armed staff in
the building would be low and the
chances are small that the armed staff
would meet the criminal. There are also
issues of training and liability to consid-
er, which should not stop the debate but
be included in it so the Legislature can
craft a good law and districts can have
adequate guidance from the state on
implementation.
TOP ISSUES: Along with providing a
quality education for all students, my
top personal priorities are:
No. 1 — Increase achievement for
“at-risk” students. I will continue to
work with district staff and administra-
tion to meet the needs of under-per-
forming students to enhance their
achievement. Helping these students
increase their knowledge and skills is
not only what is right for them but is in
the best interest of our community.
No. 2 — Continue process improve-
ments. I will continue to ensure the
administration works to identify and
PAGE 47/MHW,WAT
every classroom and school, compro-
mises standardized test scores and
diminishes our sense of community.
Waterford is a dynamic and diverse
community. By building on these
strengths and creating synergy
between the community and the
schools, we can expand educational
opportunities to ensure that all stu-
dents are challenged and engaged in
the learning process.
WHY YOU? I’m an enthusiastic advo-
cate for public schools and care deeply
about the Waterford community,
schools, and most importantly, our
youth. I attended Waterford schools K-
12, and graduated from Waterford
Mott High School. My husband and I
have four children, two of whom
recently graduated from Waterford
schools and attend college, and the
younger two who currently attend
Waterford schools. I have been privi-
leged to serve as the Waterford Mott
PTSO secretary and vice president, and
am the founder/sponsor of the
Waterford Mott Junior Optimist Club. I
have been actively involved in school
sports, choir, orchestra, scouts, the-
ater and PTA, holding offices and
chairing numerous events for the past
17 years. I have over 20 years of lead-
ership experience in business, includ-
ing roles as a supervisor and depart-
ment manager, college instructor, cor-
porate trainer, systems and business
analyst. I hold a master’s of business
administration degree with a concen-
tration in finance. ❏
expand effective processes and change
or eliminate ineffective ones. This
includes talking with staff and making
sure the best practices are shared
across the district.
No. 3 — Monitor the building uti-
lization/transition process. I want to
ensure that transition runs smoothly
and student achievement is monitored.
I will work with the administration,
staff, parents, and other board mem-
bers to follow these students’
progress and address issues that
arise.
WHY YOU? I believe I should be re-
elected to another term on the school
board because I have worked over the
past four years to keep the district’s
focus on our students, especially those
who are struggling to succeed at every
level. With even tougher financial
times ahead as a result of the funding
approach by the state, I will continue
to provide valuable input into the over-
sight of the district by bringing my
education, work experience, and expe-
rience as a small-business owner to
the table in subcommittee work and in
individual meetings with staff and
administration. I have the skills as an
out-of-the-box, analytical thinker with
an inquisitive mind and a collaborative
approach, but that is not afraid to ask
the tough questions of administration.
If re-elected I will continue my work on
the board in this same manner. ❏
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