It's a Wonderful Life, in Owosso

After being elected to City Council, I begin to see many things in a new way, including old holiday movies. If you are a regular viewer of the great Frank Capra holiday movie "It's A Wonderful Life" starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, I invite you to watch it this year thinking about how communities work, and the role we each play in the health of the place we live.

In addition to inspiring thankfulness for one's family and friends,"It's a Wonderful Life" has a primary message spoken by the angel Clarence: "Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" Of course, we may feel that more acutely in a small town because there is less chance, for good and bad, to be anonymous. But what we do here makes a difference.

But there are other messages to find in the movie for Councilmembers, community volunteers and committed citizens. At the end of a year when the economy has not been kind to Owosso, I am thinking about how people can work together to help neighbors become homeowners. While the movie follows the frustrated dreams and redemption of George Bailey, the sub-story is about the Bailey Building and Loan. While stodgy and struggling, the Building and Loan was a community-based institution whereby local people were not only encouraged to save up for their own financial dreams, but those savings were made available to their neighbors in the form of mortgages. It was an organized way for neighbors to help neighbors, including immigrants, the poor, and the powerless.

In the last few years, we have discovered the housing finance system, which we thought of as local and relationship-based, had become the plaything of speculators, large impersonal institutions, and short-term investors. This created space for the greedy, both among homebuyers and lenders. Housing, which had been the reward, for and reservoir of, personal savings, became a source for unchecked spending and personal debt. After the weak foundation of this new housing finance system cracked, the housing market built upon it could no longer stand. The result in Owosso has been several hundred foreclosures, personal employment and financial opportunities lost, and declining property tax revenues. It feels as if Potter left Bedford Falls and moved to Wall Street.

The challenge for Owosso and other small towns is to rebuild the local-to-local systems that made the customers of the Bailey Building and Loan homeowners. Fortunately, we still have good local lenders, and some community organizations committed to improving housing quality and affordability. We need these and other groups to come together to find ways in which we can use our local resources to help our residents become homeowners and occupy the vacant homes that are found on almost every block of our town. I am hoping the City of Owosso and its new housing program can help be a catalyst and leader in this effort.

There are some other lessons from "It's a Wonderful Life" remember Sam Wainwright, the local business climber who makes it big in New York? Well, he stays in touch with George Bailey, and it's George who recommends the use of a local vacant factory to house a new business venture. We too need to build the contacts with our many alumni who move away and find success elsewhere; let's encourage them to make investments in Owosso, or perhaps even move back home.

Finally, the thing Owosso has never lost is its ability to raise up talented young people of character, just like George Bailey. And just like Bedford Falls, we take pride in our high school graduates and we love to help them achieve their dreams, whether they be college, travel, entrepreunership, or some form of service to their country or community.

Despite the tough times in Owosso, we are not Pottersville. Let's always remember the difference one life makes, and all the lives that each of our lives touches. Think how much more of a difference we can make if we are deliberate in the care of our relationships, the exercise of our values, and our love for our community. "Merry Christmas you old beautiful Building and Loan!"

Tough Budget Choices Ahead

The City Council has begun the process of putting together a 2010-11 budget and the first signs warn that there will be difficult decisions to be made. For reasons explained below, Owosso faces a $2.4 million shortfall on a general fund budget of six to seven million dollars. The good news, if there is any, is that we have begun the budget process early to allow for lots of input and for discussion of options and priorities. The City Charter requires the City Manager to submit a budget in April for adoption in May. We have a lot of work to do before then.

In January, City department heads will submit their budget needs for the necessary staff, equipment, and training to carry out the responsibilities of their offices. They will use their best judgement to determine whether police cars and other capital investments need to be replaced, new staff hired, repairs made to equipment or facilities, and investments in City infrastructure undertaken. Past analysis predicts that these costs of maintaining the City will increase about $1.1 million next year. This so-called "structural deficit" can, and will be, trimmed as the City Manager and his team put together a budget, but doing so is an implicit decision to defer investments in what keeps Owosso going.

