November 4, 2009
We’ll skip the City of Farmington vote tallies for council and just congratulate Tom Buck, Mike Wiggins and Dave Wright, who earned the 2-year term. As expected, all 11 charter amendment proposals passed. All correct unenforceable, unwieldy or outdated provisions in the city charter, but people still vote against them. The greatest number of oppositional votes, 385, were cast against a charter amendment that would allow city council members to be appointed to a board or commission, without being considered a city employee.
And 175 people objected to changing “tax day,” the day when people and properties are counted on the tax rolls, from January 1 to December 31, so that it’s in line with state law. Amazing.
The real excitement this year was in Farmington Hills, where voters returned incumbents, but newcomer Joe Mantey picked up more votes than former council appointee Robert Mason. Mason was also defeated last time around by Michael Bridges. Even though neither of them will serve, the vote tally is interesting. And much to my surprise, rabble-rouser Mary Johnston, who answered almost every question posed in the broadcast Council of Homeowners sponsored debate by veering way off the subject, made a fairly respectable showing.
Here are the tallies being broadcast on The Great 8:
Nancy Bates 5325
Michael Bridges 4710
Akil Hashim 434
Mary Johnston 1739
Joe Mantey 3676
Robert Mason 3580
Cheryl Oliverio 4040
Noreen Yuskowatz 1623
All four incumbents will be returning to the Farmington School Board (Frank Reid and Priscilla Brouillette picked up 4-year terms; Gary Sharp and Sheilah Clay ran unopposed for 6-year terms). Only newcomer Cindy Flynn got anywhere close, with more than 3,000 votes. I hope she finds that encouraging. This may have been a tough time to run for school board. When finances are tight and upheaval is around the corner, voters are even less likely to vote for change. Here are the vote totals running on both Farmington 15 and The Great 8:
Umesh Gandhi 1281
Dennis Homant 626
Frank Reid 3744
Steven Stimson 1376
Priscilla Brouillette 3880
Cindy Flynn 3095
On to 2010!
–JH-G
October 30, 2009
A faithful Enterprise reader sent us a link to a Farmington Observer story that has Farmington mayor Valerie Knol living in Farmington Hills with her new husband, Paul Welday.
Knol presided over her last City Council meeting earlier this month, but has two years left in her council term. Welday is up against former State Representative Andrew Raczkowski in the Michigan 9th Congressional Republican run-off. Both were quoted in a story about Saturday’s Streetscape celebration.
Best guess is the paper will run a correction. Mayor Knol has been open-minded about shared services, but this would be taking things a little too far.
–JH-G
October 30, 2009
UPDATE: Farmington 15 News premieres Friday, October 30, 7:15 pm.
Farmington 15 News will be on the air in a few days, and this afternoon, I sat in on the taping at Southwest Oakland Cable Commission’s studio A in Farmington.
The show represents a collaboration between Visibles, a Downtown Farmington business, and the City of Farmington, working through SWOCC Studios to produce intensely local programming. Farmington 15 News’ first edition includes footage of the summer’s major happenings, and the show closes with a calendar of events.
How do I know so much about this? I co-wrote the script, with Meredith Nickol. And my husband, Brian Golden, co-hosts the show, along with Jolene Alaniz, a City of Farmington employee. Jolene also appeared in the City’s water conservation video, which you can view here.
Today’s taping was a real eye-opener. SWOCC’s staff – Eric Angott, Melissa Cohn and Hans Ihlenfeldt – provided high-quality technical and support services. Over the next few days, I’ll be working on a video of my own, to show you just how much work goes into making a half-hour public access news show.
And keep on eye on Farmington’s city channel 15 – lots of interesting programming is on the way.
–JH-G
October 24, 2009
Pictured (left to right): Greater Farmington Area Chamber President Mary Engleman, DDA President Greg Cowley, Farmington Mayor Valerie Knol, DDA Board members Diane Cassidy, Michelle Jakacki and Steve Schneeman (Main Street Design Committee chair), Farmington City Councilmember Mike Wiggins.
Of all the words spoken about Downtown Farmington’s Streetscape project at today’s ribbon cutting celebration, one story will stay with me a long time.
The road to this project has been full of twists and turns, not the least of which was a petition drive that prompted a vote to approve bonds for the project. Leading that charge were Hank and Betty Borgman, long-time Farmington residents who voiced opposition to the project from the time it first became a topic of discussion. Hank and Betty spent weeks going door to door and standing in front of the Farmington Post Office to gather the necessary signatures and then campaign against the bond approval.
On many of those days, they were joined by Downtown Development Authority board member Diane Cassidy, who campaigned as passionately in favor of the project as they worked against it. These three people could have been at each other’s throats. They could have ignored each other, worked on opposite sides of the street.
Instead, they greeted each other warmly. They hugged. And Betty gave Diane her scarf and gloves, so Diane could stand a little while longer in the cold.
That’s Farmington. And when it’s not, that’s what Farmington should be.
–JH-G
