Spring Break
City council candidates sound off on issues, ideas
Betsy Woodruff
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: News
As Hillsdale College students are starting to think about their next Student Federation members, the citizens of the city of Hillsdale are gearing up to elect new city council members on Nov. 3.
Two races are contested. In Ward 4, Terry Casler faces Kevin Jones, to replace C. W. Amburgey. Amy England and Bruce Sharp are facing off in Ward 3. Sharp is the only incumbent running for re-election.
Casey J. Sullivan and Ruth Brown will enter the council uncontested in their wards, replacing Dave Williams and Rich Péwé, respectively.
In these times of economic difficulty, the candidates in the contested wards focused much of their attention on their desires to make Hillsdale more attractive to businesses and customers.
Amy England
Amy England, Bruce Sharp's challenger, emphasized that she has been attending city council meetings since she moved to Hillsdale 22 years ago.
She says the three most important issues are roads, deer and jobs. England said she believes the council should make economic development a higher priority than the roads.
"We have to rebuild our tax base before we can rebuild our infrastructure," she said.
To help improve the economy, she said she hopes for the development of a team that will help entrepreneurs navigate their way through red tape.
"I envision a guide we could give to new businesses to give them help along the way," she said.
She wants Hillsdale to be as appealing to developers as possible.
"If somebody wants to invest in our community, we should make every effort to roll out the red carpet and welcome them, and not set up administrative roadblocks," she said.
She said she also believes the city should consistently pass a balanced budget, saying there are ways it could cut costs, especially by consolidating departments and department heads. She pointed out that Hillsdale has a city manager, an assistant city manager and an assistant to the city manager.
Ultimately, England said, she wants people to want to stay in Hillsdale.
Bruce Sharp
"Hillsdale should be known as a safe, friendly community, that we care about each other and we care about the college," said Bruce Sharp, the incumbent from Ward 3.
He has lived in Hillsdale County for his whole life, except for three years in the Army, and remembers when none of the downtown stores were empty.
He said he believes that the city's industrial base is gone, and the best strategy for revitalization is encouraging the development of specialty shops downtown. He said he also wants to see more restaurants in the downtown.
"Hillsdale's coming back," he said. "I really do believe that."
He said he believes that the most appealing aspect of Hillsdale is that it is a safe community.
Sharp said tightening the budget is a high priority. He voted against the contract for Rick Rose, the director of the Board of Public Utilities, because it included a 3 percent pay raise and a car allowance.
"He's done a wonderful job," he said, "but in these economic times, we have to tighten our belts."
He also believes the city should not have an assistant city manager. Linda Brown has done a wonderful job, he said, "but can we afford to have both?"
He does not, however, support cutting the budgets of the police, fire department or public services. When Hillsdale Tool, his former employer, cut budgets, he said that they cut from the management before the workers. He believes the city should follow this model.
Sharp also said he believes the city council has the right attitude towards business development.
"We're pro-business!" he said. "We're not trying to make red tape in this town!"
Sharp said his wife, Michelle, has encouraged him to think before he speaks and never make promises he cannot keep.
"I always give 110 percent," he said. "That's the one thing I promise people."
Sharp also emphasized that his constituents could always contact him easily.
"I've always been available to my constituents," he said. "I've never not gotten back to someone."
He said that sometimes, members of different wards call him because their council members will not return their calls.
He said that the biggest thing the city council should work on is the city's relationship with the college.
"Be part of this community," he said. "We want to be part of your lives, too."
Terry Casler
Terry Casler, who is running against Kevin Jones, works at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater. He's worked for the department of corrections for the last 17 and a half years, and has lived in Hillsdale for 20 years.
"The city council right now is doing a good job," he said.
He said he believes that it is very important for council members to talk to their constituents. As part of his campaign, he has gone door-to-door in his ward, talking to as many residents as possible. Unlike his opponent, he has not been able to afford to put up signs because his wife was recently laid off.
He said he hopes that if he wins, he can make city council meetings easier for the public to participate in. He pointed out that sometimes, it is not clear when the time for public comment comes.
"People that go to those city council meetings go for a reason, because they're interested in what the city council is talking about," he said.
He has attended almost every meeting since he decided to run.
