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Thursday, July 1, 2010 • HERITAGE NEWSPAPERS/WESTERN REGION
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which was created in cooperation with the sheriff, Pittsfield Township Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security and other local, state and federal partners. We will work to increase awareness, share resources and educate the residents on Internet safety. Website: http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/boc/ members/district_7 Personal: Age, 43; married to Sean for 18 years with two children.
MELINDA DAY Office sought: County Commissioner, District 8. Political affiliation: Republican. Residence: Ann Arbor. Occupation: Graduate student research assistant. Education: Magnum cum Laude, Honors College, Graduate of the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree. Member of Phi Beta Kappa. Currently a doctoral candidate in molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the University of Michigan. Previous elected office: None. Current public or community service: Participant in the Leukemia Society Light the Night. Key issues *Keeping the county budget balanced and representative of the cost of government. *Maintaining a strong public safety department. How will you address each of these issues: *Utilize intergovernmental agreements to make the county government more efficient. Review previous budgets to determine where we can streamline governmental services and focus on mandated programs for each governmental entity. *With the (Ann Arbor) City Council continuing to attempt to balance the city budget on the backs of public safety employees, it’s important to maintain a strong county sheriff’s department. A budgetary review of the Ann Arbor budget suggests that the city utilize sheriff’s deputies for the majority of law enforcement. If the current trend continues, we can expect that it will be necessary for the county sheriff to play a greater role in the policing of the city of Ann Arbor. Website: Facebook group Elect Melinda Day Washtenaw County Commissioner District at www.facebook.com. Personal: 24 years old, married, no children.
BARBARA LEVIN BERGMAN Office sought: Washtenaw County Commissioner, District 8. Political affiliation: Democrat. Residence: Ann Arbor. Occupation: Washtenaw County Commissioner. Education: Bachelor’s degree in English and secondary education; master’s degree in social work, major in program planning and public policy analysis; doctoral studies and social work and child welfare. Previous elected office: I have been elected to this office nine times. I have served almost 18 years as Washtenaw county commissioner. Current public or community service: Member of Washtenaw Community Health Organization Board of Directors; chairwoman, Ann Arbor/Washtenaw County Community Corrections; member, Homeland Security Task
Force of Washtenaw County; member, Washtenaw County Human Emergency Response Committee; member, Criminal Justice coordinating Council of Washtenaw County; member, Social Action Committee, Temple Beth Emit, Ann Arbor; board member, Area Agency on Aging 1B. Key issues *Maintain services to vulnerable citizens in our county. *Continued fiscal vigilance and responsibility. How will you address each of these issues: *We are working closely with United Way, our community nonprofit partners and County/Ann Arbor Community Development to maximize the dollars we have available for services. In the county, we are planning to consolidate to various service departments. *All commissioners and staff and are alert for ways to achieve savings. We hope to do this by contracting with other cities and townships to save money by sharing services such as information and technology, policing, and human resources. We have already joined county 9-1-1 with Ann Arbor City 9-1-1. Website: None at this time Personal: 75 years old, widow with three adult sons.
LEAH GUNN Office sought: County Commissioner, District 9. Political affiliation: Democrat Residence: Ann Arbor City Occupation: County Commissioner Education: Bachelor’s degree in history, University of Michigan; master’s in library science, University of Michigan. Previous elected office: None Current public or community service: Chairwoman, Urban County Executive Committee; trustee, Washtenaw County Retirement Commission; member, 800MHz Oversight Committee; member, Accommodations Ordinance Commission; member, Eastern Leaders Group; member, Integrated Funding Task Force; member, Washtenaw Literacy Coalition; board member, Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority; Capital Improvements Committee, DDA; Operations Committee, DDA; co-chairwoman, Ann Arbor District Library Millage Campaign; treasurer and Steering Committee member, Ann Arbor Greenbelt Campaign; Steering Committee, Natural Areas Millage Campaign; treasurer and Steering Committee member; Emergency Communications (800 MHz) Millage Campaign; Formerly served on the boards of the Washtenaw Area Council for Children and the Child Care Network Key issues *Preserving county services in a time of a challenging economy. *Retaining the county’s commitment to long-term fiscal stability. How will you address each of these issues: *In 2009, we had to fill a $30 million gap in our budget, the difference between our estimated revenue and our expenses. We reduced our budget expenses by cutting costs in all departments, while trying to retain as many services as possible. We reduced the pay of nonunion employees and required them to pay modest health insurance premiums. The AFSCME union requested instead that we allow eight furlough days to make up the difference, and the board agreed to that.
