My Priorities

​ Economic Development:  ​​

• Location, Location, Location!  Yes, we are a tourist destination for our sandy beaches, bike trails, waterways, etc.  The same qualities should make us a destination for year-round residents.  We need to diversify our employer base, but what is the best way to resolve the current chicken or the egg situation: We need housing that our workers can afford, and we need employers who employ year-round.  An economic developer on City Staff could be a first start.

• Master Plan Update:  We need to encourage housing that builders can build at a price our current and future workers can afford.  That means not just a single-family home on a residential lot.  Be careful for what you wish to avoid unintended consequences!

• Focus on what can feasibly be accomplished in the City:

  • Consider duplexes and triplexes and possibly quadplexes in our residential districts when they can meet current zoning requirements.

  • At this time, I cannot consider use of attached dwelling units (ADUs) for year-round housing because it is ripe for abuse.  

  • Enforcement is critical! I ensure fair and uniform enforcement without creative interpretation of the laws!

• Have a plan of what we pursue jointly with surrounding communities (South Haven Township and Casco Township)

• Resolve challenges that create barriers to what we need, e.g., huge hookup fees and large monthly charges (ready-to-serve fees).  

• Support our local schools and educational opportunities to ensure our graduates are prepared to enter the workforce whether they decide to pursue an advanced degree, enter a trade, take over the family farm, or enter the workforce right out of high school at one of our local businesses or become one of our new entrepreneurs.  I've talked with LMC-South Haven about considering a trades school to provide an avenue to continue skill building upon graduation from VBISD.

• Over the last few years, I have been walking the community and listening to residents' concerns.  I am ready to do this as Mayor.​

Public Safety:

• Ensure our SHPD and SHAES have the funding needed to keep our community safe.

• We have had a very hectic start to 2025.  A leader, a Mayor, owes it to this City to ensure transparency in all decisions by not just the City Council, but also the City Manager.  I will provide that transparency to the extent employment law allows.

Beach Safety and Parks in General:

• Advocate for updates to our Beach Safety Program.

• The City has an obligation to ensure what was intended by the Recreation Millage is properly executed for the community as a whole.

• The City must prioritize our City’s Park & Recreation projects based on residents’ requests and concerns, our tourism, the projects within the updated Parks & Recreation Master Plan, and projects happening outside of the City.  

• The Park & Recreation Master Plan was recently updated; responses to the question of unmet need for parks and programs included centrally located public pickleball courts and a new dog park.  

• Funding needs to be properly apportioned to advance us in the right direction.

Short, Civil Public Meetings:​

• Meetings have lasted too long. 

• Civil, efficient discussions will occur when the Staff Report provides a fair presentation of the key issues and a balanced list of options for discussion.