Grand Traverse County Commission

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

Since I was a young person, I have been instilled with the importance of serving and giving back to your community.  I moved to GT County 18 years ago as a young mom.  I quickly found that with only an hourly job, I needed to work a separate shift from my spouse because daycare was out of the budget, rent needed to be paid and food needed to be on the table.  Economic and emotional stress caused me to become a single mother. I relied on services provided by community entities like the Grand Traverse County Health Department, and with those, I was able to ensure that medical, dental, and other needs were met and my girls grew up healthy. Without the supportive services from Grand Traverse County, things could have ended up a little differently. And, yet, I know that current conditions – expensive rent and a daycare crisis – are increasingly putting our young families now in a position of constant struggle and hardship. We can do better, and that is why I am running to serve this community and District 2. We can invest in the citizens who literally run this community.  We can work together, everyone, all hands on deck, to create a plan to grow year long work force housing to ensure anyone who works in GT County can afford to live here as well. I have worked many jobs in our community from restaurant, to retail, to real estate, sometimes working multiple positions at one time.  As my children grew older, I went back to school, did my homework at the kitchen table with them, and have since earned my Bachelor’s and Master’s. I am proud of what I’ve accomplished as a single mother and professional woman. My community helped me to do it. And now it’s time for me to serve my community to ensure that more people have the same chance.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

A sustainable local community 100% depends on citizens being able to find dependable and affordable housing to help them put down strong roots to help live, work, and grow in the area.  As a County Commissioner, I will work with other community leaders, non-profits, and business leaders, and all other stakeholders to ensure that a plan is put together and executed to end the housing crisis in Grand Traverse County.  Without facing the housing issue first and head on, next steps to support economic vitality will be moot. Quality year long workforce housing is needed to attract new talent, young families, and skilled labor to our area to sustain economic growth.  Once the housing issue has been tackled, other issues need to be faced, such as daycare access, infrastructure needs, mental health and so on. With tourism being such an economic strength for our region, we need to invest to ensure the members of our community, such as hospitality employees, county employees, hourly workers at local businesses, and educators can thrive in GT County to continue to grow our economy.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

There are two sides to this coin, and I have discussed both in length.  On one hand, like I stated before, I understand the importance tourism is to the strength of our local economy.  Short Term Rentals offer more opportunity for visitors to stay here in the area and provide them a different and unique experience in GT County.  Short Term Rentals also offer an income for many of our residents and help families use their property to subsidize their annual revenue.  On the other side, there are members of our communities losing out of the opportunity to live close to their work and are being out bid in purchasing homes due to large corporations investing in these properties.  As a servant to my district, I would turn to the voice of  my constituents.  The concerns of the members of my district must be balanced with the authority of the local government. Our county is unique in comparison to other counties within our state.  What is good for one municipality, may not work in another.  I think with conversation, planning, and listening, we as a community can create a model for short term rentals that is balanced and works for the needs of our county.    

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

While working for Davenport University at the NMC University Center, I had the honor to work with so many different members of our community who were looking to earn a degree, certificate, or upskill themselves to earn a higher earning position.  DU’s partnership with Northwestern Michigan College gave me the opportunity to understand what jobs needed to be filled and what skills were needed to fill them.  I personally would meet with business owners and ask them what education or skill sets they would like to see their future employees have and/or earn, and, with these partnerships, I assisted students to be placed in working positions that would help with their education and higher wages as well.  As a candidate, I have been endorsed by local unions, such as the IBEW, and I would also continue to work with them to promote their educational track to good paying jobs right here in GT County. As a commissioner, I would like to see the County invest in professional development and training programs for our local workforce to ensure they are ready and prepared for better paying jobs and opportunities that are produced in GT County.  But like I said before, all this can only be accomplished when we bring to the table community leaders, business owners, other stakeholders, and the Board of Commission to create and execute a plan to expand year long workforce housing.   

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

I would prioritize the spending of the $18 million of ARPA funding to support finding and executing solutions to solve the housing crisis, lack of access to childcare, availability of quality mental health programs, and infrastructure, such as high-speed internet, etc. With so many great advocates in our community already working on solutions for these issues, I would like to partner with these non-profits and other groups to see how an investment with our ARPA funding can assist them further with their efforts.   

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

I do plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage, and I hope that my answers above have shown how important of an issue I believe this is.  Creating a plan to address the housing crisis would not only take the County Board to do so.  I would like to bring all valued and expert stakeholders to the table, non-profits, foundations, local municipalities, larger area employers, the college, and more to brainstorm all ideas and solutions.  As many know, having diverse members of a team brings about diverse solutions.  Our county lacks a strategic plan, and with one, proposals can be arranged, goals can be set, and solutions can be executed.  Also creating or bringing back a county planning commission would assist in finding and leveraging other funding through state and federal government.  If elected, this is my top priority issue to begin to solve with my fellow commissioners and community stakeholders.  

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

As a single mother for the last 16 years, daycare has always been a difficulty that has caused strife and stress.  When my children were young, I would drive one hour to drop my daughters off where they could receive care at no cost to me.  That was my only option.  I still know that this is a constant burden and struggle, not only for single parents, but for two working parents as well.  I am on the board of a non-profit that assists teen parents with mentoring, education, and counseling in the GT County region, and daycare is one of the biggest hurdles for these parents to continue on with their education and to enter the workforce. There are models all around the state that GT County can work with to make their own.  We could assist in growing the number of childcare providers by helping with training and education costs, licensing costs, and other items needed to help new daycares open.  As one of the largest employers in the county, we could be a model for other businesses to offer daycare in their facilities. We can start solving this crisis with competent spending of our ARPA funds.    

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?

I think it is important for businesses owners to know that their community and county support them and constantly are working to find solutions to their direct problems. As a future commissioner that does not own a business, I would turn to speak directly to those who do to let us know what their specific needs are.  That being said, I do think that circling back to solving the lack of and high costs of year long workforce housing would have a direct effect on lowering the pressure that inflation has instilled on many.  The region’s higher cost of living has led many companies and businesses to have to raise their hourly wage and salaries to accommodate staffing their locations, in turn lowering their net revenue.  As far as supply chain costs and shortages go, the county should be working to find other transit options to increase shipping accessibility of goods needed.  As a large purchaser of supplies, we could put strong efforts into negotiating and bargaining with suppliers to get what is necessary in our region at lower costs.  Finding solutions to inflation and high supply chain costs will take communication with leaders with expertise to help the county support local businesses to the fullest extent.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

Grand Traverse County is one of the fastest growing in the state of Michigan. This presents a unique set of opportunities and challenges. I want to contribute guidance for thoughtful and sustainable growth for our area as we work to provide the necessary foundation for that growth.  Infrastructure needs such as sewage, water treatment, roads, transportation, power and communications, are key components as we deal with the expanding influx of people coming to our beautiful region.

In the 45 years I have lived in Traverse City I have worked, raised my family and volunteered with the best friends and neighbors anywhere! I have watched local elected officials deal with many challenges and opportunities that came before them. We all benefit today from great decisions made by our former county board members. I have also noted a few not so great choices that were made which gives me a unique knowledge and perspective that is forward thinking based on the wisdom of the past. I would like to share my knowledge with our great community at this time of unprecedented growth in our region.

The bottom line to all Grand Traverse County services is, of course, the bottom line. We have to live within our means in government just as we do in our own households. The current Board of Commissioners has done an exceptional job tackling a number of tough financial issues to ensure that our house is in order. As a member of the board, I will continue in the work they have done and promote sound and sensible fiscal planning and budgeting as we work to meet the needs of Grand Traverse County.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

For many years, the great goal of so many of our community organizations has been to attract businesses and develop jobs in Grand Traverse County. Traverse Connect, The Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Corporation, the former Traverse Area Industrial Fund and many others have worked tirelessly for the growth of the region.  When I was involved in advertising and marketing, our company’s goal was always to help businesses get bigger. That’s what we all want, so the area can offer great jobs for our children and grandchildren, so they can stay and thrive here. We need to continue to make our County attractive to companies and businesses; to start, relocate and grow in our beautiful area.

Great schools, state of the art medical care, modern infrastructure, housing and up to date communications from our community associates are some of the important resources that help to support businesses.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

Townships, villages and cities are the local government agencies with broad authority to regulate short-term rentals.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

We can help with the labor shortage by providing the lowest taxes with the highest quality county services to continue making Grand Traverse County attractive to the best skilled labor force.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

The County’s American Rescue Plan Act Official application is open now until October 31, 2022.

https://www.gtcountymi.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1721

There are 5 categories. Funds must be spent in Grand Traverse County. $18.2 million that must be spent by December 2026.

Grand Traverse County should consider utilizing the monies from the infrastructure act in water treatment and sewers facilities to deal with increased population in the county. We should continue with plans for road and bridge up-dates.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

Many families face challenging housing options in the current regional market. The pressure on the housing market is a combination of lucrative nightly rentals combined with low housing inventory. Thankfully more housing is coming on line as multiple developments will be completed in the next year. Supply and demand will even out as more housing options are made available and will help bring costs down

As a county board member, I will look long and hard at all the areas we can influence to promote a more affordable housing market. Continuous reviewing of all Grand Traverse County policies, regulations and restrictions, to help streamline the processes and procedures to unburden the construction community from any county governmental obstacles that might exist.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

As a former day care provider, there is no role the county plays in finding answers to increase access to affordable quality child care. The state government regulates child care businesses.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?

