Bill Matt

Today the City Pulse ran an issue on Tuesday's election that was extremely detailed and comprehensive. I urge you to check out the story (LINK) not only for excellent coverage on the City Council races, but also the Lansing School Board and Lansing Community College races as well. There was voting record analysis by the guru Mark Grebner, and a political summary of candidates strengths and weaknesses by Todd Cook. I may have missed it but I don't think they mentioned the CATA Milage though...

Also, the excerpts for the written piece came from this live radio interview. This is an awesome link that will allow you to hear a podcast/mp3 replay of the entire interview commercial free. Definitely check this interview out! We covered a whole range of issues that people really want to hear about.

Great job all around by Beryl, Kyle, and my favorite weekly!

Labels: 3rd Ward, Bill Matt, City pulse, debate, election, lansing city council

Tonight of course is Halloween. I have three boys, ages 9, 6 and 2. My wife and I go out with them trick or treating, and it is a holiday I really enjoy. Always have. After a few blocks when the little ones get tired and or bored, my wife usually goes home to hand out candy while I continue on until 8:00 p.m.

I thought about carrying a yard sign, and introducing myself to a bunch of people in the neighborhood, but reconsidered that idea as crass and political.

It was suggested that I get GIANT candy bars and hand them out. More politics. Sigh.

I know name recognition is important, and a lot of people are hoping that I win the election next week, but I have decided that tonight, family comes first. I will carry on with our traditional Halloween activities tonight. I don't know if my opponent will campaign, and I hope that it doesn't have any bearing on on the eventual results. If I lose by a single vote, I may regret it, but I have to stick with my family values tonight and not try to take advantage of great holiday at the expense of kids enjoyment, and politicize Halloween.

Labels: 3rd Ward, Bill Matt, Halloween, lansing city council

Monday night at the City Council meeting Darnell Oldham Sr. displayed a small hangman's noose at the conclusion of his remarks, and tossed it on to the floor when he finished. Today the LSJ picked up the story:
(LINK)

There are some interesting comments already being left on the board after the article. I would encourage you to comment here or at the LSJ.

Part of the article says that Council President Leeman "plans to meet with the city attorney so that they can draw up a letter possibly demanding that Oldham, a black man, cannot attend council sessions for a year. He also might demand that Oldham write or verbalize an apology or attend counseling at his own expense if he wishes to return to council sessions."

A most of you know, Mr. Oldham is a community activist from the Churchill Downs neighborhood. He takes his role in the community very seriously, and he is very outspoken. The protest was based on last weeks meeting when a speaker was ejected and following audience protests by Oldham and John Pollard, they were ejected from the council meeting as well. He claimed that the noose represented a lynching of his free speech rights by Leeman.

As offensive as the noose ploy was, it has certainly generated attention, which was probably the whole point.

When I took the job on City Council, I knew that insults and personal attacks came with the territory. You have to come into this position with some very thick skin. I have been publicly called "the Mayor's Boy" by Mr. Oldham, another racial taunt, and I do my best to ignore this and other insults.

Did the noose go beyond the realm of good taste and proper decorum? Any reasonable person would likely say yes. Does Mr. Oldham have the right to use props to add emphasis to his speeches. Sure. He has displayed pom-poms that glow in the dark (I don't even want to know where he bought those!) when admonishing Cmbr. Kathie Dunbar and alluding to her relationship with the Mayor in the past.

I wish he would have been more sensitive in this particular case, and what he is doing in my mind hurts his own credibility, effectively offending some people to the point that they will not listen to his arguments. He is hurting his case more by this type of heated rhetoric more than he is helping it.

Is that his right in America? Yes.

We provide a forum for people to speak to council. Some people attend every week and insult and attack Council members who they disagree with. That is the way a representative government works. If they have good points, and council doesn't listen, then the people can choose new representation at the next election.

Is banning Mr. Oldham from council for a year appropriate? No. We have more serious and important issues to deal with. If Mr. Oldham wants to embarrass himself every week, then I don't really care. Does Mr. Oldham need counseling? Not my call. I'm not a professional behavior specialist. Most weeks he is restrained. Last week he spoke very calmly and eloquently. He is clearly passionate, and that sometimes is expressed in an offensive nature.