In addition to the $1.1 million structural deficit, six factors are combining to make next year's budget difficult:
1. Local property tax revenues will decrease $250,000 as a result of declining property values and a declining tax rate. The State's Headlee amendment and other reductions have lowered the property tax in Owosso from 14.5 mils in 2001 to 13.4 mils now.
2. State revenue sharing will decrease $250,000 as a result of Michigan's difficult budget realities. In the last six years, annual support from the State to the City has declined $600,00, and further reductions may yet hit us. We should all contact our representatives in Lansing to recommend against such cuts.
3. State transfer payments for road repairs will decline $100,000; the City's share of state taxes collected on gas and vehicle weights no longer are sufficient to meet local road maintenance needs.
4. Pension obligations to retired city employees are anticipated to rise $200,000.
5. Contractual obligations to city employees will require a $200,000 increase in wages and benefits.
6. An old landfill that the City of Owosso used needs to be cleaned-up and the City's share of those costs may be $300,000.

While these predictions may not be as severe as outlined above (on the other hand, revenues may decline further and exacerbate the budgt picture), the City needs to plan to make $2.4 million in reductions in its planned expenditures in 2010-11. The City Manager believes he can continue to find efficiencies that could yield significant savings. Tough decisions will also need to be made about what capital improvements and other long-term investments to scale back or postpone. Still, to deal with the shortfalls it will likely be necessary to reduce spending on the current services the City offers.

One option is to cut spending across the board, and given that a large part of the City's budget is spent on personnel, then such a cut could be quite negative on our employees.


As you look at the existing expenditures (see pie chart), the largest portion of general fund revenues are dedicated to public safety (police, fire and ambulance) and a proportionate budget cut would have the biggest impact on these important services. Thus, the comprehensive evaluation now begun may offer some valuable ways to reduce the cost of the programs without sacrificing the quality of public safety programs (see previous post, "Optimizing Public Safety").

What do you think? The budget is complicated, with multiple revenue sources, legal requirements, and contractual obligations all limiting the options available. Still, some questions can be asked and answered now, and your input will be important:

• Do you observe any areas of City Government where funds can be saved? Do you see waste? What services could be delivered more efficiently?
• In your opinion, what City services could be scaled back with the least negative impact? That is, if we have to cut, what would you willing to do with less of?
• What investments in equipment and facilities are the most critical and cannot be deferred?
• In previous years, the City has spent general funds on street repairs (in addition to state funds for roads) to address critical transportation needs; should we continue this practice?
• Only 3% of the city budget goes to park maintenance and improvements; should this be increased? And if so, from where do we redirect dollars?
• Owosso has recently been successful in getting a variety of grants, but frequently they require some small outlay of general funds; should we continue to leverage our dollars this way?
• Should the City pursue a Headlee override to restore property tax rates to earlier levels?
• In our economic climate, are there options for revenue increases that would be acceptable, or should we continue to live within our (declining) budget?
• Would you be willing to pay additional taxes for roads? parks and a pool? public safety?any other special benefit?

Again, we are early in the budget process and I start out being a novice and without any particular bias. So, please educate me where you can. Or if, like me, you don't have much specific knowledge, let me know what your priorities and concerns are. Thank you for your continued participation.

Optimizing Public Safety

We live in a safe community and quite appropriately many of us value the police, fire, and ambulance services the City of Owosso provides. We all have personal stories of how a public safety employee was of great, even life-saving, service to us or one of our family members. However, these benefits do not come cheaply. According to the 2009-10 budget, the City spends over $3.5 million annually on public safety. This represents 56% of the City's general fund expenditures.

In recent months, several citizens have raised appropriate questions about inefficiencies in our public safety programs. In particular, people have questioned the management structure of having a public safety director and a police chief and a fire chief. Do we need three managers of public safety? In response to a citizen petition, the previous city council put forward an ordinance amendment that would eliminate the public safety director position. It was not clear if this proposal would result in the elimination of an employee or any salary savings.