Local county policy has no effect on the hardships we all carry from inflation and supply chain issues.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

I’m honored to serve as an elected City Commissioner for Traverse City and live in downtown Traverse City with my husband, Chris, and my two daughters who attend Traverse City Area Public Schools. As a Commissioner, I have additional appointments to the Arts Commission, Brown Bridge Advisory and the Joint Recreation Authority with Garfield Township. As an elected official, I have focused on creative housing solutions, a more pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, community engagement, equity in public parks funding, and sewer/water infrastructure improvements to further protect our watershed. A strong, sustainable community with opportunities for all people is my passion and drives me to continue to serve the people, families, and businesses across our region.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

I believe that when all people in our region are supported and given opportunities for success, we all succeed. I will continue to work as an elected official to support sustainable economic development with private-public partnerships and support opportunities for entrepreneurs to develop high impact ideas, create good-paying jobs, and contribute to a high quality of life for our region.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

Yes, I believe that this should remain in the purview of our local municipalities and not at the state level. Our state is very diverse and needs are different across the state; I don’t agree with the current desire for state-wide regulation that would tie the hands of our ability to regulate short-term rentals on the local level.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

Skilled labor is incredibly important to the strength and resiliency of our region. I would continue to support private-public partnerships to recruit, train, and incentivize training in the trades. We have great opportunities to strengthen relationships between the high schools, trade schools, and employers who are seeking qualified and motivated men and women who might pursue a wonderful career in the trades.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

Our County ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding should be prioritized in accordance with the educated understanding of our key issues along with the public input: housing, mental health, and childcare.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

Absolutely, this is an emergency-level issue for our region and an area I have worked on in my time as an elected City Commissioner. The County has an opportunity lead. We can coordinate with other municipalities according to a much-needed strategic plan for housing based on area needs for affordable and workforce housing. A County-wide affordable housing millage should be explored, as well as to greater utilize our Land Bank Authority to ramp up efforts to house our neighbors.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

Yes, as a working Mom of two kids, I understand this challenge well. I firmly believe that the childcare desert here in northern Michigan is a huge barrier for economic growth, opportunity, attraction of families, and quality of life for our region. We can work with the State of Michigan to incentivize child care providers to provide increased services across our region, and reduce some of the onerous and expensive requirements to start in-home care and facilities. We have an opportunity as a County to be a leader in being a 21^st Century employer with flexible working conditions and provider of on-site childcare facilities.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?  

As we continue to develop meaningful private-public partnerships and focus on better opportunities for ALL people, take the housing and childcare crises seriously and commit to real collective action, I believe that our regional economy will come through this period of inflation and supply chain issues with more resilient, creative and sustainable businesses.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

I’m running for county commission because we have an incredible form of government in this country called the United States Constitution. Unfortunately there are many in leadership at every level who take the oath to protect and defend the Constitution enemies foreign and domestic and do not uphold their word. The county level is a great place to draw the line in the sand against such lawlessness.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

Small independent business is the lifeblood of any vibrant and creative economy. The Grand Traverse region is has multitudes of incredible examples of creative entrepenuership in an interwoven, interdependent share of goods and service transactions. We need to do everything we can to preserve that.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

As a general rule I believe government should have no authority over private property unless laws are being broken.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

Calling laborers “unskilled” sounds like an excuse to me. It’s incumbent upon business owners and managers to train people, to be innovative and constantly learning about what individuals gifts and talents are and how to unlock them.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

No answer submitted.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

The real estate market has exploded mainly on the same type of lending practices that led to the 2008 debacle. Grand Traverse has also been subject to the “Aspen’ effect where affluent city slickers just have to have a pricey second or third home here The affordable housing crisis has been aided and abetted by a Michigan legislature that recently made it easier for foreigners to purchase property here. It’s a complicated issue that effects the entire region. The county commission doesn’t have much if any jurisdiction in this matter.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

Again, as child care is highly regulated by the state, there isn’t much a county commission can I believe in allowing people to make their own decisions and loosening overbearing regulation to make child care more affordable.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?  

Businesses learned a lot about efficiency during the pandemic, often finding better profitability by streamlining costs and operating leaner and tougher. It’s the same thing with inflation and supply chain cost. Until we as a nation can get a way to stop foolish things like borrowing and printing money for pet projects like $40 billion in “aid” to Ukraine, we will have these type of issues.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

I would like to give back to my community that I have lived in for most of my childhood and all of my adult life. I personally have nothing to gain, I would like to bring honesty, integrity, and ethics back to a board that has had that issue with several commissioners.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

I hope to bring transparency back to the board. I would also like to see movement by the board on hot button issues like homelessness, affordable housing, and our Community Mental Health issues. I would also look into issues that seem inconsistent with state law as it pertains to the Building Codes Office.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

Short term rentals should be controlled locally. I think there are some places more suited than others to be short term rentals and it should be determined by the people that the short term rentals effect, be it neighbors, adjacent riparian owners, or if the proposed short term rental is in an area that is lacking affordable work force housing. To just say “any” house is qualified to be a short term rental is just as irresponsible as saying “no” to short term rentals. There should be common ground that would work for certain areas given our areas economy being tourism based.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

The skilled Labor shortage can be addressed by the elimination of the old adage “half the pay for a view of the bay”. When skilled labor cannot afford to live here, build a sustainable career and have a modest to respectable outlook for retirement, how can you keep a sustainable workforce in an area? The total compensation package is kept artificially low by a lot of businesses for a reason, most are not willing to share in the wealth this area generates. This sets up what I call a system of economic slavery, a person gets locked into a job or career that they can hardly every climb out of to better themselves. This “no light at the end of the tunnel” view seen by so many workers that support our area promotes the workers and skilled labor to take short cuts in society like forgoing health care, not saving for retirement, and taking chances on job sites that could be illegal or dangerous to themselves or others. This causes stress on workers to the point that they work hard enough to just leave the area for other areas of the country at the earliest opportunity. I would like to change our old adage to “a rising tide raises all ships” and see shared prosperity.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

Prioritized ARPA funding order:

1. Broadband for rural areas- access to knowledge and education for more people is essential and a key to a lot of problems
2. Infrastructure- to get the newly educated to and from sustainable jobs efficiently and support our economy of tourism.
3. Community Mental Health- get the help to those that need it cost effectively and expediently.
4. Geriatric Care (Pavilions)- to be able to take care of the Boomer Generation that is about to hit our society like a freight train, this includes support for Commission on Aging, the Veterans, the Senior Center and other agencies that support people that need it.
5. Support for Police, Fire, Road Commission workers and Ambulance, attrition in these fields can be directly attributed to being a dead end outlook on the job. Their retirement has been reduced to peanuts when you start running a calculator and figure what they will have to live on in retirement.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

Affordable housing can be addressed in question #4 by changing the old adage to “a rising tide raises all ships”.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

Affordable Child care is the same as #4 and #6, if you increase the affordability of people to stay here a majority will.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?

Shared responsibility in society, there are too many businesses and people that only take what they can get and not contribute back either monetarily or physically. We need satisfied workers so businesses can be more efficient and profitable. We need satisfied business owners that are willing to take the risk of being in business.

The supply chain cost in the GT area is addressed by better infrastructure, either roads or rail, rail at its current state is way to slow for the instant gratification required by society, but would work for some things if brought up to a modern system. I think Inflation would naturally subside when uncertainty in the markets calms down and finds a happy median, after people regain trust in society and the markets it will be a lot better. I have spent the last 9 years watching a pension plan and health plan and what it does when different people get into public office and how it effects an economy and the people in it, a stable leadership team that can work together with people is by far a better alternative for everyone.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

My political philosophy has always been that the government which governs least, governs best. The role of local government should be that of a facilitator to support new and emerging economic growth rather than an enforcer or worse a deterrent. While county government is, appropriately, limited in it’s role as an economic driver it can certainly be a proponent through advocacy with regards to state and federal regulation and financing of regional initiatives.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

My political philosophy has always been that the government which governs least, governs best. The role of local government should be that of a facilitator to support new and emerging economic growth rather than an enforcer or worse a deterrent. While county government is, appropriately, limited in it’s role as an economic driver it can certainly be a proponent through advocacy with regards to state and federal regulation and financing of regional initiatives.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

Yes, in general local government is more responsive to local needs.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

Not a county government issue. Anyone who claims that county government can solve this is giving you political lip service.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

Infrastructure that protects our clean lakes, rivers & streams.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

Not a county government issue. Anyone who claims that county government can solve this is giving you political lip service.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

Not a county government issue. Anyone who claims that county government can solve this is giving you political lip service.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs? 

Not a county government issue. Anyone who claims that county government can solve this is giving you political lip service.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

There are several reasons. The first is that I can do a better job than my opponent. I want to focus the County Commission on local issues and stop wasting time on national issues over which the County Commission has no legislative power. I started attending County Commission meetings regularly in February, 2019 and have been appalled at how much time has been wasted on political resolutions that have nothing to do with the responsibilities of county government.

I volunteer at Safe Harbor through Grace Episcopal Church and through that have insight and understanding of the homelessness and mental health problems that face our county.

The current commission does not plan—the vote to leave Northern Lakes Community Mental Health (NLCMH) followed by a vote to remove two board members, which was finally followed by a working meeting with stakeholders is an example.  A series of stakeholder meetings started two years ago would in all likelihood have avoided the problems at NLCMH in the first place. The Board should adopt best practices from business for planning and budgeting to avoid problems like the County is currently experiencing with NLCMH.

Government needs to be more accessible. The move to day-time meetings prevents community members with day-time jobs from serving—only business owners and retirees have the flexibility to serve when meetings are at 8:00 AM.  As a relatively young retiree, I have the flexibility to step up, and am compelled to do so by the dysfunction that I have witnessed.

Finally, the current commission has no one who has experienced a fast-growing population. I spent my working years in a Texas metropolitan area that grew from about 2 million when I arrived in 1986 to about 8 million when I returned to Michigan in 2018. I lived through the growing pains and understand the problems and trade-offs that face rapidly growing counties such as ours.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

We need a strategic plan and a budget that aligns with that plan. Our budgets are now created by repeating the previous year with no evaluation of changing needs. We need a plan for development, housing and related infrastructure, and it needs to be done with an open process.