"If I get the office, I'm going to be tickled pink," he said.
Kevin Jones did not respond to phone calls from The Collegian requesting an interview.
Two races are contested. In Ward 4, Terry Casler faces Kevin Jones, to replace C. W. Amburgey. Amy England and Bruce Sharp are facing off in Ward 3. Sharp is the only incumbent running for re-election.
Casey J. Sullivan and Ruth Brown will enter the council uncontested in their wards, replacing Dave Williams and Rich Péwé, respectively.
In these times of economic difficulty, the candidates in the contested wards focused much of their attention on their desires to make Hillsdale more attractive to businesses and customers.
Amy England
Amy England, Bruce Sharp's challenger, emphasized that she has been attending city council meetings since she moved to Hillsdale 22 years ago.
She says the three most important issues are roads, deer and jobs. England said she believes the council should make economic development a higher priority than the roads.
"We have to rebuild our tax base before we can rebuild our infrastructure," she said.
To help improve the economy, she said she hopes for the development of a team that will help entrepreneurs navigate their way through red tape.
"I envision a guide we could give to new businesses to give them help along the way," she said.
She wants Hillsdale to be as appealing to developers as possible.
"If somebody wants to invest in our community, we should make every effort to roll out the red carpet and welcome them, and not set up administrative roadblocks," she said.
She said she also believes the city should consistently pass a balanced budget, saying there are ways it could cut costs, especially by consolidating departments and department heads. She pointed out that Hillsdale has a city manager, an assistant city manager and an assistant to the city manager.
Ultimately, England said, she wants people to want to stay in Hillsdale.
Bruce Sharp
"Hillsdale should be known as a safe, friendly community, that we care about each other and we care about the college," said Bruce Sharp, the incumbent from Ward 3.
He has lived in Hillsdale County for his whole life, except for three years in the Army, and remembers when none of the downtown stores were empty.
He said he believes that the city's industrial base is gone, and the best strategy for revitalization is encouraging the development of specialty shops downtown. He said he also wants to see more restaurants in the downtown.
"Hillsdale's coming back," he said. "I really do believe that."
He said he believes that the most appealing aspect of Hillsdale is that it is a safe community.
Sharp said tightening the budget is a high priority. He voted against the contract for Rick Rose, the director of the Board of Public Utilities, because it included a 3 percent pay raise and a car allowance.
"He's done a wonderful job," he said, "but in these economic times, we have to tighten our belts."
He also believes the city should not have an assistant city manager. Linda Brown has done a wonderful job, he said, "but can we afford to have both?"
He does not, however, support cutting the budgets of the police, fire department or public services. When Hillsdale Tool, his former employer, cut budgets, he said that they cut from the management before the workers. He believes the city should follow this model.
Sharp also said he believes the city council has the right attitude towards business development.
"We're pro-business!" he said. "We're not trying to make red tape in this town!"
Sharp said his wife, Michelle, has encouraged him to think before he speaks and never make promises he cannot keep.
"I always give 110 percent," he said. "That's the one thing I promise people."
Sharp also emphasized that his constituents could always contact him easily.
"I've always been available to my constituents," he said. "I've never not gotten back to someone."
He said that sometimes, members of different wards call him because their council members will not return their calls.
He said that the biggest thing the city council should work on is the city's relationship with the college.
"Be part of this community," he said. "We want to be part of your lives, too."
Terry Casler
Terry Casler, who is running against Kevin Jones, works at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater. He's worked for the department of corrections for the last 17 and a half years, and has lived in Hillsdale for 20 years.
"The city council right now is doing a good job," he said.
He said he believes that it is very important for council members to talk to their constituents. As part of his campaign, he has gone door-to-door in his ward, talking to as many residents as possible. Unlike his opponent, he has not been able to afford to put up signs because his wife was recently laid off.
He said he hopes that if he wins, he can make city council meetings easier for the public to participate in. He pointed out that sometimes, it is not clear when the time for public comment comes.
"People that go to those city council meetings go for a reason, because they're interested in what the city council is talking about," he said.
He has attended almost every meeting since he decided to run.
"If I get the office, I'm going to be tickled pink," he said.
Kevin Jones did not respond to phone calls from The Collegian requesting an interview.
Be the first to comment on this story