Residents Question Rochester Hills Candidates During Forum

Residents filling a packed auditorium at got the opportunity to question 11 mayoral and City Council candidates during Wednesday evening's forums.

The two back-to-back forums were in preparation for the Aug. 2 primary election.

Residents were given free reign to ask any question they wanted, either to specific candidates or all candidates; candidates answered and were allowed to give brief opening and closing statements in addition to rebuttals to comments from other candidates.

The following are responses from each Rochester Hills City Council and mayoral candidate: 

City Council Candidates

Howard Elandt, candidate for Rochester Hills City Council at-large seat – 30-year resident, psychologist with MISD, founder of Community Life Skills Center

• In response to a question regarding economic development:

"It is necessary to attract new businesses. The process of this needs to be streamlined; we need to get rid of unnecessary and untimely regulations that bog everything down. Also, our infrastructure needs to be better than it is. We have issues of roads closing, and that does not attract business."

• On the importance of the :

"What they represent is is preserving and protecting our history. These are the (quality-of-life programs) that brought each and every one of them to our community — why you live here and continue to live here."

• In response to a question of whether candidates would support additional millage for infrastructure:

"Millage is an option but not the first thing that comes to mind. Public Act 51 – the gasoline tax – (we are) looking at that as a source for funding in infrastructure. ... Roads are deteriorating. Going to door to door, I have been talking to so many residents for many, many years; the No. 1 answer to what we could do better is 'roads.' "

Kathleen Fitzgerald, candidate for Rochester Hills City Council at-large seat - 34-year-resident, real estate professional and volunteer at the .

• In response to a question regarding Rochester Hills solid waste program through Republic Services:

"I think it has been good for property values."

• In response to a question about candidate’s history of advocating for issues in front of Rochester Hills City Council:

"I am relatively new. I feel that since I don't have a commitment to any candidate or any party, yes, I can be an advocate for the city of Rochester Hills.”

• About cuts to the police force in Rochester Hills:

"I don't think this is the time to cut public safety. The most important thing I get from people when I go around the community is how safe their homes are. I feel confident when I am showing Rochester Hills that your homes will be safe. As far as budgetary issues with this — is not time to be raising millages. We deal with looking at the budget that we have now and cutting where we can and trying to support our police present as it is now."

• In response to a question on whether candidates would support additional millage for infrastructure:

"I don't think we should raise millages, but I drove into Meadowbrook Valley and they have cement roads and those roads are deteriorating. You can't expect people to pay for a home when their subdivision roads are crumbling."

Dee Hilbert, candidate for Rochester Hills City Council at-large seat - 21-year-resident, works for Beaumont Health System, is a founding member of Citizens’ Voice of Rochester Hills.

• In response to a question of how candidates handle the decision-making process:

"Ask a lot of questions and get feedback from the community. I love when people come to me and speak their mind constructively. There is a lot of talent in the community, and we need to use them more in our government."

• On the importance of the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm:

"I saw the mastodon there and I was totally fascinated by it. I am a big supporter of preserving our history in the community. We need to look at making it a nonprofit, and I support that."

• In response to a question on whether candidates would support an additional millage for infrastructure:

"I just don't see us spending $10 million a year. I would not look for tax increases before looking at cost reductions in the budget. I would like to see that – us try to maintain some roads and maintain our community."

• In response to a resident asking what can be done to increase property values in Rochester Hills compared to surrounding areas like Oakland Township:

"It can be done. What slaps you in the face is how long (properties) are the market. The asking price can be resolved if we work with the banks. We can look at the condition of the home to see what are (banks) doing with the condition of it."

Mark Tisdel, candidate for Rochester Hills City Council at-large seat – 22-year-resident, insurance company executive

• In response to a question on whether candidates would support additional millage for infrastructure:

"I think the roads is a ticking time bomb. I think the maintenance (funding) number needs to be doubled."

• On what can be done to increase property values in Rochester Hills compared to surrounding areas like Oakland Township:

"I don't think there is much we can do. With the geographic size of Rochester Hills it may simply be a supply and demand issue."

• In response to a questions on how residents stand on the possibility of council members appointing friends and allies to commissions:

"I don't think it is uncommon for any organization to surround themselves with people they know and trust. You would hope they have the education and expertise, not just building resumes for future agendas."

Michael Webber, candidate for Rochester Hills City Council at-large seat – 22-year-resident, four-year term on City Council, currently an insurance agent specializing in insurance and risk management needs for municipalities.

• On why the recession hasn't hit Rochester Hills as hard as other communities:

"We have had a good tax rate, which has helped us. It is important to have a council that will maintain this focus. I was on the front line to bring in companies. I will continue to fight for job growth and creation."

• In response to a question on whether candidates would support an additional millage for infrastructure:

"This is a state problem; people are going away from gas guzzlers. The whole state is lagging behind other states in terms of infrastructure."

• On the importance of the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm:

"I think I agree with a lot of my colleagues with maintaining quality of life our parks and our museum. Ninety-six percent (of residents) really like living here; 92 percent don't want to move in the next six months. I think we are in good shape going forward."

Adam Kochenderfer, candidate for Rochester Hills City Council District 2 seat – attorney, Green Space Advisory Board member for Rochester Hills.