I would also repudiate the explicit show of support for the Proud Boys and other extremists demonstrated during the discussion and passage of the 2^nd Amendment Sanctuary resolution.  Making the region a welcoming place for people of all backgrounds is critical to recruiting skilled workers.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

Local conditions vary widely and local governments should have the ability to encourage,  discourage and regulate short-term rentals to meet local needs. In Sedona, AZ, the state removed the ability to regulate short-term rentals in any meaningful way; the result was that working-age families were pushed out—first by prices, and then by the collapse of the public school system. The local community should control its destiny by managing the trade offs between ownership rights and the need to preserve affordable communities.

I do not want Grand Traverse County to turn in to a region where short-term rentals owned by outside investors made the region unlivable for working age families.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

The retirement of the baby boom generation is a part of the skilled labor shortage; it was accelerated by the pandemic. We need to keep and make Grand Traverse County a place where skilled workers of all backgrounds can stay, afford to live and feel welcome.

For Northern Michigan, improving the availability of housing and childcare is critical to retaining the skilled workers we have and to recruiting skilled workers to the region.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) professions are racially and ethically diverse.  Recruiting skilled labor in these and other jobs will require creating a welcoming environment and avoiding polemics such as the statements by the Leelanau Road Commissioner, the welcome to the Proud Boys by the Grand Traverse County Commission, and the anti-Islamic statements of the Kalkaska Village President.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

Housing availability and cost are root causes for many problems that the region faces.  I would spend a major amount on different aspects of the housing problem. I would fund facilities for chronically homeless and mentally ill residents.  Homelessness is perceived as a Traverse City problem, but that is only because that is where the unsheltered can find services and shelter.

I would fund programs that rehabilitate housing stock.  I would fund sewer and water projects that make it economically advantageous for builders to develop areas that have access to sewer and water services instead of areas where the up-front costs of a well and septic system are lower.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

I plan to use the County Commission to help address the housing shortage.  Zoning and many tools for housing development rest with Townships, but the County Commission controls appointments to the Land Bank Authority, Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, and Road Commission.  These boards have direct or indirect influence on housing development; the Board of Commissioners needs to make sure that the appointees understand the urgency of the housing problem and that they work on projects to support housing development of a variety of different types.

The County has a largely unused fund for housing rehabilitation; this was proposed and I believe used to help East Bay residents north of the Airport connect to municipal water when PFAS was detected in their well water. Use of this fund should be expanded to keep houses from turning into tear-downs.

The County should have a role in regional planning and should re-institute the planning effort.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

Parents early in their careers are limited in how much it makes sense to pay for child care, and even with reduced regulation, providers can’t make money at the prices they can charge parents.  A secondary problem is that attrition of childcare workers is very high; training programs will never, ever fix an attrition problem. With the retirement of baby-boomers, the supply of workers is smaller, and demand will force the price of labor higher.

During the decade that parents need child care, there is no way that they can afford to pay enough to actually provide the service in the current wage environment.

Subsidizing the cost of providing childcare via grants from businesses, federal programs, state programs or a county tax program is a key part of the solution. There are a variety of different ways that this could be structured.

Voters in the county need to be given an opportunity to choose to fund and finance child care in the same way that we finance schools and other services that are needed by early-career families.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?

Labor availability is one of the root problems for both inflation and supply chain costs. The locally high cost and availability of work-force housing and child care constrain local labor availability and push labor costs upward.

Improving access to housing and childcare will help in two ways: labor expenses will reprice more slowly, and on the revenue side, businesses will have more power to increase prices when customers are not constrained by high housing and childcare costs.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

This is my community. I live here, I love it here, and I plan on staying here. Many people came before us to make this community what it is. I feel like it is my turn in the hot seat, to give back to the community that has been so good to my family.

I have served this community in one way or another since I was pretty young. It was a trait instilled in me by my parents, and grandparents, who also served in this community going back to Traverse City’s 100th birthday celebration in 1947 – 75 years ago.

It seems like all of my previous roles have prepared me for my role as a county commissioner. I love this community, I have raised my family here, and now it is my turn to support, and build upon, the efforts of those who made this community such a great place to live.

My background in business, or at one of the non-profit boards, I was involved in during my life give me some unique skill sets to work with the many of the organizations and people I interact with in my role as a county commissioner.

I have truly loved my first term as a county commissioner and have learned a lot. I hope to build upon the significant accomplishments of this board and administration team to continue to work together to make decisions that benefit long-term. This in combination with my background and what I have learned in my first term will continue to help the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners (GTCBOC) continue to be good stewards of our community.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

As a commissioner my first responsibility is to understand when I can help, and when I am getting in the way.

I have been in business in this community since 1986. My parents and grandparents were in business in this county before me. I grew up working for my grandparents at their dairy on Front Street. I was not very productive as an eight year old employee, but I grew up understanding how a business succeeds, I grew up hearing discussions about business, and the community, at the dinner table. I have personally navigated my own business through the challenges that a business faces in good and bad economic times, and regulation changes I have learned how to adapt and change to continue to be vital and profitable. I understand what it means to “Make payroll”.

I started my own lawn care business when I was 12 years old. I learned early how to adapt to the needs of sometimes fussy lawn customers.

I have also been on the boards of many organizations. This includes a statewide board negotiating large contracts, acquisitions, and a multi-state merger. At another time I was a board member of small non-profit that couldn’t make payroll and we had to successfully find our way through that challenge as well. These roles for organizations of varied sizes and experiences help me as a county commissioner almost every day.

I guess my widely varied experience in public, non-profit, and private small business give me a varied background to understand what can help a community, and our economic health. I have watched my community, make great advances, and some mistakes. I have learned from seeing the results of these decisions over the long-term.

In short, I use my role as a county commissioner to support business, non-profits, governmental and non-governmental organizations, to have an environment that helps them reach their goals when possible. Or at other times I help do what we can to remove the barriers that prevent these goals from being reached.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

Local control of issues like STR’s is best, but I understand the push from the state to prevent 100% bans on STR’s of any kind, anywhere in a jurisdiction.

I don’t know how you would define “Broad Authority” as in this question. I guess the devil is in these details. But STR’s are often unfairly blamed for many problems in our area.

Government has to balance the right to use your property as you wish with how your activity affects your neighbors and your community. As a county commissioner I serve multiple townships and I have sat thru many meetings as township boards have grappled with this issue. Each township has had different solutions. This is a relatively new zoning challenge facing townships. Good solutions will bubble to the surface over time. We know that there are legal, and/or underground, STR’s in all of our townships. We cannot ignore the issue.

I am very empathetic to township trustees as they face tough neighbor vs neighbor conflicts as they figure this out. My role has been to share the actions of other townships. As a county commissioner we do not legislate zoning – I am in a supporting role to our townships, citiy, and villages. It would be inappropriate for the county to attempt to get in the way of our townships, villages, and city as they navigate STR zoning. But we can offer a supporting role.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

I wish I had a magic wand for this problem, and I bet I am not alone.

But, as a county commissioner, or as a citizen of Grand Traverse County, I have not been issued a magic wand that gives me the power to make skilled labor appear from thin air. If I did, I would use it for my own business first, then share it with others. At the county we face this issue and have gotten very aggressive with increased wages. I know that our Police/EMS/Fire are all facing near crisis level shortages. Every business I speak with, or read about, has this same issue.

The answer – it’s not easy, nor is it a single answer. It has to do with housing costs, state economic health and barriers, taxes and zoning, even infrastructure pieces such as high speed broadband, water, and sewer systems. This is even caused by COVID payments, loan abatements, and other federal and state government programs that delay the need to return to employment.

This is also a worldwide issue. It was an issue before we “sucker-punched” the world economy in 2020-21 with shutdowns, restrictions, etc. Recovery from this will not be  as quick as some would have you believe.

So the solution is to work on all of these things. “A rising tide raises all ships” is a very fitting saying in this case. Fortunately we are growing in this county. That comes with growing pains. There are several community organizations that are doing good work in this area. A few I will mention are the Career Tech Center, NMC, and Traverse Connect and their efforts on several fronts to train or recruit people in the skills employers are seeking. As a member of the GTCBOC I have supported and voted for a grant to Traverse Connect to assist in this arena.

This is not a quick, nor easy fix. We have challenges to work on. As a commissioner good governance, stable budgets, and an economically friendly attitude are all going to be important to do our part at the county. I also work closely with our state reps and senator to try to bring programs and policies forward that will also help. Several of these efforts have been blocked by the Governor, who does not seem to understand what helps promote and attract skilled labor to our businesses.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

We are borrowing money from our grandchildren to give money to our communities with ARPA Funds. My intention is to use these funds in a way that have benefits for our grandchildren. In other words long-term benefit for our community.

There is not only the $18+ million at the county level, with the townships, villages, and city in our county these funds are closer to $25 million.

I hope to leverage these monies to make some substantive long-term benefit by combining projects that benefit multiple jurisdictions, multiple organizations, when possible. I am working with several groups to package projects together to provide broad benefits.

I have almost daily conversations with governmental units and organizations as we try to be good stewards of this money.

At the county BOC we have formed a citizen group to help categorize and ensure the eligibility of submissions for ARPA funds, but 100% of the submissions will come to the full BOC for final approval.

As a commissioner I have spent uncounted hours on this topic alone. I want to be able to look back ten years from now and feel that we were good stewards of these funds. We all should have this goal.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

Simple to understand problem, complicated solutions. The easy solutions are often not really solutions at all.

The significant housing shortage in our area drives prices up to unaffordable levels for many. Add to that inflation which has driven the costs of housing, building materials, and utilities to record highs. Inflation more than almost everything else combined has driven the cost of housing out of reach for many people.

