Chris Dardzinski
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK – The city’s mayoral race has former city councilman and community activist Chris Dardzinski running against incumbent Mayor Thomas Karnes, with roads, aging infrastructure and the business environment in the spotlight.
CHRIS DARDZINSKI
Dardzinski, 53, a Downriver native who was born and raised in Wyandotte, became a Lincoln Park homeowner 20 years ago.
He has worked in International Trade for the past 31 years, and served four years on the Lincoln Park City Council.
Dardzinski has been involved with the Farmers Market, Hands of the City and city causes, large and small.
He also has been connected to the Center for Economic and Social Justice for the past decade.
Dardzinski said if he is elected mayor, he will commit 50 hours a week to the needs of the city, spending 20 hours a week on economic revitalization plans, 20 hours a week on city operations, and attending meetings, commissions and working with committees, and 10 hours a week connecting with residents and business owners.
“I will not accept, ‘We cannot do that,’” he said. “This city is going to start embracing ‘How can we solve this?’”
Dardzinski said he has spent the past five months putting together detailed, practical and logistical plans of what he wants to accomplish.
“I have 26 things I want to get done, some of them things I couldn’t get done on the city council,” he said. “Those plans are very important to the city’s future, and it’s a huge part of why I decided to run for mayor.
Dardzinski’s top three priorities include addressing poverty among the city’s residents, addressing local road concerns, and attracted new businesses to the city.
He said he will not ignore the fact that 21 percent of the city’s residents live at or below the poverty level.
“Poverty is a huge problem, and it demands a big solution,” Dardzinski said.
He plans to use the Capital Homestead Act, a comprehensive legislative program of Kelsonian tax, monetary and fiscal reforms to include all residents as stakeholders in technological investments. It provides people with a way to benefit from the fruits of their productivity in a business setting.
Kelsonian principles call for democratizing the distribution of data and capital ownership.
Dardzinski said the city’s road repair plan needs to be expanded, and new sources of funding need to be found.
He said road money should be controlled at the local level for both county and city roads, without money going to and from Lansing.
Dardzinski said each city or township should set up an independent advisory committee, made up of residents, business owners and local public officials.
“The success of these committees will depend directly on how involved people will become, instead of just sitting back and complaining about the roads,” he said. “Cities and counties can work together, to get the best contract at the best price.”
Dardzinski said attracting new businesses to the city is also a top priority.
He said he plans to create a city-wide Economic Development director position, but he also sees volunteer involvement as key to success.
“It just takes people,” he said. “A comprehensive and forward-thinking five-year economic plan, with 250 people to work the plan, as a team, for a 5-year period. That is 50 people committing to one year each.”
Dardzinski wants to see elected officials, the Downtown Development Authority, the Economic Development Corporation and city management working together as a team.
“As mayor, I will be working it, folding in other economic plans I’ll be working at a higher level. A plan and people willing to be involved are the basic resources needed.”
For more information about Dardinski’s plans and proposals, go to his website, at mayorlp.webs.com.
Thomas Karnes
THOMAS KARNES
Karnes, 62, grew up in Lincoln Park, attending Mixter Elementary, Huff Junior High and Lincoln Park High School. He graduated from Madonna University with double bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and psychology. He also is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and of the FBI National Academy.
Karnes served with the Lincoln Park police force for 31 years, as a patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant and as police chief.
He is currently in his sixth year as a full-time substitute teacher at Lincoln Park High School, and mentors the LPHS Railsplitter Excel Club.
Karnes is an active member of the Lincoln Park Exchange Club, chairman of the board of the Lincoln Park Community Credit Union, and president of the Lincoln Park Schools Education Foundation.
As mayor, Karnes said he is committed to honesty, integrity and dedication to the city and its residents.
“I have lived and worked here all my life,” he said. “This is the town my children grew up in, and as adults, they have purchased homes and live here. It is also the town that my grandson will grow up in.”
Karnes said he wants the city to succeed, which is why he works and volunteers in many different ways to see that it happens.
“With my history in Lincoln Park, I can apply what has worked and avoid past mistakes,” he said. “I led the team that brought the city back from receivership ahead of time, with a focus on fundamentals and steady improvements each year.”
Karnes said his experience has prepared him to do what is necessary in times of crisis for the safety and well-being of Lincoln Park’s citizens.
“This has always been my home,” he said. “I am proud of what Lincoln Park has done in the past, and I look forward to what Lincoln Park can be in the future. I have the abilities and experience to continue Lincoln Park’s recovery as we prepare to head into our second century.”
Karnes said his top three priorities are restoring the city’s vitality once the pandemic ends, addressing road concerns, and attracting new businesses and development to the downtown.
“My first priority will be to make Lincoln Park whole again after the pandemic is finally over,” he said. “Lincoln Park was hard hit, with more than 600 confirmed cases and more than 30 deaths.
“Numerous businesses were forced to close for several months and their employees unable to work, while revenue coming into the state was reduced, while expenses to fight COVID-19 were up.”
Karnes said as the recovery continues, the city cannot afford to go backward.
“We have reduced our budget as much as possible in anticipation that revenue that we get from the state will be cut,” he said. “This is not a single budget year concern, but one over the next two years, and a misstep could result in a return to receivership.”
Karnes said part of making LP whole again will be for the city to help businesses where it can.
“This can be done with information and by coordinating available benefits for small businesses from state and federal sources,” he said. “Lincoln Park has assisted with a grant program, for up to $20,000, to help businesses keep employees through the crisis.”
Karnes said his second top priority is continuing Lincoln Park’s commitment to repairing its roads.
“A study has shown that most of our roads are in fair to poor in condition,” he said. “For the past five years, we, as a city, have put as much as we possibly could into fixing and maintaining our roads.”
Karnes said they have looked for and obtained grants for additional road replacement, and the road improvement bond that was approved seven years ago is finally able to be used. He said it will be spent over a three-year period.
“A priority is to focus spending on the roads as we move into the future,” he said. “We have a plan, and my priority is to stick with it until it is accomplished.”
Karnes said his third priority is to attract new businesses and to improve the downtown.
“This is a priority, because we already have too many empty businesses,” he said. “As the Crossroads of Downriver, we are in the middle of everything. We are close to Detroit and have easy access to the freeways, and will be in the travel path of those using the Gordie Howe bridge once it is complete, so we have many opportunities for businesses.”
He said getting the word out is crucial.
“A new Downtown Development Authority and Economic Development Corporation director, Carl Malysz, has been hired,” he said. “He has vast experience rebuilding downtowns and developments. I will work with Mr. Malysz and our city council to make this happen.”
For more information about Karnes, go to his Facebook page, at facebook.com/Tom-Karnes-for-Mayor-323533094458309.