• In response to a question about cuts to the police force in Rochester Hills:

"You can have all the amenities in the world, but if you don't have police and fire, it doesn't make a difference. Those two millages aren't enough to cover our police force. We should combine those two millages into one."

• On whether candidates would support additional millage for infrastructure:

"When I go door to door, it is about roads. The general fund is subsidizing local road funds and it won't be enough. Lansing has told cities, if you start sharing services where it makes sense with other communities, it may open up revenue for you. We can do that. I am not against the residents putting up a millage. Not my first idea, but I won't stand up against it."

• About what can be done to increase property values in Rochester Hills compared to surrounding areas like Oakland Township:

"We have to be very careful. For the 2011 budget, we're dropping expenditures by 20 percent. We need to look at what characteristics preserve home values, and those are the ones we need to give the higher priority in our budget."

Jordan Kotubey, candidate for Rochester Hills City Council District 2 seat – director of Information Technology, Facilities Management and Security at a design college; committee chair for the chamber’s Economic Development committee.

• On the importance of the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm:

"We owe it to those who came before us the courtesy of preserving these parts of our history so that the beauty and charm of Rochester Hills is maintained. There may be some options to change the funding structures, but whatever they may be, we need to make sure they are intact."

• In response to a question on whether candidates would support additional millage for infrastructure:

"First, you need to reduce operation expense. I don't feel comfortable that we have done that. We need to consolidate, outsource, downsize, do that before asking for any millages."

• On what can be done to increase property values in Rochester Hills compared to surrounding areas like Oakland Township:

"When you compare Oakland Township and Rochester Hills Oakland – their wetlands are 26 percent of their acreage. We are not Oakland Township, and we are not going to compete because they are sitting on 70 percent of their property is green space. We are sitting at 10 percent. There will be improvements, but we are not going to approach Oakland Township levels."

Laurie Puscas, candidate for Rochester Hills City Council District 2 seat – 22-year-resident, PTA president, writer for The Oakland Press

• In response to a questions on how residents stand on the possibility of council members appointing friends and allies to commissions:

"I have found it quite disturbing this past couple years when there are commissions when members who are there speak against the majority on the council they are quickly removed and replaced with people with a like mind. They are not always replaced by people with the right mind."

• On whether candidates would support additional millage for infrastructure:

"Before we ask residents, before we ask any tax revenue we have to look at our budget. We spend almost a half a million dollars just coordinating our snow removal. We pay up to 14 percent in pension contributions, which is just unheard of these days."

• Closing remarks:

"As our economy rebounds, there will be winners and losers when it comes to communities, and I think it is important Rochester Hills becomes one of those winners. With declining revenue we are going to have to collaborate and work together to provide essential services in our community."

Mayoral Candidates

Erik Ambrozaitis – Realtor, four-year member of Rochester Hills City Council

• In response to a question about the candidates' decision-making processes:

"As a real estate agent, I always look at property values. You look at how will the vote effect today, a two-year projection and a 10-year and a 20-year projection. I am the most fiscally conservative member on the council."

• About how candidates will influence economic development:

"The bottom line is that in Rochester Hills, our unemployment is higher than it has ever been. Ann Arbor corridor is killing us in job creation. We are going to have to start leveling and telling people the truth so all of us can make long-term plans."

• In response to a resident asking who has endorsed each candidate, and as a response to Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett’s numerous endorsements:

"Endorsements when you are a sitting mayor in Metro Detroit — you are going to get a lot of fellow politicians. I would expect that."

Bryan Barnett – mayor of Rochester Hills since 2006, City Council member for six years

• In a response to a question as whether the candidates will support residents over big businesses:

"It is not just corporations against residents. The line is often blurred. The most recent survey is that 40 percent of the people who are in Rochester Hills live there. You can’t draw a line and say business is bad. They are those who create jobs and make the city what it is."

• On what has kept Rochester Hills from the worst of the recession:

"Our cities have been blessed to not be in the headlines. I have introduced the first two-year budget; we did seven-year forecasting. Being prepared certainly puts you in a better position. The reserves that we are 'blowing through' have grown 41 percent, from 13 (million dollars) to 19 million in our general fund."

• On how candidates will influence economic development:

"I created the first-ever economic development strategy — the mayor business council, a group of CEOs that donate their time and money. The comments that our unemployment is the highest is factually wrong. We have the second lowest in Michigan this year – 5.7 (percent), with 6.6 (percent) last year."

• In response to a question about police testing and competence:

"Oakland County handles our police service. Crime went down in our community. It is an era when you have to be really creative with finances. We have put together a false alarm ordinance, made more officers respond to real incidents."

Paul Miller – 49-year-resident, small business owner

• In response to a resident asking who has endorsed each candidate:

"I am not seeking local endorsements. In a nonpartisan situation like this, why do we have all these? The endorsement that matters most is the one that is made on Aug. 2."

• In response to a question about police testing and competence:

"We contract for our police leadership starts at the top. Our sheriff has run for office other than sheriff – makes me wonder how happy he is being our sheriff. Sometimes there are people for one reason or another find themselves unsuited for the position they are in."

• On what candidates will do to trim budgets:

"There have only been a 7.5 or 8 percent reduction in benefits. Those in the bottom were let go, but those at the top receive the same salaries."