Should we allow speaker's comments toward Jerry Ambrose, the city's finance director? I have no problem with speakers talking to other city officials present at the meeting.

So what to do about this situation? Ignore it. No harm was done. If I am asked, I will not support banning Oldham for a year, counseling, or a public apology. It is his own credibility at stake.

I may not agree with Oldham, but I will defend his right to speak his mind.

Labels: 3rd Ward, Bill Matt, Darnell Oldham, lansing city council, LSJ, noose

Well this morning the Lansing State Journal endorsed my opponent, along with Harold Leeman, Carol Wood, and Gina Nelson. Noticably missing was Derrick Quinney and myself! (LINK)

In the explanation, the journal seemed to like Carol and Harold's experience, and Gina and my opponent's energy and ideas. All endorsements are valuable and coveted, so I wont lie to you and say that I wasn't disappointed. I wasn't surprised either. Politics are a funny business, and not in a ha ha sort of way. I really felt that I led the room during the combined interview with the ward candidates, and that my written answers were substanative and superior to my opponents answers (also available on the LSJ web). Of course I would think that, and it may be rationalization. No matter, what is done is done, and it is beyond my control at this point.

I was really shocked that Derrick was not endorsed, more so than for myself. Derrick has run a beautiful campaign and has been a solid council member. What exactly does a council member need to do to get the endorsemet besides having served for 8-12 years?

Lets also remember back to the fall of 2006 when the LSJ endorsement was not enough for Bob Johnson to overcome Kathie Dunbar. And come to think of it, in that piece last year I distinctly remember people who didn't get the nod (John Pollard) at least being mentioned in the article! Not so for me and Derrick, or Eric Hewitt or Robert Clark. Ahem. Maybe the slight was unintentional, but to not even mention my 6 months and Derricks 10 months of service on council, or any portion of our votes or issues certainly raises eyebrows.

As I said, no matter. The Journal's revelance is not what it once was. Oh, it is still read, but often more with curiosity than reverence. After the State wage fiasco this year, along with the rise of non-tradional media, and alternative news (City Pulse), the LSJ just does not posses the strength of swaying voters they way they once did, before all these competing medias were available, and they were taken more seriously.

So, on a rainy windy morning, after receiving this slap in the face by the LSJ, what does a candidate do? Lace them up and hit the doors! I made good progress in a key precinct and talked to quite a few likely voters. Many people that I saw I had met before, and they reaffirmed their desire to vote for me. Other people I had never met, but it was obvious that neither had my opponent, and they were appreciative of the attention of a council member at their door. Score. Still others indicated that they had already voted for me via absentee ballot. So I ended the day assured that the race was not lost with the LSJ endorsement.

Everytime I walk, I come home more confident than when I left. My prediction for the race is that both me and Derrick will win. I will not predict the other candidates or my preferences, but I think Derrick and I share the bonds of both being newly appointed and recently dissed. And you know what else I found from knocking on doors all day? Not a single person so much as mentioned the LSJ.

Labels: 3rd Ward, Bill Matt, City pulse, Derrick Quinney, lansing city council, LSJ

for Lansing City Council.

It's clear that labor and business can and do get along. What is good for business development is good for jobs!

The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce announced the have endorsed me as their candidate for the 3rd Ward race. The Chamber has joined:

UAW
Teamsters
Greater Lansing Labor Council
Sierra Club
Democracy for America
Plumbers & Pipefitters
IAFF (Fire Fighters)

It should be clear that my platform cuts across partisan boundaries and is based on cooperation and common sense.

Labels: 3rd Ward, Bill Matt, chamber of commerce, endorsements, lansing city council

More good news on the campaign front today. The Sierra Club has endorsed me for the Lansing City Council race!

Some people may not feel that this is an important endorsement, but it is actually quite rare for this group to endorse people in local races. My previous work for the Parks Commission as well as contributing and volunteering for the Grand River clean up must have made a positive impression.

What does the Sierra Club do? (LINK)

The Mackinac Chapter of the Sierra Club is the Michigan voice for the nation's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. Our members are some 20,000 of your Michigan friends and neighbors. Inspired by nature, we work together to protect our communities and the planet.