The discussion got me thinking about how to best organize the City of Owosso public safety programs. Future budget challenges (due to declining revenues from the state and from property taxes) further spurred me to ask questions about how to provide the highest level of police, fire, and ambulance service at the lowest cost. In other words, how do we optimize our public safety programs?

At last night's (11/16) City Council meeting I requested that the City Manager provide us with information on several options for reforming our public safety programs. I suggested eight areas for research:

1. Elimination of the Public Safety Director position and other administrative restructuring.

2. Creation of a true Public Safety Department where police, fire, and ambulance personnel are cross-trained and provide support for one another in their duties.

3. Regional cooperation with surrounding jurisdictions whereby we expand on current mutual aid agreements to see if it possible to provide necessary services with less manpower or equipment.

4. Contracting some city public safety services to surrounding jurisdictions; apparently in the past Owosso has provided ambulance services.

5. Contracting with private companies to provide services.

6. Use of volunteers; currently the City saves considerable money through the volunteer services of Community Radio Watch.

7. Cooperation with the County Sheriff and/or the State Police; recently the City has examined closely cooperation in drug enforcement through the State MAGNET program.

8. Use of grant funds; e.g. Neighborhood Watch programs

The City Manager promised to provide an analysis of these and other options by the December 21 Council meeting. Importantly, there will be a financial analysis of these options so that we can compare the costs, as well as any non-financial benefits or risks, of each of these options. In addition, the experience of City employees will be drawn on through a formal request to the relevant unions for their ideas and input.

I am no expert on public safety, and some of the suggestions outlined above may be impractical or not lead to any cost savings. There are undoubtedly other ways to optimize public safety programs; for example, someone in the public hearing raised the idea of better managing overtime schedules of police and fire personnel. What I believe is important at this time is to get on the table as many options as possible so that they can be compared with one another and the best opportunities identified for saving taxpayer funds.

What ideas do you have for optimizing the public safety services in Owosso? Do you have any reaction, information, or insight to any of the options outlined above? It is critical that the public weigh in with their opinions. Thank you.

New Council, New Mayor

Four new members of the Owosso City Council were sworn in tonight (from left to right): Mike Erfourth, Cindy Popovitch, Tom Cook, and Chris Eveleth. As well, Ben Frederick was selected as Mayor and Cindy Popovitch chosen to be Mayor Pro Tem. I am excited to be working with these people, and the other two city councilmembers, Joni Forester and Gary Martenis.

I was flattered to be nominated for the Mayor's spot, which followed a number of requests supporters had made of me to consider serving as Mayor. I declined this opportunity for two reasons: 1) I believe the Mayor's position should go to someone who has been on the Council because they have more experience to draw on; and 2) because I believe that sometimes one can be a more effective leader when one does not have the restrictions of an official leadership position. There is a lot to be done in Owosso, and I want to be an advocate for change.

I believe Ben Frederick will be a good mayor. For the last several months I have observed him at council meetings, and he seems committed to the mechanics of good decision-making. He wants a good process, as well as a good outcome. I have seen him work hard to ensure that good information is available to the Council, that a variety of opinions are heard, and that the public has access to the process. I have also had the opportunity to talk through several issues with him. It's clear we won't agree on everything, but I feel as if we will be able to communicate well and work toward compromise where needed. That should yield good policy. Several people told me he was ambitious and someday seeks higher office. To me, that is not a bad thing. Drive and commitment are how things get done; a lazy or disinterested Mayor would not serve our community well. Right now, Ben Frederick is our Mayor, and I hope that by working with him we can both accomplish a lot for Owosso.

Cindy Popovitch will be a good second in command. Her performance in the election proves she can connect well with the public, and that will be an important quality as the City moves forward. I am happy that she will get more visibility and recognition for all of her hard work on behalf of Owosso.

