By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – Three mayoral candidates, including City Council members Nicole Barnes and Wheeler Marsee, and Ian Striz, son of Mayor Stacy Bazman, will face each other in the Aug. 6 primary election.
The top two contenders will go on to face each other in the Nov. 5 general election.
With Melvindale facing challenges with its infrastructure and funding city expenses, Marsee and Striz share what they would do if elected mayor. Barnes did not respond.
Q. What background and experience would you bring to the office of mayor?
Marsee: I grew up in Melvindale and moved back here to raise my family. I have been the vice grievance chairman at United Steel Workers Local 1299 for 7.5 years, and have worked at U.S. Steel for 23.5 years. I have been in public service for 11.5: four years in public safety, and 7.5 years as a city council member, with 3.5 years as mayor pro-tem. I am an independent, common sense-based decision maker.
Striz: I graduated with high honors from Michigan State University with a degree in political science. Currently, I am studying law at Wayne State University. Previously, I worked in the Michigan state Senate. I believe that I can use my education and background to bring positive change to the city.
Q. Why are you running for mayor?
Marsee: I want to continue to make Melvindale solvent while meeting the needs of the residents and city employees.
Striz: I have lived in Melvindale my entire life. My family has lived in this town since the 1920s. I love Melvindale and want it to be a city that everyone is proud to live in. I am running for mayor because I know that I am capable of making a positive impact and putting the city in a position to grow and prosper.
Q. What is the most critical issue facing Melvindale, and how will you address it?
Marsee: The most critical issue facing Melvindale, to me, is the mandated H.R. 202 legislation for unfunded pension liabilities and insurance for past and present city workers.
Striz: The most critical issue is the infrastructure. Our roads and sewers are in great need of repair. We are already seeing improvements on Henry Street with the shave and pave happening. It is important to continue this, to see all the streets repaired. To do this, we need to apply for more of the available grant money and attract new businesses to Melvindale to increase our tax base. I plan to hire a professional, full-time grant writer and business liaison to accomplish this.
Q. During the spring flooding, Melvindale was almost completely cut off by floodwaters on exit roads, making it difficult for emergency responders to get in and out, and for ambulances to get to Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn. What do you think should be done to address the problem?
Marsee: Flooding of exit roads is a major problem that has to be addressed at a higher level of government. Pump stations on the city level must be maintained. Most of the confining flooded streets are on the borders of Melvindale, and are in other cities. We will look into portable pumps to clear exits in and out of the city as a possible short-term solution.
Striz: This has been a problem for decades. Unfortunately, Melvindale is in a valley and nearly every entrance and exit floods. This affects Melvindale and surrounding communities. We all need to come together and work with Wayne County, the state and other government agencies to keep the sewers cleared and clean, and look into the possibility of installing pump systems to remove the water in emergency situations.
Q. How should the Municipal Employees’ Retirement System and Other Post-Employment Benefits be adequately funded?
Marsee: Funding of MERS and OPEB will take a lot of negotiating on our part. This problem has not been dealt with for years. We need to try to come to terms with what the city can afford and then work through the deep debt. We were in a deficit the first seven years of my council term, and as a council, have pulled through that. It’s just a matter of working through solutions to address the full extent of the problem. The issue is still in the negotiation stage.
Striz: This is not a problem unique to Melvindale. When cities began to move away from defined benefit and pension systems, and went to a defined contribution system, with a 401(k) match, it was good from the standpoint that legacy costs would eventually stop, because new hires got 401(k) plans and not pension plans. The problem is that the newly hired employees are not contributing to the pension system, and therefore, as employees in the system retire, employee contributions lessen, putting a greater burden on the city to come up with that shortfall. Legislators at every level of government need to sit down and come up with a plan to ensure that cities can remain solvent through this, and that retirees will always have the pensions they earned.
Q. What should be done about the civic center? Sell it, keep it, outsource management, other?
Marsee: The future of the Kessey Fieldhouse is looking up at this time. We have an interim director whom I plan to make permanent. I have faith in her abilities and she has her heart in this city, as I do. We need to re-think selling city properties to pay debt.
Striz: The civic center has been a staple of our community for many years, and I want it to stay. Currently, the civic center is not making enough profit. I’d like to mirror communities like Canton Township, which has High Velocity Arena, which runs different sports leagues throughout the year. In addition to renting out individual time slots, if we held our own soccer, flag football, floor hockey and other sports leagues, we could bring in additional revenue and ensure that the civic center is always full.
Q. What should be done about the city pool to make it available to residents?
Marsee: To make the city pool available, it may have to be offered for lease – not sale – to a third party. If the city is unable to provide competent management to run it, allow a local business owner to operate and lease it. I voted to open the pool this year, but I understand why the city council denied the motion. The pool has run with an overwhelming deficit the last few years.
Striz: The pool is another important part of our community. Unfortunately, whenever the pool is open, it loses money. The pool needs to become a more family-friendly environment. Creating an automated season pass system, instead of using the sewn-on patches used in prior years, could help us track who is coming to the pool, and will ensure that no one underage comes without an adult. The pool was full of people every day. If we build a concession stand and a picnic area, the pool will bring in more money. Additionally, the basement can be renovated and turned into a rental room, which can be used for after-hours events. If the pool brings in additional revenue, then it will not be a financial burden and can be kept open.
Q. What could you, as mayor, do to influence what residents must pay for water from the Great Lakes Water Authority?
Marsee: GLWA is privatized and they don’t care. As with any provider-based service, we have to pay the cost. The only difference here is the burden of delivery. GLWA provides water, a service, just like DTE or a cable company. The only difference is the city maintains and monitors the pipes – the delivery system – within the city. This is a major expense for Melvindale’s old and aging infrastructure. I have fought this fight, along with other residents, at the water board, and don’t see much relief ahead. I refuse to make any promises that are unachievable. I will continually access the situation.
Striz: I can ensure that when the water bonds are paid off, in 2021, that bond debt never goes on our water bills again. I can work with the engineers and department of public works director to continue to repair and replace our water mains, to improve the efficiency of our system and reduce water loss. We need a progressive, ongoing plan to continue to tackle high water bills and reduce the minimum units charged per household.
(Sue Suchyta can be reached at [email protected])