Any growing area experiences housing issues and there is a lag time to the solution, unfortunately. I have a family member in Houston where they needed 30,000 new housing units every year for several years. They had significant challenges. I watched with great interest as they found solutions to their growing pains.

As a county commissioner I can work with county administration, townships, villages and the city, along with key players to take away the barriers to building new housing units in our county. Infrastructure needs, regulation, property availability, zoning, and taxes all can affect our community’s ability to solve this problem. We have worked together on each of these issues, as well as others, to increase housing unit availability in the area. And it is working – but it is slow going.

Often the criticism is that new builds are not the cheapest rents or cost to own – and that is almost always going to be the case, especially with current building costs. But as residents move up to those units, they leave less expensive units available for others. We also can work together to use tax, incentives, non-profits, zoning, roads, sewers and water to make projects more economically feasible.

What has not been successful is supporting an economically unsustainable model that falsely promises long-term “affordable housing” that actually is nothing more than shifting costs to taxpayers. There are several great models locally and in other areas that support economically sound and sustainable housing solutions. The county can be supportive of these programs. I encourage townships to continue to look at their zoning and master plans to carve out districts that can be more efficiently served with infrastructure needs and smaller lots to attract lower cost development.

Some call for the county to attempt to take planning responsibilities over from the townships, villages, and city. This is not something I can support, local control of zoning is a hallmark of our state. Centralizing control at the county level does not promote the creativity that we need to navigate out of this problem.

I support promotion of sustainable solutions rather than restrictions of property rights and saddling taxpayers with increased taxes for programs that repeatedly fail to produce promised results. We should look at the long-term results of programs that other areas have found success, and avoid programs that have not worked in other areas. That seems pretty obvious, but it has not always been the practice by other communities.

The problem of affordable housing is singular, but the solutions are more complicated, and they take time. It takes someone who can work with a variety of stakeholders to get this done. We need experienced elected officials to be able to navigate these complicated processes. I believe I bring some of that experience to the table.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

The reasons for the critical shortage of childcare in our area are primarily due to a significant increase in, frankly, ridiculous and irresponsible, regulations imposed on an in-home daycare by the State of Michigan. I have spoken with numerous daycare providers and they all say the same thing when I ask why there is such a shortage – INCREASED State regulation.

Representative Jack O’Malley put an eight bill package together to provide some relief. I applaud his efforts and I hope they provide the relief families in need of quality licensed daycare.

I also have realized that there is another result of this over-regulation – underground daycare. I hear more and more folks tell me that their only option was going “underground” to an unlicensed daycare provider. In many cases these were a previously licensed daycare providers that could not make it economically feasible under the increased demands of state regulation.

That being said, as a county commissioner I would submit that our efforts to increase housing availability will also help parents with access to quality daycare for their children close enough to their home to be feasible.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?

The county has a limited ability to affect change on these global, national, and state issues. I would suggest that we as citizens have more influence on these two issues than I do as a county commissioner. I will explain further later in my response.

What we can do as county commissioners is to keep a conservative county budget. We have done that. We do what we can to keep taxes low and spend money in ways that support the economic health of our county.

Inflation and supply change issues are a direct result of poor policies by our Governor, federal legislators, and the President. It would be hard to argue otherwise. That being said we must NOT SUPPORT candidates who support these federal and state officials that continue to promote policies that cause these devastating cost of living increases.

The cost of living increase (Inflation) is an unfair tax on everyone. The lower a family’s income, the more punitive this tax is on them. The August inflation numbers show it is getting even worse.

Real inflation adjusted wages from just one year ago show average wages are down almost 3%, even after any wage increases. The August numbers also show this is also getting even worse.

The average Michigan family has lost about $6870.00 due to loss in real wages and increased cost of the things they buy. That is money that would have been spent primarily in our local economy, but instead it was taken without any permission or control from our neighbors.

That is unconceivable to me that we would continue to allow this to happen.

I do not talk to any business, or employee, that is not losing business due to supply chain issues. That lost business means less money to pay employees, invest in equipment, and have a chance to survive another year.

So, what we can do to fix inflation and supply chain issues is to VOTE!

If we vote for local, state, and federal candidates that support the continuation of the existing inflationary policies – we will be even worse next year, and the year after that. This is an unsustainable slide into a recession, or worse. The affects are long term, and not good for anyone especially lower income families looking for housing and day care.

We all have the ultimate solution, we can vote for quality candidates that can demonstrate that they will not support the economic policies that are devastating our economy, our families, and our employers.

My role as a county commissioner is to find the way to work with everyone. I have demonstrated that I can do that. I work extensively with our local state reps and senator. Their stories of how the current Governor REFUSES to work with those not in her party are infuriating, frustrating, and not the sign of  true leadership. We have to fix this, or continue to suffer the consequences.

We should not look at the party of any candidate – we should look at their record, their experience, and their ability to work with all sides of any issue to find the best solution.

I am committed to humble service to my neighbors. I believe I have demonstrated that I serve without regard for party, background, or philosophy. I have a record of finding the solutions that can move us forward. I promise to be respectful and ethical in my role as a county commissioner. I will support all of my fellow commissioners, county staff, townships/villages/city, and the citizens of this count y – my neighbors.

I humbly ask that you consider my record and actions as a county commissioner and feel that I have earned another two year term as a county commissioner. Thank you.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

I’m running to serve district 6 because I believe in service and community, and I know that I can make a difference for our people.

I grew up here. My mom was a nanny and my dad was a union carpet installer. We didn’t always have a lot of money and we moved around a lot. I worked three jobs to put myself through college – midnight shifts at Speedway on Front Street, day shift at Aeropostale in the mall, and then dinner shift at La Seniorita. I attended NMC before graduating from Michigan State University’s James Madison College of Public Policy (go green!). I’ve since dedicated my career (and most of my free time) to nonprofit and public service.

Both my personal and professional experiences have helped me understand the real challenges we are facing in our county. These aren’t just numbers on a sheet of paper to me. These are real people, with real faces, and real stories.

I’m not interested in the drama or the political games I’ve been seeing on our County Board, and that’s why I’m running. We deserve better. We need better. No matter our differences, we’re all in this together. It’s time to stop the bickering and avoiding and get back to work on real issues that matter for Grand Traverse County. If elected, you can trust that I will put people over politics, work hard, and do what’s right for working families.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

First and foremost, I will lead efforts to expand workforce housing options in our County (more on how below). I believe in what many local organizations are calling a “housing first” approach that says, only when we have enough housing will we be able to address “x”. That “x” could be economic vitality, the labor shortage, high speed internet access, mental health, quality childcare, etc. Only when we have enough housing will skilled employees be able to work and live here, will businesses be able to grow and thrive, and will our young people want to stay in the area.

Other important issues to address to support our economic vitality include quality childcare, mental healthcare access, and broadband internet access for our rural communities. While tourism is important in our County, it can’t thrive without a solid, dependable, healthy workforce. We must make Grand Traverse County a great, affordable place to live and work, not just visit.

We can tackle most of these issues with little to no resources spent by engaging in meaningful partnerships with existing local organizations who are already doing this good work with very limited resources – planning and zoning boards, local DDAs, housing nonprofits like Housing North, Homestretch, Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill, Networks Northwest, NW Michigan Supportive Housing, and Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, mental health providers like Child & Family Services, the Children’s Advocacy Center, Women’s Resource Center, and other nonprofit, public, and private providers.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

With more than seven years of experience serving on planning commissions and housing committees, the short-term rental (STR) debate is one I’ve heard often. In many ways, I can understand both positions. STRs are good for our tourist economy and for local families trying to get by or save for their future by renting their primary or a secondary home. It’s not the same when outside investors are buying up homes and putting their profits over the needs of local working families.

However, like with most everything, there must be a balance. Local governments and, more specifically, local planning commissions, know their communities well and can listen to their constituent’s concerns. This is where the authority should lie, with local governments, and perhaps with some guidance from the state. However, a one size fits all plan for the entire state just doesn’t work, especially for rural, tourist-driven communities like ours that are often left behind when considering these types of state laws.

It doesn’t have to be one or the other. We can have both a strong STR market that drives tourism and helps local families, while also ensuring that neighborhoods aren’t impacted and that the people who clean them have somewhere affordable to live.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

I bought my first home in Fife Lake in 2020 where I live with my husband and our new son. The housing market priced me out of Traverse City, where I work at a local nonprofit, Child and Family Services. Instead, I travel 40 minutes one way to work. If I can get internet through an unreliable mobile hotspot, I can work from home.

Working families need a break, and somewhere to live that doesn’t make their commute and their growing expenses unbearable. We can’t afford to live in the city, but we also can’t afford to drive 30 miles one way for work. And then there’s childcare. And the rising cost of groceries. And mental health care (if you can find it).

All of these issues are interconnected, and we can’t attract a skilled workforce without at least having somewhere affordable for them to live. Again, I believe in a “housing first” approach. Only when we have enough housing will skilled employees be able to work and live here. If we start there, the rest will be much easier and I have no doubt that our businesses, and their employees, will thrive.

I also believe in investing time, advocacy, and resources into workforce development programs for our young people. In 2018, I helped launch Child & Family Services’ new, nonprofit, workforce development program, YouthWork Conservation Corps. I currently work as their AmeriCorps Director. We teach job and life skills to young adults by completing conservation and skilled trades projects for local nonprofits and government agencies like parks and recreation departments, land conservancies, and the National Park Service. Our young people plant trees, build trails, restore historic structures, fix up local parks, construct pavilions, and learn to show up on time, use tools, and work together as a team.

We know that college isn’t for everyone. We need to support and expand workforce development programs like YouthWork that provide another path for skilled workers to be successful and earn a living wage (and we need to make sure they have somewhere affordable to live so they stay in the area after we invest in their training).

