Who's Running for Bloomfield Hills City Commission on Nov. 5?

The Nov. 5 general election is upon us, and voters in Bloomfield Hills should be busy at the polls with city leadership and charter amendments at stake. See more about the Proposed Amendments to the Bloomfield Hills City Charter.

Four candidates filed nominating petitions for the three open seats on the Bloomfield Hills City Commission, according to the Oakland County Clerk's Office.

Mike Coakley

• Background: Resident of more than 20 years; chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals; practicing attorney, senior partner and immediate past group leader of commercial litigation at MillerCanfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C
• Top Issues: Preservation, protection and promotion. A priority of this term of office will be review and implementation of our Master Plan, including needed work on our infrastructure.
• Reason for running: I am running to step up my service to our community . .  I want to take that experience and commitment to the Commission to serve our community in the broader spectrum of city governance at large.

Pat Hardy

• Background: Current city commissioner, first elected in 2003. A 40-year resident.
• Top Issue: Maintaining good and efficient leadership that provides high-level service to residents. It is important that our employees look forward to coming to work each day, and that anyone who walks through the doors of City Hall will be met courteously. As we collectively work to keep BloomfieldHills the distinctive place it is — onewhere people want to live and raise their families —we will continue to raise the bar.
• Reason for running: I am responsive to our residents,a good listener, a conscientious“common-sense” thinker and very honestwhen it comes to expressing my point ofview. It is difficult to site one’s own strengths, but I have been told I am a“catalyst” who can make good things happen and a very hard worker.

Mark Kapel

• Background: Resident of 24 years and current member of the city's Zoning Board of Appeals; publisher of the City of Bloomfield Hills Blog, and Patch blogger.
• Top Issue: I run for City Commission to represent and inform the people. In my opinionCity Commission hasrecently made numerous and sometimes irrevocable decisions with a minimum amount of public input.
• Reason to Vote: Reporting and discussing the majorissuesfacing our city has given me aunique perspective on the viewpoint ofour citizens.

Stuart Sherr

• Background: Resident of 21 years; appointed to City Commission in December 2012; Member of Board of Directors and Vice President of Sherr Development Corp.; attorney, CPA, and licensed real estate broker.
• Top Issues: Personal safety, financial security and community character.
• Reason to Vote: As an experienced real estate developer, builder, and broker, I understand road construction,underground utilities, grading, zoning, and master planning. No other candidate has all of these essential skills.

Information provided by the Oakland County League of Women Voters. For more, visit the League's Voter Guides.