Environmental concerns are increasingly cutting across party lines as most people appreciate clean air, clean water, and protected wildlife and green spaces. I have recently thought that the Democratic Party should turn their focus more towards Polution Prevention and less on Global Warming. The end result would be a cleaner environment, without the ongoing fight that has come against Global Warming. I mean, who would come out in favor of more polution?

Labels: Bill Matt, endorsements, Grand River, lansing city council, sierra club

The Faith Gardens proposal has become hot topic again, courtesy of Rev. Samuel Duncan and the CCAN Candidate Forum last week. He asked me and my opponent why his project was stalled since February when he had been working very hard to answer questions and provide details to residents and council.

As I understand it the Faith Gardens Project is a construction and development plan that will build 48 rental units on approximately 6 acres adjacent the Wise Road Lansing Church of God in Christ. (LINK) to Planning Board information. The development would consist of 24 senior housing units and 24 rental units, and would be managed by the church or a church designee. A Public Hearing was held September 24 at the regular City Council Meeting, and an earlier hearing at the church took place this past summer. Most of the public comment from the adjacent neighborhood residents was against this project.

So last week, looking to see where this project was stalled, Rev. Duncan posed the question. In short, the project is being held up in the Development and Planning Committee, and until it is placed on the agenda and moved out of that committee, Council cannot take any action. I told Rev. Duncan that I thought the idea of a faith based managed residential concept was promising and that we need to plan for additional senior housing as our population of boomers gets older, however, I did not see much support from the neighbors on this issue and they should try to find a compromise that would be embraced by the Wexford Heights neighborhood. I suggested half the size (24) and restricted to only seniors. That would help alleviate some of the neighborhood concerns about noise and traffic. I do understand though that some projects just will not be financially viable if you change the formula too much, so I think the church will not look at a smaller scale project.

My opponent, A'Lynne Robinson, disagreed with my position and stated at the forum that when elected she would "push this project through".

Besides Wexford, another small South West neighborhood, Coachlight Commons, took a unanimous stand opposing this development. In fact in a letter to City Council, Association President Monica Dungey wrote:

To: Lansing City Council

September 30, 2007

Please let it be known that we as individuals and collectively as a Neighborhood Association overwhelmingly oppose the “New Faith Gardens” proposed project to build a multi-unit housing development on Wise Road located on Lansing’s South West Side.

There is an overabundance of multi-unit / subsidized housing on Lansing’s South West Side. Within a three (3) mile radius from the proposed “New Faith Gardens” development are the following:

Cranbrook Manor/ Summer Place 136 units
Laroy Froh 100 units
Twin Oaks Meadows 63 units
Colonial Townhouses I, II, III 241 units
Pinebrook Apartment Complex 136 units
Woodbridge Commons Co-Op 157 units
Silverstone 105 units
Vincent Court 56 units
Independence Square 20 units
Edgewood Glen/Aspen Hollow 50 units
Moore Living Center 32 units
Village Cooperative 310 units
Highland Co-Op 414 units
Moore Apartments II 12 units
Somerset Apartments 100 units
Washington Woods 12 units
Traditions (Lansing Villa) 160 units
S Washington Park 188 units
Colonial Woods 90 units
Waverly Park 504 units
Arbor Pointe Town homes 350 units
Bayview Manor 136 units
Arbors at Georgetown 116 units


As a neighborhood we experience first hand of the negative aspect(s) of multi- unit housing development abutting a single family unit neighborhood daily. Traffic, noise, crime, and property values are but a few concerns of everyone.

Therefore, let it be known that on September 25, 2007 members attending the Coachlight Neighborhood Association Meeting voted unanimously against the “New Faith Gardens” multi-unit housing development proposed by the Lansing Church of God.



Respectfully,


Coachlight Neighborhood Association

Monica Dungey – President
Sarah McFarland – Vice President
Martin Dungey – Recording Secretary

So last weekend on the campaign trail, I spent a few hours Saturday and Sunday, and visited most of the voters from the Wexford neighborhood to speak with them personally. Sometimes at Public Hearings, a vocal few can sway public opinion. I told the church that I wanted to see if the representative public at the hearings was a true indication of the neighbors feeling.