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

We must use the unprecedented $18 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support local working families with roughly ⅓ going to housing, ⅓ to improve mental health and childcare access, and ⅓ to infrastructure and public safety. In terms of the Infrastructure Act funding, I would prioritize, in order, safe drinking water, rural high-speed internet, public sewer improvements, and green energy and technology.

As I’ve mentioned above, there are many organizations already doing good work to tackle most of these issues. Goodwill. Housing North. Homestretch. Networks Northwest. Child & Family Services. Children’s Advocacy Center. Womens Resource Center. Good works Lab. Our local schools and ISD. Police and firefighters. Local DDAs and Economic Development Orgs. The County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and Land Bank. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel or waste resources. Supporting these existing organizations with these funds through grants and contracts will increase their capacity to support working families and, as a result, their employers, without unnecessarily draining County resources.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

Yes, yes, and yes. If you haven’t noticed by now, I think housing is our number one challenge locally. And I have plans. Here are (probably more than) six things I think we can do RIGHT NOW with little to no resources spent:

Bring back the county planning commission to increase the capacity of local governments who, especially in district 6, have limited resources to address their diverse needs. The County PC would help local governments in many ways, including helping to address housing needs, by sharing best practices, bringing stakeholders to the table, and engaging in meaningful partnerships with nonprofits and other government agencies that already exist.

Use tools we already have like the GT County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (a board I sit on), as well as the County Land Bank, our local DDAs, housing nonprofits, and economic development agencies. Let’s increase their capacity and get out of their way so they can do their good work.

Then, with local input, we can select priority areas for housing and “pre-permit” properties so that we encourage housing where we want it, reduce unnecessary development costs, ease the process, and keep prices low. Housing North has some great resources on becoming “housing ready” that could be of great value to GT County if we elect the right people. More affordable construction and development = lower home prices and more affordable rent.

We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Communities like ours across the nation have implemented easy, cheap, meaningful solutions and we can use their experience to our advantage. Before moving to Fife Lake, I served on the Leelanau County Housing Action Committee for several years. Here, we met with local townships and planning commissions, helped them review zoning ordinances and master plans, shared best practices, and overall just increased their capacity and supported their individual housing goals. This makes sense and could easily be replicated in GT County, either through the county planning commission or through a housing committee like our neighbors in Leelanau County.

Encourage and support creativity from employers, developers, nonprofits, and community members. Lift up those doing this on their own like Cherry Republic and Short’s Brewing Company, HomeStretch Nonprofit Housing Corporation, and Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing, among others and, again, use their experience to our advantage.

Some small, free/inexpensive solutions I’ve seen that work: consider bonus densities or other incentives for things like keeping units affordable long term, preserving open space, restricting STRs, etc.; allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) or “granny flats”, smaller lot sizes and home sizes, and mixed use in commercial zones; advocate for redevelopment and infill, as well as multi-use developments (think housing that is above office space that is above ground floor retail shops or restaurants); and reuse/redevelop obsolete or unused buildings and properties to reduce blight while also increasing our housing stock, just to name a few.

Put 1/3 of ARPA dollars towards housing.

I have more than seven years of experience with housing-related issues and have served more than seven years on housing committees and planning commissions. I feel strongly I can help tackle this issue if elected.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

I am one of those families. As a new, working mom without childcare, I feel the shortage every day. My son is on several waitlists and we rely on friends and family to help when he can’t come to work with me. I know many working families don’t have that same luxury. My mother, who just adopted my two cousins, faces similar challenges particularly in the summer months.

As I’ve said before, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Many are already working to tackle childcare issues including our neighbors in Leelanau County. Through the new Infant/Toddler Childcare Startup (ITCS) program, the Leelanau Early Childhood Development Commission (LECDC) is working to increase the number of home-based childcare businesses in Leelanau County and provide more infant & toddler childcare opportunities for young families. They will support new and existing providers through training and education, coaching and assistance with licensing processes, facility expansions or new startups, and providing financial support for some costs related to licensing, training, safety requirements, equipment and teaching resources. Something similar could easily be replicated in GT County that would support current and new providers and increase their capacity to safely (and affordably) care for our children.

The county should also set an example by developing its own childcare center for county employees in the empty space in their building, and help support local businesses do the same by providing them with technical assistance, best practices, and incentives to provide childcare. I have also heard discussions regarding a childcare cooperative and would support investigating these types of creative solutions. I think roughly 15-20% of ARPA funds should go towards safe childcare solutions.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?

We need to first bring businesses to the table and understand their needs before making decisions for them. I’m not a local business owner. I can’t tell them what they need. But I’m willing to listen, do my homework, share ideas, bring relevant stakeholders to the table, and implement meaningful strategies to ensure our businesses are supported. While this is far beyond the County’s ability to solve, there is a lot we can do to support our local businesses and provide some relief. Here are a few:

Promote and advocate for local transit companies to ease shortages and supply chain issues.

Strengthen our local transit network where possible and encourage creative solutions to ensure businesses can get what they need to operate.

The County should put our money where our mouth is and buy local from local businesses whenever possible.

Work together as a team and use the County’s large purchasing power to increase our ability to bargain with suppliers.

Provide tax credits, bonuses, or other incentives when it makes sense, particularly related to housing, infrastructure, and business development.

Help them attract more talent (see above) and support additional training programs for young people or those looking to advance their skills.

Use marketing campaigns and work with tourism agencies to attract visitors and promote local businesses.

Invest in infrastructure like sewer, water, transportation, and high-speed internet to increase efficiencies and lower costs.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

 I want to transform today’s commission from one defined by distracting, divisive maneuvering to an effective commission that’s responsive to our community, focused on listening, and then leading on the crucial issues. I’ve built my life and career around community. I am raising my family here, and I actively participate in this community as both a professional and volunteer. As a public interest environmental lawyer for over twenty years, I’ve been a consistently strong advocate for fairness, transparency, clean water and energy, and quality of life. I see a critical need and unprecedented opportunity to revive respectfulness, civility, and integrity, and to finally begin addressing real county needs – affordable housing, accessible childcare, improved roads to benefit everyone – while safeguarding the natural features that make this such an attractive place for so many of us to live, work, and invest.  

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region? 

In 2022, supporting regional economic vitality mean investing in our local workforce and critical infrastructure. Unaffordable and unavailable housing and childcare, high gas prices, spiraling healthcare costs, unreliable broadband, and other constraints stress workers, their families and employers, and the people depending on their services. Economic vitality is directly tied to reliable critical infrastructure – transportation systems, water and wastewater treatment facilities, broadband internet, and power. Below are some ways the county commission can act to support the workforce and infrastructure, for the benefit of regional economic vitality. 

a. Market participant: With over 500 employees and an annual budget over $40 million, the county is a significant regional employer and contractor with skin in the game to support regional economic vitality and the workforce it depends upon. The county commission’s role in supporting the local economy begins by making the county a model employer. 

b. Convener: The county is uniquely positioned as the regional hub to bring public, private, and non-profit stakeholders to strategize, plan, and implement solutions. No single municipality, company, organization, or visionary can solve regional issues. 

c. Service provider: The county provides essential services for residents and businesses, from health services to building and septic permits, from roadway maintenance and improvements to law enforcement. The commission’s role is to ensure these services are administered efficiently and promote economic vitality. 

d. Advocate: The commission can advocate for state and national policies and funding to support our local workforce and infrastructure to improve economic vitality. 

e. Access to funding: The county has access to historic levels of federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). 

As a commissioner, I will advocate to use all these tools. I will listen to constituents, including business owners, and seek partnerships to redouble our efforts. With effective collaboration, strategic planning, responsible spending, and access to outside funding, we will make meaningful improvements for our workforce and local economy. 

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals? 

Local governments are well suited to respectfully listen to all stakeholders, balance competing interests, and tailor effective policies to meet community needs and impacts consistent with community planning. Short-term rentals have the potential to displace long-term homes for residents, drive rental and home prices out of range for residents, inflict nuisance impacts on neighbors, burden local enforcement officials, stress septic systems, and more. Short-term rentals also offer the potential for new revenue streams for landowners who can rent out part of their home or are absent for limited periods. A state-wide approach to short-term rentals leads to overreach, disregards localized impacts, and is incompatible with Michigan land use planning. Our community is more impacted by this issue more than most. As a commissioner, I will advocate to keep authority over short-term rentals local. 

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan? 

Here are ways the county commission can support and expand the local pool of skilled labor. 

a. Partner with the Northwest Workforce Development Board, Northwest Michigan Works!, Traverse Connect, and others already working to improve the regional outlook for skilled labor. 

b. Invest in re-training to meet local needs and new opportunities supported by the IRA. The county may coordinate planning among employers, unions, TCAPS, NMC, Networks Northwest, and others to match training with opportunities. And we must maximize resources through ARPA, IIJA, and IRA. 

c. Improve county services that impact job quality and worker satisfaction. Bringing more affordable homes closer to workplaces reduces housing costs and commute times; increasing oversight and accountability over roads helps. Less time in transit means more time at home or work, less money on gas, and better quality of life for workers and their families. Adding quality, affordable childcare supports workers and their employers. Reducing living costs and stress for workers benefits employers by lowering wage demands, increasing satisfaction, and supporting retention. 

d. Strive to support productive, loyal county workers. This improves county services for the community and serves as a model for other employers. Compressed schedules and remote work may be efficient for the county and its employees. Balancing responsible budgeting with a supportive work environment helps attract and retain quality public employees. 

As a commissioner, I will work with fellow commissioners, county staff, businesses, and other stakeholders to advance these opportunities, develop viable solutions, and explore others. 

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding? 

