What Would My Priorities Be If Elected Mayor of Marshall?
What Would My Priorities Be If Elected Mayor of Marshall?
My priorities for Marshall are very simple and straightforward. I want the City of Marshall to thrive, both now and into the future. Marshall was founded by innovators with an entrepreneurial spirit and big dreams for what Marshall could become. It’s time for us to honor our history by allowing ourselves to dream of what the future may hold for this wonderful city.
Here are what I believe are the top 3 things that the next city council should be focused on to help Marshall thrive.
1. The Marshall Area Jobs, Opportunity, and Recreation (MAJOR) campus – I have stated many times that I believe that the Ford BlueOval Battery Park Michigan coming to our city is the best thing to happen to Marshall in at least 50 years. This means that I will do all that I can to keep the project on track and to make Ford feel welcome in our city. Ford continues to show their desire to become a part of Marshall with their participation in community events and their financial contributions to our schools, our parks, and our city. Whatever comes next in the MAJOR campus or in the industrial park will also be expected to enhance Marshall and contribute to our community as well.
2. Housing – Housing has been an issue in Marshall for quite some time now. The city went for nearly a decade with no new houses being built and we are still suffering the consequences of that drought. In the past 6 years the city implemented two Neighborhood Improvement Authorities (NIAs) to encourage new housing development. These have been successful with new houses in both the Northeast and the South of the city and more new houses on the way. When additional developments come forward, the city will need to assess whether incentives are still necessary and appropriate, but the need for housing will be a priority of the city for the foreseeable future.
3. Pedestrian Safety – I have been part of many strategic planning meetings where “walkability” is a topic of conversation. While I agree that the walkability of a city is very important, I feel like the focus of every walkability conversation should focus on pedestrian safety. It’s not enough to have well-maintained sidewalks and clearly marked crosswalks if pedestrians don’t feel safe traversing those areas. Having clear signage and clear lines of sight so that drivers and pedestrians can both see each other from a distance. Removing overgrown bushes or trimming lower branches of trees can help improve visibility and safety. Whether it is a new housing development or retrofitting sidewalks into an existing neighborhood, I will ensure that the focus is on pedestrian safety and not just on moving people from point to point.
Marshall is such a fantastic town. Having been lucky enough to grow up here I want to ensure that our daughter has the opportunity to grow her business and her own family and can continue to call Marshall her home. I believe that the decisions we are making today will allow our future grandchildren to experience growing up in Marshall too.
In Marshall we love our history, we learn from our history, and we can use our history to guide our vision for the future of the city. If you agree with me that Marshall’s history has been amazing but Marshall’s future can be even better, then I would be honored to have your vote for Mayor on November 5th.
Thank you