It's important to remember that the Mayor has very little power in the city manager form of government that Owosso has. The Mayor's primary function is to chair the meeting, and the Mayor Pro Tem's task is to fill in when the Mayor is absent. As well, the Mayor presides at official functions. Ben and Cindy will do these jobs well. The Mayor makes appointments, and this is an important task; I feel confident that Ben will seek the input of other council members when making appointments.

Again, I am excited about this team, and ready to get to work. We will be immediately busy at our next meeting when we hold a public hearing on an ordinance amendment to eliminate the public safety director position from the city government structure. I have had a few thoughts on this (see earlier posting of my letter to the editor), but I would welcome your thoughts on this topic.

What would be the best structure for the management and operation of Owosso's fire, police, and ambulance services? Please share with me your suggestions.

Thank you for your support.

Let's Talk About the Important Issues

How can we get our community to focus on the imporant issues? I have a proposal.

One of the key concepts I have taught in Leadership Shiawassee for the last several years is Stephen Covey's idea of "first things first." Life is busy, and often we give our time and energy to issues that are in our face at the moment. Sometimes this is unavoidable, but if we are constantly in a reactive or crisis mode we may overlook those issues which are important, but not necessarily urgent. I believe this is one of the challenges currently faced by our city government.

As I talk with voters, concerns about jobs, the economy and the large number of vacant homes in our community come up often. Recently, I sat down and read through the City Council minutes for the last year (you can follow the link on the lower right side of this blog if you want to do the same). Distressingly, the issues of our economy and foreclosures have come up very rarely. Other topics have also been overlooked.

There may be good reasons for the City Council's time to be taken up with other matters. However, when the issues important to the community are not front and center on the City Council agenda, then it becomes easy for progress to be stalled, for staff to become sidetracked to other issues, and/or for the community (and community partners) to lose sight of the goals the City has for its future.

I have a four part proposal to make First Things First for the Owosso City Council:

1. PRIORITIES Select a few (no more than four or five) key issues to be the top priority for the City in the year (or two) ahead. Such goal setting is the responsibility of the Council, but should be done with the informed guidance of staff and a wide range of community input.

2. PLAN A specific work plan for each of these items should be developed by staff and approved by the Council. For some issues, there is already an outline of a plan (see the Blue Ribbon Committee Report); for others it may be necessary to assign it to a group like the Planning Commission to put together a plan. It is important to not get bogged down in process here. One quick way to achieve a plan for a topic such as economic development would be to hold a one-day summit of key players, partners and the public to identify action goals.

3. PROGRESS Schedule regular reports for City Council meetings on each of the priorities. This helps keep these issues foremost for pubic action, allows the private sector and public partners to align themselves with City efforts, creates accountability for elected officials and City staff, and lets the electorate know what their local government is doing. These reports on important issues should be, literally, at the top of the agenda.

4. PUBLIC INPUT Finally, I would like to see our City Council move to a meeting structure used by the Owosso School Board for several years to help improve dialogue with the community in their decision-making. The idea is for the first meeting of the month to be one of discussion and the subsequent meeting to be one of action. With this format important topics are considered, potential ideas identified, and input sought from the public and interested parties without the pressure of urgent decision-making cutting short discussion. Then two weeks pass in which Council members can seek out public opinions and concerns before taking formal action. Obviously, there are some issues which are straightforward and/or urgent for which this format is not needed, but I do believe it could help Owosso move forward effectively on those issues which are most important to the future of the community.

We elect City Council representatives with the hope that they will take the time to identify, understand and act on the important issues facing our community. I hope these ideas can help keep these first things first on the City's agenda. What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.