Well, I was greeted and treated very well in the neighborhood, and there is much, much opposition to this project. My informal survey was 19 residents against the project, and only 4 people for the project.

There was more opposition than I expected, and this confirmed what I thought all along. The surprising thing was that I found out that Jim Jackson, Association President and supporter of the project, is actually a long time friend of my parents from Coldwell Banker. So as nice as Mr. Jackson is, and for all his good intentions, I will have to respectfully disagree with him on this particular project.

Southwest Lansing has too much rental housing, with a multitude of large complexes. As I have stated before on this blog, I favor development of single family homes first and foremost. While the majority of renters are great people, my wife and I rented apartments and a house before we bought, we have an abundance of properties available right now.

Now, the Faith Gardens project is stalled, and I suspect that no action will be taken before the election by Council. That doesn't mean Council and candidates can't take a position, as me and A'Lynne did last week. Other Council members should tell you how they feel. It is not right to leave Rev. Duncan and his proposal twisting in the wind. He deserves a yes or no from Council so he can proceed or move on. I believe that this may be stalled for political reasons, that some people don't want to tell you how they feel, or want to stall a vote, until after they have votes from both the church and the neighborhood. I hate to believe that, and I hope I am proven wrong in the next couple weeks.

I told Kathie Dunbar last night that one of my biggest surprises on Council was how much Cloak and Dagger positioning went on. She agreed with the dagger statement, but the cloak, not so much. As Council, we should be as honest and forthright on positions as possible. That is one of my reasons for writing this blog. Maybe I talk too much, and speak too freely. It has certainly cost me some support as I tell it like I feel. To be honest with you, if speaking my mind and taking positions costs me the election then I'm ok with that. I don't plan to change and I hope people understand that I try to be open. That is what I want from my elected officials.

Labels: A'Lynne Robinson, Bill Matt, lansing city council, New Faith Gardens, Wexford

Last Night Council punted on both issues.

The Hunters Ridge project resolution and Prevailing Wage Ordinance both were scuttled by the City Attorney to re-write the resolution and further study and write to form the Ordinance.

The Hunters Ridge Development project was scheduled for a vote by council, however the language of the resolution needed some additional content changes. The recommendation by the Planning and Development Committee still stands NOT to approve the project, and I fully expect Council to REJECT the PRD for this project next Monday. We just need to make sure our ducks are in a row, so to speak.

The Prevailing Wage Ordinance is more of a sticky subject. While most on Council support the concept, there are a number of questions about the issue that have yet to be answered and the Ordinance was not written and approved to form by the City Attorney for introduction last night. This is an issue that was adopted by Detroit, then thrown out by the courts, and is now in appeal. The conclusion of this case can be a guide for Lansing in moving forward if Council approves it. Meanwhile, we will begin discussion and seek to clarify and find answers to some of the questions we have. For instance:

Is an Neighborhood Enterprise Zone (NEZ) included in the ordinance? This means that a resident in a neighborhood with a special designation might have to pay prevailing wage or use a local contractor to do a home improvement project.

Are Non-profit's exempt? This means that homes built by Habitat for Humanity might not be able to use volunteers, to keep costs as low as possible and provide as many homes as possible for the needy.

Is the $50,000 threshold too low? See home improvement projects above. Should this number be more like $1,000,000?

Can we add a requirement for workers to be Lansing residents? Many of the arguments stem from the fact that local workers contribute back to the economy in taxes and spending. As written, the Ordinance states Lansing business is preferred, though there is nothing about Lansing residents as employees. If a company has an office in Lansing, but the majority of the workers live in Holt or Grand Ledge, the workers still do not pay Lansing property taxes and only half a percent of the income tax. Is this the goal of the ordinance? What about a local company like Eiffert based in Holt?

How would the program be administered? Does Lansing have the staff to monitor the program like the State?

There are many more political arguments between powerful groups about this issue. Certainly businesses and developers claim it would make Lansing less competitive, but Labor groups claim a better product built faster will save money in the long run. Taxpayers are split about the wise use of their tax dollars for city built projects, and the subsidy of out of town companies getting our tax dollars.

Stay tuned for many more interesting discussions!