The cooperation of our employees to avoid massive layoffs and service cuts was admirable, and points to a lon time excellent relationship with them. They know that we are all in this together, and I admire their loyalty. It was a very tough challenge, and a difficult process, but we came out of it with a carefully balanced budget. *In the ensuing years, we must keep a very close eye on both revenue and expenditures because we are not out of the woods yet. We may face having to pay back property taxes to people who have appealed their bills, and the value of properties in the county has decreased for the first time since the Great Depression. We were affected greatly by the loss of both Pfizer and the General Motors plant, and it’s a struggle to preserve our needed services. Only someone with long experience in county budgeting has the ability to understand the complexity of these issues. Personal: 71 years old, married with two grown daughters.
DANIELLE MACK Office sought: County Commissioner, District 10. Political affiliation: Democrat. Education: 75-plus college credit hours (junior). Current public or community service: Board of directors with MISSION; chaplain for Camp Take Notice; alternate member for the Executive Committee for Camp Take Notice. Key issues *To create better social services all around. How will you address each of these issues: *We have a huge homeless issue in Washtenaw County, and our services are woefully inadequate to cope with the demand for these services. We need to reprioritize our spending in these areas to more specifically target the different subcultures of the homeless people and gear the help for these subcultures to the specific reasons they became homeless, and to their plans for getting out of their current hardships. Personal: 30 years old; single. (Incumbent and candidate for District 10, Conan Smith, Democrat, did not submit a profile for newspaper publication.)
LUANNE BULLINGTON Office sought: County Commissioner, District 11. Political affiliation: Democrat. Occupation: Retired from a career in computer information technology and education. Education: A bachelor’s degree in computer science and a bachelor’s degree in special and general education from Eastern Michigan University. Previous elected office: Ann Arbor Host Lions Board of Directors, two terms; Arbor City Democrat, executive officer; Ann Arbor City Democrat, vice chairman of the organization; Ann Arbor City Democrat vice chairman of communications; Susan Greenberg Scholarship Committee; Ann Arbor City Democrat Nominating Committee; Ward 3 elected precinct delegate; Washtenaw County Democrat Ward 3 delegate and precinct representative; senior advocates of Washtenaw Executive Committee and Steering Committee. Current public or community service: Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, local advisory council; Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living; Ann Arbor Golf Association; Ann Arbor City Club; KidCare Project volunteer; Project Grow and Discovery Garden;
School anti-Bullying Campaign; St. Joseph and Dawn Farm Education Series; Ann Arbor Westside Co-op; Coalition for Voter Access; Burns Park Senior Center; Ann Arbor NAACP; and Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition Key issues *Protecting needed services for all members of our community, especially seniors, children and at-risk populations. *Washtenaw County’s budget priorities. How will you address each of these issues: *Pull human service funding out of the Urban County and back under the oversight of the Board of Commissioners, and have the Board of Commissioners provide more oversight to community development projects, CDGB programs and funds, ARRA-funded projects, the Land Bank, etc. Promote the dissolution of the LDFA which is able to capture property tax money. This would return needed funds to our cash-strapped public schools. Spin off SPARK. When SPARK’s president and chief executive officer is paid more than $260,000 a year, it’s time to reprioritize where the board is allocating taxpayers’ scarce dollars. Personal: Two children.