Public Safety letter to editor

The following appeared as a letter to the editor

I am running for City Council because I believe our local government needs to take a more comprehensive, informed, and strategic approach to the issues facing our community. Attending recent City Council meetings, I have observed that one such issue is public safety. At the meeting Monday night (Ocotber 5), the City Council had three separate discussions about our police services: 1) possible, though as of yet undefined, reform of the position of the public safety director; 2) options for cooperation with the State Police MAGNET team to reduce drug crimes in our city; 3) the initiation of neighborhood watch programs in response to a community policing grant.

Regardless of the specific merits and challenges with each of these issues, I am concerned that the City Council took up each of these issues in an ad hoc, unprepared, and inconclusive way. We need a comprehensive review and then thoughtful adoption of a strategy for police protection in our community. Public safety (police, fire, ambulance) is the most important service local government provides and the single largest component of the City’s budget.

Rather than making reactive decisions to proposals brought before it, the City Council needs to provide leadership. We need our elected representatives to step back and define priorities and goals for our public safety services, look at the variety of options available to the City, analyze financial implications, and adopt a long-term plan that gets us the best public safety for the least dollars. Most importantly, this public safety plan should be developed with the input of the citizens of Owosso, with the advice of city staff and employee unions, and in consultation with other law enforcement and public safety partners.

I was disappointed that on Monday night the three City Council members currently running for re-election either said nothing during these discussions, asked for basic information about public safety programs, or criticized law enforcement personnel. I was impressed that Councilman Ben Frederick, who is not up for reelection, did his homework and put together the motion to fund the MAGNET program.

It is not surprising that some members of our community feel a need to circulate petitions in an attempt to reform our public safety programs. I generally don’t support petitions because I believe that our elected representatives should be addressing the issues of concern to the public, adopting effective policies, and then ensuring that our tax dollars are well spent in the operation of vital municipal services. That is why I am running for office.

We need City Council representatives that can take a big picture view of issues, are willing to take the time to become informed on matters before it, and then can provide the leadership necessary to put in place effective and comprehensive programs. The City’s difficult budget situation was also mentioned at Monday night’s meeting; if we are to successfully negotiate the stormy financial weather ahead, we need elected representatives that are able to chart a course and stick to it.

I welcome your ideas and questions about public safety, specific police services, and the role of City Council in providing leadership on these and other issues.

My Experience

I believe that I am prepared and well qualified to serve on the Owosso City Council because of my experience in these important areas:

LEADERSHIP - I am one of the co-founders of Leadership Shiawassee and for the past 13 years I have been one of the facilitators/instructors of this program that helps prepare and inspire community leaders. In addition, I have held a number of leadership positions including Chair of the Memorial Healthcare Board of Trustees and Chair of the Shiawassee Great Start Collaborative for early childhood.

VISION - I served on the City of Owosso's Blue Ribbon Commission which provided strategic direction to the City Council. I have also played an active role in several other community visioning exercises (e.g. Mayor's Community Forum, Team 21, Quality of Life Initiative).

SERVICE - I was named Citizen of the Year by the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce in recognition of my service to the community. I am also a member of the Owosso Rotary Club, whose motto is "service above self."

EXPERTISE - I have a college degree in City Planning and worked for three years as a Deputy Director at the California Department of Housing and Community Development. I also served on the City of Owosso Planning Commission.

COMMITMENT - I was the co-chair of the Join the Courageous Campaign to build a new cancer center at Memorial Healthcare. In 2006, I raised funds for The Nature Conservancy in Michigan by completing a 460-mile hike across the Upper Peninsula.

GO GREEN - I was a co-founder of the Friends of the Shiawassee River and have participated in their river clean-ups and other activities for over 10 years.

Six Important Issues

I am motivated to run for Owosso City Council primarily because I feel an obligation to serve my community. However, there are six issues (or opportunities) that I believe the City Council needs to address, and I am committed to pursuing these issues if elected:

ECONOMIC GROWTH – unemployment in our community is at the highest level in decades. Our first priority as a City must be to help the private sector create new jobs. I believe we can make Owosso an even better place to start a business or grow an exisitng one. I have been involved with the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership since its beginning, and as a part owner of a small business (Wolverine Sign) I understand what the City can do to help industry and commerce grow.