I will prioritize spending to address our affordable housing shortage, childcare development, infrastructure (motor and non-motor transportation, above and below ground infrastructure, broadband), and public parks and recreation places. In addition, the Inflation Reduction Act commits historic levels of federal funding to address climate change causes and impacts at the local level; the county must leverage these dollars to finally start engaging on climate change. As land steward, landlord, and employer, there are numerous opportunities for the county to make an impact. 

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how? 

This is a priority issue that led me to run for this seat. The affordable housing shortage is a regional problem that requires county leadership. Here are some tools for the county to improve the situation. 

a. Fill the regional planning gap. Without a strategic plan, county planning department, or coordinated regional planning systems, we lack direction and miss opportunities to leverage private and public partnerships and build stakeholder coalitions. 

b. Partner with local stakeholders. As the regional government, the county can bring together stakeholders (land bank, planners, builders, investors, employers, non-profits, educators, foundations, and advocates) to plan strategically, develop innovative solutions, implement projects, and access diverse funding resources. 

c. Consider forming a county housing commission or partnering with the Traverse City Housing Commission to directly address housing challenges. A housing commission also offers consistency, planning, and relationship-building, and helps leverage new funding. Voters in other counties have supported community housing investments backed by well-planned strategies; our county can do the same. 

d. Tap federal funding. The federal government has made billions of dollars available to fund community housing solutions; we must claim our share. To do so successfully, we must prioritize and fast-track planning and coordination. 

The county has a vital role and responsibility to address the housing shortage. Once a majority of county commissioners understand the county’s responsibility here and are willing to address this challenge, we will partner with invested stakeholders to develop a strategic plan and implement regional solutions. I am ready to lead this challenge. 

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

As a working mom, I understand why quality, reliable, affordable childcare is essential, and I have experienced the stress of our childcare desert. The situation is worst for parents of infants, but does not end for working parents when their children start school – we have limited care available before and after school and in the summer. Developing and financing systemic solutions requires reform and investment beyond the scope of our county commission, but state and federal elected officials have neglected childcare for decades. The county is not, however, powerless to improve the situation. Here are some realistic options for the county to increase affordable and quality childcare. 

a. Invest in childcare for the county workforce. When I worked for the U.S. Air Force, childcare was provided because the Air Force depends on a reliable workforce. Munson and TCAPS follow the same rationale to provide childcare for employees, which also support employee recruitment and retention. Likewise, the county and people it serves depend on a reliable workforce. The county may create incremental childcare, as well as lead by example, by investing in childcare for public employees. The commission can learn from Munson, TCAPS, and other businesses that provide childcare for employees. 

b. Develop a flexible county workplace, where practical. Family-friendly workplace policies allow parents to stagger their workday, compress schedules, work from home before and after school and on school holidays, and more. These flexibilities reduce childcare demand, expand provider capacity, and stretch parental resources. They also enable parents to return to the workforce sooner. 

c. Improve the local housing crisis. High rents and housing costs directly squeeze parents and childcare providers. Longer commutes exacerbate the problem. These are discussed above. 

d. Organize childcare providers, advocates, and workers to strategize, partner, plan, innovate, and leverage outside funding. 

e. Support state and federal policies and funding to improve childcare access. 

As a commissioner, I will support using all these tools and others to increase local access to affordable, quality childcare. 

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs? 

While inflation and supply chain costs are international challenges, the county has opportunities to improve the local outlook in several ways, which I will support as a commissioner. 

a. Regional businesses and residents have already been in an inflationary state due to high living costs. Working to reduce housing, transport, and childcare costs also helps relieve pressures caused by outside market forces. Business costs increase when higher living costs lead to higher wage demands. A county commission committed to reducing living costs for local workers also helps businesses affected by inflation and supply chain costs. 

b. The Inflation Reduction Act provides unprecedented federal investment to reduce costs for working families, increase local investments for renewable energy, and create new jobs. The county must leverage this funding by partnering with qualifying local businesses to bring clean energy and clean manufacturing jobs and to re-train the local workforce for these jobs. 

c. As a significant regional contractor and purchaser, the county may increase local procurement and contracting opportunities to support local businesses wherever practical. Improving roads and road planning by increasing county oversight over planning and maintenance may also help reduce supply chain inefficiencies. 

Undoubtedly, impacted local businesses have specific challenges as well as additional solution opportunities. I look forward to engaging directly with business leaders about how the county commission may support them to offset or reduce inflation and supply chain costs, and advance other partnerships and opportunities. 

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

Traverse City is where I grew up and my wife, Kathleen, and I raised our boys, Ryan and Danny. I look forward to returning home full-time after my final term in the State Senate. I started my public service on the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners and the State House. Now I want to return to the most personal level of government. Recently, like many Traverse City residents, I have noticed the unwillingness to have a dialogue around tough issues. I’m running for the Grand Traverse County Commission to bring civility back to the political process. As a moderate, I have proven my desire and ability to work across the aisle. My bipartisan work and relationships have helped me bring home millions of dollars to our district and champion policy issues, like my proposal to increase the Earned Income Tax Credit for working families. In the House, I chaired the Transportation and Infrastructure and the Commerce Committees. I’m finishing my time as the chair of the Senate K-12 and Michigan Department of Education and Transportation Appropriations Subcommittees. I am passionate about making sure all residents have access to county services and ensuring the fiscal stability of our county for future generations.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

I talk to business owners on a regular basis and all of them struggle with talent attraction and retention. Issues such as affordable housing and childcare exacerbate talent attraction and retention in our county and region. As a future County Commissioner, we have jurisdiction and the ability to partner with schools and provide additional resources to ensure that our children receive a quality and unparalleled education. We can also help create and support an environment that encourages thoughtful development of much-needed housing.  

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

As a future County Commissioner, I want to focus on issues over which the County Board has control and jurisdiction. Currently, local units of governments have zoning ordinances in place and I respect their zoning preferences. The state should have no need to intervene in local matters provided our county and townships continue to support thoughtful and responsible development that allows for a variety of housing choices.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

Talent attraction and retention comprises of numerous local issues including childcare, housing, community amenities, and more. As a State Legislator and past County Commissioner, I have supported increased funding for housing, education, parks and recreation, and skilled trades programs. My top priority as a County Commissioner is strengthening relationships and partnering with townships, villages, and the city. Collaboration creates better policy and outcomes for our communities and people. Our county is facing housing and childcare shortages and these issues will be addressed through working with community organizations that specialize in these issues. I have helped address workforce housing and childcare reform in a bipartisan fashion – through many hours of stakeholder feedback and listening – at the state level and I look forward to continuing this work locally.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

It’s easy to spend a lot of money quickly. It’s hard to spend a lot of money thoughtfully. ARPA dollars should be invested into sustainable and long-term projects. These dollars can be spent most responsibility with direct input from Grand Traverse County residents. Collaboration between the County Board and residents is vital to the development and prosperity of the county.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

Our county has talked about housing being a barrier for many years. If we are serious about addressing this housing shortage into the future, it’s time that we start looking at the creation of a housing trust fund. It’s also time that we ensure that developers aren’t facing extreme barriers that hinder much-needed development and revitalization of the county. In my time as Chairman of the County Board, I helped establish the county land bank authority that worked to have a positive economic impact on our community. I look forward to continuing to bring forward innovative solutions to solve our region’s chronic problems.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

I would start by supporting and lifting up local organizations that are doing work to continue to transform the childcare industry. The County Board should engage with these great community organizations to support childcare providers, who are also small business owners. I worked closely with Representative Jack O’Malley to shepherd his bipartisan package of childcare bills through the Senate and those bills are now signed into law. This newly enacted legislation removed burdensome barriers faced by working families and gave more support to care providers.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?

Many of these issues are housed at the state and federal levels. As a County Commissioner, I can do my part to lift up and support local businesses. That means supporting and buying from local businesses to ensure that the Grand Traverse County region continues to be a desirable place to live, work, and visit. I will use my past experiences and legislative relationships to strongly advocate for a competitive business environment in our county.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

As I look around at my family, friends, neighbors, and fellow community members, I realize that for the most part they are blue collar, just above median income, and largely unrepresented. That’s why I ran.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

Doing whatever I can to improve the quality of our lives.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

No.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

Historically, the market, job or housing, corrects itself.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

I would prioritize infrastructure. We have roads in drastic disrepair all over the south end of the county that should be addressed before ANY pet projects.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

See number 4.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

I would certainly explore the options to bring more safe, quality, child care to all of our communities through out the county. Children are our future.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?

Education,  and reducing taxes.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

My name is Pamela Harris Kaiser. I am the 2022 Democratic Candidate for Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners for Long Lake Township, District 9. So far, four generations of my family have made our lives and been residents of Grand Traverse County. As farmers in Grant Township, students at TCAPS and Northwestern Michigan College, residents of Long Lake Township, staff at TCAPS and NMC, workers in various family owned local businesses, and operators of  independent software and educational consulting businesses, my family and I are proud of the opportunities and responsibility to contribute to Grand Traverse County, the place that we have chosen to raise our children and live year round. Having lived, studied and taught all over the world,  I know that there is no finer place to call home than the beautiful natural environment we so value and hope to protect and help responsibly grow for generations to come.

I hold a BA in political science from Kalamazoo College, an MA in American Studies from Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, an M. Ed. and Certificate of Counseling from Rivier University in Nashua, NH.  While raising our four young sons with my husband Dan, who holds a PhD in Computer Science, I helped plan, gain voter support and build Windham High School in New Hampshire, which was named an Apple School of Excellence for educational innovation in 2012. When we had the opportunity to move our family back to Traverse City in 2010, we were so excited to move home to Long Lake near to our family and lifelong friends.  I was appointed to the TCAPS District Advisory Committee serving as Co-Chair and parent representative for West Senior High School from 2011 to 2018, working collaboratively with dedicated parents, school personnel and members of administration to make sure our public school district, one of the largest in Michigan by geographic area, remains student centered with community input in responding to changing  educational needs and challenges. I would love to see the new superintendent reinstate this important community committee.