YOUSEF RABHI Office sought: County Commission, District 11. Political affiliation: Democrat. Occupation: Natural Areas Restoration at the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum. Education: Huron High school alum; currently a senior at the University of Michigan studying urban and regional planning in program in the environment. Current public or community service: Member of Students Organized for Labor and Economic Equality; volunteer for the Buhr Park Wet Meadow Project; co-founder of Eco-circle; member of 350 Ann Arbor; and member of the Progressive Alliance. Key issues *Protecting human services. *Forging a sustainable future. How will you address each of these issues: *Providing human services is the most important function of the county. We must continue providing these services now and into the future. Given the state of the county budget, many services are facing elimination. I will prevent cuts by working with township and municipal governments to reduce the duplication of services, promote resource conservation and fully fund programs that will save the county money in the future. *Sustainability is the creation of equitable communities, a healthy Earth and a strong economy. We can have all three. I will be a voice for workers rights and civil rights. I will fight for small businesses and make sure that the county is investing in the local economy. Through the creation of urban gardening resources, the promotion of countywide farmers’ markets and the usage of green technology in county buildings, I pledge to move the county toward a sustainable and resilient future. Personal: 22 years old; single.
ALICE RALPH Office sought: County Commissioner, District 11. Political affiliation: Democrat. Occupation: Architect. Education: Lawrence University; U of M.
Current public or community service: Led appointed city committee for livable downtown design guidelines; active on Washtenaw County Historic District Commission since 1999, protecting cultural assets; key leader in saving Dexter’s Gordon Hall and continuing volunteer. Key issues *Resilient policy. *Core responsibilities. How will you address each of these issues: *Resilient social and fiscal policy will result in budgets that reflect shared community priorities. *With active listening, I’ll seek to overcome divisions and build partnerships that get us beyond crises. Effective budgeting will provide focus on core responsibilities such as health, security and opportunity. Resilient policy and attention to core responsibilities will shield us from scarcity and prepare us for future abundance. Personal; 59, with family and friends across the country. I have lived for 34 years in Ann Arbor.
JOE BAUBLIS Office sought: County Commissioner, District 11. Political affiliation: Tea Party Republican. Occupation: Handyman. Education: Bachelor’s degree, Kalamazoo College; master’s degree, Eastern Michigan University. Current public or community service: Fighting state of Michigan Tax Tribunal to enforce assessment rules in favor of the people (not the assessors); fighting state of Michigan to provide jury trials as provided in state and federal Constitutions; producing broadcast of a Tea Party Rally for Ann Arbor’s Community Television Network; protesting at state of Michigan capitol against proposed income tax increase; fighting city of Ann Arbor illegal sidewalk repair policy; fighting city of Ann Arbor illegal zoning rule prosecution, instructing “ballroom dance” at Washtenaw County Recreation building. (Editor’s note: Joe Baublis chose not to answer most of the questions presented on the candidate’s profile.)
MIKE FRIED Office sought: County Commissioner, District 11. Political affiliation: Democrat. Occupation: Retired after 26 years as chief of administration, Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, in charge of all non-legal operations of office, including budget, personnel, information technology, facilities and liaison to Board of Commissioners Education: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees, University of Michigan. Current public or community service: Board member, The Dispute Resolution Center; treasurer and board member, Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County; council member, Washtenaw County Criminal Justice Collaborative Council; and member, Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative Advisory Council. Key issues *How can the county provide high-quality services during difficult fiscal times and find creative ways to provide assistance to county residents in need? *How can we build a common vision for Washtenaw County’s future that includes sound finances, high employment in good jobs, accessible parks, efficient transportation, and high quality services?
How will you address each of these issues: *The Board of Commissioners needs to review and prioritize services. It should promote improved productivity and efficiency through the use of technology and increased collaboration among agencies and governments. I plan to use my experience as chief of administration of the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and in active community involvement to work collaboratively with others to find creative solutions that maintain high quality services and provide for those in need. *Agencies and governments are in the process of planning for future activities and development in the county. Planning efforts are going on in transportation, human services, housing and land use, to name a few. Coordination among these efforts can lead to plans that better support each other and are not at cross purposes. The county can play a critical role by helping to coordinate these efforts, by helping to create a common vision and by assisting stakeholders in collaborating to make these visions a reality. Personal: 68 years old, married for 45 years, two married children and four grandchildren.
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