TAX EFFICIENCY – we need to ensure that public tax dollars are well spent in the delivery of municipal services and the promotion of growth. In the current economic climate, the community cannot afford new taxes. Instead, we need to take a close and reasoned look at the services the City provides and figure out ways to reduce costs and serve the public in the most efficient way possible. I also feel that the City has an important role to play in making sure that your federal and state tax dollars are well spent. Some grants are appropriate for our community; others are not. When we secure outside funding, we need to spend these tax dollars in the most effective way to promote economic growth.

HOUSING – we need to protect residential property values in Owosso by promoting homeownership and reducing the number of vacant homes in our neighborhoods. There are a record number of foreclosed and for-sale homes in our community. We need to ensure that these homes do not create a blight in our neighborhoods and we need to take action to help these homes be sold to new homeowners. The City has not taken advantage of private and public programs to reduce foreclosures, promote homeownership, and ensure quality rental housing. I worked for several years as a Deputy Director in the California Department of Housing and Community Development and I will use my expertise to improve our neighborhoods.

QUALITY OF LIFE – we need to create more recreational and cultural activities for youth, families, and residents and tourists of all ages. Owosso has some great parks, but we have not organized ourselves well to maintain or improve our recreational facilities. The loss of Holman Pool was very unfortunate. Likewise, the City could play a much more positive role in encouraging cultural activities for our residents. The loss of the Lebowsky Center was also unfortunate. I would like to work with the public and private sectors to help rebuild a Shiawassee Performing Arts Center, provide a pool, and improve other cultural and recreational opportunities. I think there is an opportunity to work with neighboring local governments and community organizations to help improve the quality of life for all our area residents.

RECYCLING – we need to find a way to promote curbside recycling of household and yard waste. People are concerned with burning in Owosso, and I believe we can help reduce the need for burning if we provide better and more frequent pick up of yard wastes. I also think it is possible to provide curbside recycling of household waste. I will also look into other ways to have Owosso Go Green!

COMMUNICATION - whatever policy issues come before the City Council, I believe our elected representatives have an obligation to engage in respectful, two-way communication with voters, residents, businesses, and all the affected parties. If elected, I pledge to be both a good listener and to share what I learn by serving. I will make time available, attend community meetings, and use this blog and other forms of communication to exchange information and opinions. The more we all know, the better decisions we can make for our future.

MY GOAL is to make Owosso an even better place to live, raise a family, retire, start a business, pursue a career, and enjoy life in a small town. I hope you will join me in this effort.

Why I Am Running for City Council

I'm a fan of Owosso. I grew up here and graduated from Owosso High School. After a career as a city planner and housing specialist I returned to Owosso to raise a family (the picture shows my children, Abbie and Gus, and my wife, Anna Owens, at the most recent river clean-up.) I believe we all have an obligation to serve the community and country in which we live, and I have done so for 15 years as a representative on various committees for the City, as a board member of local non-profits, and as a volunteer for several community causes. I now feel it is time for me to serve in elected local government.

The City of Owosso has a proud history and a future full of potential, but I believe we are at crossroads for our community. For the first time in 60 years, the population of Owosso has dipped below 15,000 residents. We are facing difficulty economic times with too many empty houses in our neighborhoods and too many empty storefronts in our downtown. However, we can take action to invigorate our local economy, improve the quality of life for our residents, and engage the community in building a better future. But a brighter tomorrow is not guaranteed. With new staff and new programs at City Hall, we need leadership and vision on the City Council in order to make the most of the opportunities. The community cannot afford new taxes, so it is also important that we have expertise in positions of responsibility to ensure that tax dollars are spent efficiently to most effectively deliver municipal services and promote growth.

I hope you will share your ideas about how to make Owosso better and join me in shaping the future of our community. Thank you for your support.