My goals in running for office include:

1. Encouraging and incentivizing affordable housing so that our workforce, residents, businesses, and schools can afford to do business, work, study, and live here year-round without losing access to homes given the growing inflationary component and challenges presented by the growing popularity of seasonal short-term “investment” rentals that raise prices beyond the local ability to pay and which remain empty during roughly half the year.
2. Protecting the health and beauty of our unique natural environment, including land, woods, farms, wetlands, lakes, streams, watersheds and groundwater upon which our region’s health, economy and future depends.
3. Improving health and mental health services in our underserved rural area, which faces a serious shortage of highly qualified mental health professionals and a complete lack of residential mental health facilities to support people across the lifespan suffering from acute mental health emergencies and mental health conditions that require ongoing, specialized lifesaving and life changing care.
4. Building the new Grand Traverse Senior Center at last on its present site on West Bay using designated AARPA funding to design and complete a pleasant and functional facility to provide opportunities for social activities, interpersonal interaction, mutual support and centralized service opportunities for the fastest growing population sector, our senior citizens .
5. Expanding childcare opportunities so working families can afford to live, work and raise their families here.
6. Last but not least, I vow if elected to the County Commission, to protect our our community from the rising tide of firearm violence and deaths that has been costing record numbers of lives in the United States, including our region in Michigan, especially during and following the past two and a half years of the Covid Pandemic when gun sales went through the roof. Following the announcement from the University of Michigan this spring that for the first time in American history, the leading cause of death for Americans age 1 to 24 is no longer accidents or illness, but guns, I propose rescinding the so called “2^nd Amendment Sanctuary” designation that was adopted by the County Commission in March 2020, in response to a proposal from the NRA-supported group called the Proud Boys which sends the message that in Grand Traverse County, guns are more important than people. Having lost our 24 year old son Aaron, a nursing student, a month later in April 2020 to gun suicide hours after he was illegally sold a semiautomatic rifle inside a local gun shop that refused to comply with the emergency order that classified gun shops as inessential to protecting human life early in the pandemic, I am devoted to making sure that reasonable gun safety laws are consistently enforced so that no more families in Grand Traverse County have to attend the preventable death of their beloved child or family member due to gun suicide. I have to add how painful and perplexing it was that although the gun shop owner readily admitted to violating the law by remaining open and selling guns inside his shop during the height of the highly contagious pandemic, and a complaint was filed in response by the Grand Traverse County Sherriff, the County Prosecutor declined to even ticket the gun shop for violating the law. The problem with the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners adopting even symbolic resolutions regarding noncompliance with gun safety is that it made Grand Traverse County known as a place where gun safety under current leadership would not be and was not enforced.

Firearm safety is a matter of public policy that impacts and should be should be taken seriously by our County Commission, public servants, business, education, nonprofit and spiritual communities. I am not alone in this conviction. As a member of Moms Demand Action and Central United Methodist Church, I was encouraged to see a recent editorial in the Grand Traverse Record Eagle written by Pastor Chris Lane and signed by local pastors and rabbis calling on our state and local legislators to enact four commonsense safety protocols including (1) a background check and three-day waiting period for the purchase of all firearms; (2) Minimum age of 21 for all gun purchases; (3) Red Flag Laws allowing temporary restriction of access to guns when a person declared by a medical professional or judge to be a danger to themselves or others; and (4) Expectation that guns in homes be stored in secure gun safes. I agree with these basic firearm safety measures as do members of my family who are serious, responsible gunowners and avid hunters.

With rights, comes responsibility. I hope that Traverse Connect and community leaders will support the efforts of the Traverse City Chapter of Moms Demand Action, who have asked the Traverse City Public Schools Board of Education to adopt a resolution recognizing that firearms are now the #1 cause of death for U.S. students and asking TCAPS, with a growing number of Michigan school districts, to pass a resolution advising parents about secure firearms storage to prevent firearm tragedies from  impacting schools and students.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

As a member of the County Commission who chose with my husband and three of our four school age children to move our family back home from metro Boston, I can personally attest as a Michigan Again homeowner and year-round resident to the many attributes that make northern Michigan a wonderful place to live, work, and do business. With the benefits of a four season climate, excellent airline service via Cherry Capital Airport, Munson Medical Center as our expanding regional medical center, expanding and reliable internet service and excellent schools and school choices from preschool through graduate school, I really cannot think of a single finer place in the world to start a business, raise a family, enjoy living in peace and lead a fulfilling, meaningful life. Yes, we have our problems as does any community.  The difference I see in Grand Traverse County as we grow and attract newcomers who move here for our quality of life, is that there is almost always a group of committed citizens working to support one another in overcoming life’s challenges together. Our community is full of people who care and dare to make a difference. Thank you all who devote your time and energy to making Grand Traverse County an ever more humane and sustainable place to live.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

First of all, define the word “broad.” Having lived in the US, Europe and Africa, I know that housing challenges are acute in many communities, especially here in highly attractive Northwest Michigan with our many lakes, streams and access to outdoor recreation. Because it is the role of locally elected government to maintain local peace and safety for its residents, I do believe that local governments have the responsibility to respond to local residents’ concerns when corporate investors and short term rental companies purchase and pack residential homes with out-of-town customers who treat residential vacation rentals as party central, crowding limited  parking spaces, consuming too many inebriating substances, throwing rowdy parties and destroying the peace, quiet and character of residentially zoned neighborhoods. This happens so often on Long Lake where I live that Long Lake Township set up a study committee in response to citizen concerns which recommended adopting reasonable limits and conditions for short term rentals. I believe the policies they developed to be fair, reasonable and beneficial for homeowners, residents and the community. I am not in favor of lawmakers in Lansing trying to force unlimited rentals on Grand Traverse County. Let local townships set short term rental policies in response to local needs.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

Michigan is not alone in facing a shortage of skilled labor. Demographically speaking, the whole world is facing an aging population and fewer individuals are choosing to marry and have children. What we can do, according to my friends who work as skilled laborers, is start teaching children in school that not merely a select few should be labelled “gifted,” which ignores the importance of nurturing multiple kinds of intelligence and implies that some are gifted while others are not. Everyone has both gifts and challenges. The purpose of education is to endow students with the skills they need to build on their individual gifts and prepare them for appropriate vocations to earn a living doing what they are good at in tandem with their strengths and challenges.

Traverse City is uniquely blessed to have devoted citizens who after WW2 saw the opportunity of the GI Bill and opened Michigan’s first and finest community college, NMC, to meet our community’s needs for post-secondary training, including for skilled labor. In conversations I have had with builders and Union members, I learned about opportunities they offer for on-the-job apprenticeships, training, certification and benefits for people who are interested in skilled trades. One suggestion is for private businesses to partner with labor unions to create jobs and attract workers to our region. I believe that our economy faces challenges that can best be solved with a both/and rather than either/or approach to solving our shortage of skilled labor. The astronomical cost of attending college makes this a particularly auspicious time for private enterprise to partner with unions to work together to build a strong economy by appealing to students still in middle, high school and early college. It may well be that college has priced itself out from being the dominant path for capable and responsible young people to begin their lives as working adults. Why pay to become a math or philosophy major for four years of college debt when you can more readily skip the debt and start earning wages and benefits by becoming, for example, a journeyman or woman electrician, builder, carpenter, pipefitter, medical technician or skilled nurse? Providing sustainable wages, benefits and childcare opportunities are strong incentives for capturing young people’s attention to skilled paths to sustainable work and income.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

While I am not presently on a committee to decide who receives AARPA funding and who does not, I would  start by honoring the public survey that Grand Traverse County citizens completed this spring. Without having the report in front of me, I recall that a new senior center, new mental health facilities and providers, affordable housing, childcare, and improved infrastructure made the list of our community’s most pressing needs and priorities. Don’t ignore the input of concerned, engaged citizens. Listen carefully to the messages contained. It really is good governance to put your community’s needs above your own.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

I believe that the county and townships can respond to the housing shortage by adapting existing zoning laws to better use scarce residential homes for multigenerational living, including accessory dwelling units  in owner occupied homes. The single family home concept is fast becoming economically unsustainable and environmentally outmoded. It ultimately leaves a huge carbon footprint. Multi-dwelling residential communities can be beautiful, sustainable, and socially supportive places to live. Consider the Kibbutz model in Israel or co-housing, intentionally designed multi-generational communities too often not well taught in architecture schools and ignored by builders. Isolated single family houses are not a particularly good use of our money, human resources or environment. Innovation in zoning, planning and design makes good economic sense for coastal multigenerational communities like Grand Traverse County.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

The United Way of NM Michigan is the group holding the Tri-Share program in Grand Traverse County. This  program splits the cost of child care equally between employer, employee, and state/grant funds. Mary Manner works for the Great Start Collaborative, as do a number of talented individuals dedicated to solving the childcare crisis. The other organization that does early childhood care well is Munson Healthcare. Workplace based childcare is a big draw for parents.

A  family we know who had young children got together with other parents and hired full full-time childcare providers to whom they paid a living wage and benefits. They thought outside the box.  I recommend collaborating with educational organizations including the TBAISD Career Tech Center, Northwestern Michigan College and private enterprises to get a sense of creative ways to solve the childcare shortage. I paid part of my way through college by working as a childcare provider for families of faculty members, so remember to look to your colleges and high school counseling departments for childcare referrals. People of all ages with good character, health and training can be excellent childcare providers. If the local Red Cross still offers babysitting training and certification, encourage  students to pursue these skills. Most importantly, pool your resources and pay childcare providers well. The work they are doing is among the most important in our society. An interesting thing happened during the pandemic when families with dependent children were granted a $325 stipend, which Congress recently eliminated. This stipend  has been successful in Europe, promoting child and family well-being. Childhood poverty was reduced and productivity increased, which is a huge benefit for everyone. If that benefit were extended here in the US as it is in Europe, you would see mothers and fathers more able to fully participate in the workforce because childcare and homemaking really are full time jobs. If you want to retain employees, make working a sustainable option for families. No one can afford to care for children for free.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?

