Get to know all five Mount Pleasant city commission candidates

Those who are eligible can register to vote by mail until Monday, Oct. 21, or can register on certain times and dates after the 21st at the clerk’s office. There will also be absentee ballot options this year due to a ballot proposal passed by Michigan voters during the 2018 mid-term elections. There are seven precincts in Mount Pleasant and voters can check which precinct they belong to in a map from the City’s website.

The candidates this year are:

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· Barry DeLau: Has 20 years of experience managing local manufacturing companies, according to vote411.org.

· Brandon McQueen: Currently enrolled as a Central Michigan University student, and helped petition for the Mount Pleasant recreational marijuana ballot proposal.

· Mary Alsager: Former public school teacher and currently a parks and recreation commissioner.

· George Ronan: Current psychology faculty member at CMU.

· Kathy Rise: Local business owner and currently a Mount Pleasant Planning Commissioner.

Central Michigan Life reached out to all the candidates and asked three questions about what they want to do as a city commissioner.

CM Life: Why are you running for Mount Pleasant City Commission? 

DeLau: There is not just one issue or reason that motivated me to run for City Commissioner. The position requires a substantial amount of time and I finally have the time. In order to run, I wanted to be sure that I could honor that commitment. Over the past few years, I think the City is moving in the wrong direction by pushing businesses and residents outside the city by over-regulation. I also don’t agree with the fact that the budget keeps growing and growing and the citizens benefit less and less for their tax dollars. There needs to be a balance. I also believe the City and CMU need to work together to help both sides benefit. At this time, I do not believe the City gives enough attention to CMU.

McQueen: I have always had a strong sense of civic duty. I joined the school board at age 23, started educational nonprofits, collected signatures, ran ballot proposals, and was appointed to a city committee. Every year, a few people ask me if I would be interested in running for city commission but this year, significantly more people asked me to run. I want to set an example for my brothers and sisters and my firstborn, Sophia Elisabeth McQueen, who was born on Aug. 25.

Alsager: Some say the heart of government is in the local community. I witnessed this growing up with a mother who inspired me greatly. After retiring from my career as a public school teacher, I joined the Mount Pleasant Parks and Recreation Commission. I participated in the 2018 Citizens Academy, which gave me a close look at all city departments and piqued my interest in city government. So now I’m running for our City Commission. I have a lot to give: energy, focus, and a determination to be a calm and thoughtful voice on the board.

Ronan: To be more involved in positioning our community to meet the needs of city residents during the next decade. I am invested in Mount Pleasant as a homeowner, business owner, and the owner of a commercial property. As a CMU professor for the past 30 years, I’ve held leadership positions that required uniting people with diverse interests to reach common goals and action plans. I serve on the Historic District Commission and recently completed the Mount Pleasant Citizens Academy. These experiences will help me to support policies that work for all people living in the city.

Rise: I am running for Mount Pleasant City Commission to provide a way for the people of Mount Pleasant to be heard. Over the years, I have lived in Mount Pleasant and I served many roles including a student, staff, teacher and alumnus of CMU. I am also a parent of students who attended the Mount Pleasant Public Schools, Mid Michigan Community College, and CMU. Our family owns a local business, we have rental properties and a home in Mount Pleasant. I bring a broad perspective to the commission.

What is the one thing you want to accomplish as a commissioner?

DeLau: My main priority will be to help increase tax rolls to the benefit of the citizens and bring business back in the City. Currently, business is being pushed outside the City to the township or farther. I also feel strongly that the issues with the Mount Pleasant Center property, Parcel B, and true balanced budget need to be addressed for positive growth.

McQueen: While collecting signatures over the summer, I kept hearing an overwhelming theme: the city wasn’t working for the people, and they only care about their personal agendas. My main goal is to put the city back to work for all people. Now, I think our citizens are reasonable and understand that they are not going to like every decision the commission makes. But we need to gain their faith that when we make decisions, we do it with everyone in mind and we do what is right for most people, not just a handful of influential people.

Alsager: I am not a one-issue candidate. I have three: 1. Working together with others on the commission in a collaborative way. In this way, we can work to address the needs of both our neighborhoods and business environment. 2. Continuing and improving our relationships with our neighboring governmental agencies. There are opportunities to have joint meetings to work together on issues. 3. Increased recreational opportunities. I am a supporter of obtaining an indoor aquatic center that will relieve pressure on the SAC pool to host community group use during peak hours. I also support increasing the Mid-Michigan Community Pathway trail system.

Ronan: Each commissioner is expected to be sensitive to the concerns raised by city residents. Because concerns change over time, predicting issues that the Commission will take on during the next three years is difficult. In the short term I expect the Commission will deal with the following: economic development, housing issues, implementation of the new master plan (Master Plan 2050), inclusiveness, recreational opportunities for our youth and review and evaluation of the marijuana ordinance. The overall goal is to give back to the community in a manner consistent with my view of Mount Pleasant as a kind and thoughtful community.

Rise: The main thing I want to accomplish as a city commissioner is to solicit more community input into the decision-making process. For example, I attended the 2050 Master Plan Charrette this summer and heard input from our community supporting a stronger connection between CMU and Downtown. I would like to have more events to collect input during different times of the year, so students have a voice. Summer is not the best time to reach students, and yet they are in the best position to answer the question of how to bring students downtown. More thought needs to go into how to reach the entire community. I want to accomplish the best practices for responding to diverse community input.

How do you hope to benefit not just the citizens of Mount Pleasant, but Central Michigan University students as well?

DeLau: The business owners, city residents and students all have different issues when I speak to them. Residents and business owners are tired of continued increased taxation with little or no benefit while the students feel that they are mainly viewed as a nuisance by the City. This community needs to create a more friendly environment for the students and that effort should start with the City leaders and CMU working together toward a common goal. CMU students chose Mount Pleasant to be their home for an extended period of time while they gain a valuable education at CMU. It would make sense for the community to welcome these future leaders and hope that they would choose to stay in Mount Pleasant after graduation. These students could contribute tremendous value to this City as business leaders, teachers, doctors and so forth.

McQueen: As both a lifelong townie and a current CMU student, I would first encourage CMU students to register to vote here in Mount Pleasant. Having a voice in the local government that your school resides in is important. After that, I would listen! People don’t want to be talked at. I want the students to know they have an open line of communication and I will take what they have to say seriously.

Alsager: I love that students and community members volunteer together at Michigan Special Olympics events and that community seniors volunteer at the SAC. I support connections that give CMU students opportunities to get practical work and volunteer experiences. One is the IRCH, our rotating homeless shelter that recently relocated downtown and offers students many ways to be of service. Our city is working on some initiatives that address making our downtown more attractive. One I support is the 10/10/10, which encourages us to have 10 retail establishments, 10 restaurants, and 10 establishments that stay open after 6 p.m.

Ronan: If elected, I will be the only CMU faculty member serving on the City Commission. One of my goals would be to advocate for issues important to both CMU and MMC students. In response to a question posed by the League of Woman, and posted on VOTE411, I described how the Commission might encourage soon-to-be graduates to start business ventures in Mount Pleasant by sponsoring a biennial forum that features existing start-up resources. In a prior meeting with students, I discussed how the Commission could encourage the development of more internship experiences for students interested in city government or public policy issues. 

Rise: By listening to all people, including students, we have the best chance to make decisions that benefit everyone. For example, the whole community will benefit from prioritizing our water, recycling, sidewalks, and parks. However, the most important message for students specifically in the City of Mount Pleasant is that students are a welcome part of our community. It is my hope to keep these priorities for the City of Mount Pleasant.