This is one of those great big complex economic questions that candidates for county office have good reason to dread and may wisely refuse to wade into. For reasons beyond our local control, there is a raging pandemic still claiming the lives of people around the world that has interrupted the early 21^st  century international supply chain, plus a war in Europe being waged by Russia against Ukraine that is having an extremely negative impact on energy and food supplies. This is driving up the cost and distribution of just about everything. At the same time, we see oil companies reporting record profits.  Like families, businesses are having to make hard choices.

Looking at the dire droughts and water shortages that is hard for us to appreciate here in the Great Lakes but which is impacting everyone, our country and citizens would do well to lessen our dependence on fossil fuels and look to geothermal and possibly new nuclear sources of heating and cooling which do not rely on oil and gas. Think locally. Rather than centralized manufacturing in China and India, bring those jobs home. Grow and buy local agricultural products rather than importing them from faraway places. Staycation in our region rather than vacation elsewhere.

Our economy is in a constant state of change. Americans are incredibly innovative, hardworking people. I believe that we can find new ways of doing and building things that will allow us not only to survive, but thrive. Look at immigration as an opportunity rather than a problem. We are all immigrants whose ancestors came from somewhere else and adapted to completely new and often hostile environments to survive and thrive.

There’s an old saying: This, too, shall pass. Let’s stop complaining and get to work solving our problems together. I really am an optimist, despite losing our son. I often find myself asking “What would Aaron do or say in response to this challenge,” because he really was as kind and smart and insightful a person as I have ever met, so my answer to this question is: Be generous with your time, your money and your life. Help others. Ask for help when you need it. We can overcome anything together. It’s when we feel we are all alone, without friends or support, that we are at highest risk of not surviving. So get out there and do something good with someone and for someone. We can survive anything together.

Why are you interested in serving the people, families, and businesses in the Grand Traverse Region?

I have lived here for thirty years, raised my kids there, and I have seen three decades of changes to our region. But one thing has remained the same: We live in a wonderful community, full of great people who want to build a life that is blossoming with opportunities for their families.

I found out just how amazing our community was eighteen years ago, when I lost my teenaged daughter Adrian because someone who repeatedly broke the law fell through the cracks of bureaucracy. This community surrounded me with their care and support, so over the years I have searched for ways to give back to the people who were there for me, and to remember the daughter whose goal in life was to change the world. From fundraising for TC West Band and a music scholarship, to volunteering at Michael’s Place, giveaway pantries, and other non-profits to creating a women’s empowerment movement through dance, the driving force behind everything I did was to put as much positivity in the world as possible in her honor.

Two years ago when this administration’s aggressive Covid response forced the permanent closure of my business, I took the opportunity to become a public servant. I had no agenda other than, “what can I do to help my community?”. I made a commitment to respectful dialogue, compassion, and bi-partisanship. I have kept this commitment by making an effort to bring both sides together to work towards the goal of creating a better County to live, work, and play in. This position has allowed me to help connect many struggling individuals to resources they didn’t know how to access, and it is the most rewarding part of the job.

The same type of bureaucracy that prevented the law from curbing a repeat offender and thereby allowing the death of my child still exists in other ways. This includes the red tape that often prevents access to services for mental health issues and substance use disorders. As I am in favor of paring down the steps that a citizen must take to access any service, I therefore believe that smaller government is the key to efficiency. I am running for a second term for one reason: I want to continue to advocate for changes that must take place in order to ensure citizens’ needs are placed before organizational bureaucracy. If I can continue to assist community members with making connections to resources, I would be honored to spend another two years serving in this capacity.

How will you use your role to support the economic vitality of our region?

While our role as Commissioners is somewhat limited in our capacity to directly drive economic growth, we have the ability to act as an advocate for those who do. I will continue to look for opportunities to help facilitate growth as I help connect and collaborate. I also commit to understanding when it’s time to get out of the way and allow others to do what they do best in creating economic opportunities. Finally, it is my responsibility to support small business, and encourage others to do the same. Spending your dollars at your neighbor’s business not only supports your neighbor, but your neighborhood as well.

Do you believe local government should have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals?

There is a delicate balance between property rights and the good of the community. What better entity to help strike that balance but the local government? Short term rentals are a commercial business that is run by a private entity, many times as an effort to pay homestead taxes or generate a family income using available resources. But they can also add to the problems presented by lack of affordable housing. With good communication and excellent planning skills, local government can help foster the growth of these small business entities, but at the same time offer incentives to turn STRs into long term rentals. It’s all about relationships and communication, as well as a commitment to the overall vision of our community. This all starts at the township level; as Commissioners it is our responsibility to ensure that we understand how these issues fit in, and are addressed by, the Townships we represent.

How would you address the shortage of skilled labor in northern Michigan?

This is not only a local problem, but a national one. As we all worked from home during the pandemic, many decided to leave the work force altogether. In addition, the focus on college degrees rather than trade schools took many skilled laborers out of the work force. This challenge has been brewing for years, but what can we do about it now?

I look for opportunities to be an advocate. This is one example: I act as county liaison for the Pavilions Board. The shortage of CNAs has been a hindrance to the ability to fill all available beds. One of the solutions offered involves bringing in CNAs from the Philippines to fill the vacancies in staffing, but the caveat is that we must supply housing. The shortage of staff and shortage of housing go hand in hand. It’s important that the county board of commissioners is empathetic to the needs of businesses who are experiencing these challenges, and that we are supportive as businesses find creative ways to fill the gaps.

As a Commissioner, I supported a resolution for our local college to offer four year nursing degrees. This ideal not only supports our nursing students remaining in the community, but it also supports our local college and economy. I also took the opportunity to support our Deputies by supporting raising their wages, as law enforcement shortages are approaching crisis level. While we cannot in and of ourselves solve the skilled worker shortage, it’s important that we continue to look for collaborative solutions that make sense.

How would you prioritize the county’s ARPA and Infrastructure Act funding?

Because we are borrowing from future generations for this funding, it is important that any use of these funds has long term benefits for those who will be paying for it.

As a County Board, we have formulated a Strategic Plan which prioritizes the ideals of our community. According to the county survey, infrastructure was the top concern of the Grand Traverse residents. I agree. Without the infrastructure to support growth – either population or economic – any progress would be haphazard and disorganized at best. I believe that we have seen some of the unintended consequences of population outgrowing our infrastructure, so we must be mindful of that going forward.

I also prioritize mental health services. Over the past few years, we have seen a tremendous increase in the need for behavioral health services, which tax our healthcare and criminal justice systems. In addition, those who suffer from substance use, and mental health challenges often have the least amount of access to health care. Up to forty percent of incarcerated citizens in Grand Traverse County suffer from some form of mild to moderate mental illness which contributes to the commission of the crime. Many of our citizens experiencing homelessness suffer from mental health care needs. We are in desperate need of in- patient beds for youth who are suffering from a mental health crisis. These are just a few of the challenges we face in our mental health care system. I believe that addressing the gaps in services would be an excellent use of ARPA funding, one that will assist in guiding our community toward a healthy future.

The availability of housing is a barrier to business growth and talent attraction in our region. Do you plan to use this office to address the affordable housing shortage? If so, how?

As Commissioners, we each represent our corner of Grand Traverse County. The most effective way to use our role to address the availability of housing is to be a part of the vision of our own District and advocate for creative ways to address the issues. For example, Long Lake partnered with Garfield Township to bring municipal water to one neighborhood with a contamination issue. Further discussion includes the possibility of bringing the water and sewage further into the township. With municipal water and sewage, developers who want to build more accessible housing have to acquire less land to build on, as there is no need for septic and drain fields.

Other examples include advocating for accessory dwelling units, changing zoning from unfarmed agricultural to moderate to high density, and working with the Road Commission to help address landlock situations. And then there is the opportunity to seek funding from Brownfield or Landbank, all of which I have done in my role as Commissioner.

Many families struggle to secure quality child care. This can be a barrier to attracting talent and keeping people in or bringing people back into the workforce. How will you work to increase access to affordable and quality child care?

I am currently acting as an advocate for child care providers with our State Representatives who have helped drive the first wave of alterations to child care laws. As these laws are enacted, those who are still having some difficulties navigating the changes communicate with me. I take their concerns back to our State Representatives, who then notify LARA or other pertinent agencies. For example, in many cases, the insurance companies have not yet caught up with the laws, so while child care providers have the ability to take an extra child, they are not covered by insurance. That’s how changes are made, and how I use my role as Commissioner to help make the changes.

I would also support incentives for businesses to offer child care for their workers, and look forward to seeking out those opportunities.

What are your solutions for supporting businesses being affected directly by inflation and supply chain costs?

As this is a national issue, there are no solutions that exclusively fall within the purview of County Commissioner. The most important thing that we can do is look for opportunities to help alleviate any economic challenges, or promote growth, as they arise. One of those opportunities we have taken as a county board is in creating a fiscally conservative county budget, in which pension debt was alleviated, taxes kept low, and money was spent in ways that supported healthy economic growth. Grand Traverse County is in excellent financial condition at this time, with thanks to leadership by the County Board and Administration.

The other thing we can do as citizens is to support candidates at local, state, and national level who have not created financial difficulties with their lack of solid leadership. The past two years of the complications created by arbitrary business shut downs have caused a rise in costs across the board, a lowered ability for the average citizen to provide for their families, and crushing financial burdens. We as citizens and voters must support candidates who will work in a bi-partisan and fiscally conservative manner to reverse the harm done by these policies, and who value the health of our communities over political party.