Clarkston residents head to the polls, Tuesday, Nov. 3, to vote to fill four seats on the City Council.
Six of their neighbors are running for office. Michael E. Cascone, incumbent Eric Haven, Jason M. Kneisc, and incumbent David Marsh are running for three, two-year terms. Incumbent Alfred A. Avery and Peggy J. Roth are running for one, one-year term.
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Alfred Avery, 52, is an attorney, living in Clarkston for 12 years.
“I feel that I can be an asset to the city by serving on the council,” Avery said. “I want to improve the communication between the residents and the city. I am willing to work to help improve our city. It is important to me that the city serves the needs of the residents and that residents feel that their input matters.
His short term vision for Clarkston is making sure the neighborhoods are being maintained, sidewalks, roads, and trees, slowing down the traffic on the streets, along with improving the communication and efficiency of the City government.
“Long term, I want Clarkston to maintain the quality of life that makes people want to live here. I want to preserve the small-town feel of the town. I want to make sure that the City continues to be a place where people want to come for the parades, concerts and the shops and restaurants,” he said.
His top three issues facing the city are city office expansion; sidewalks, roads and trees; and communication between residents and the city.
“I will vote in the best interests of the residents of the city. I will vote to make sure that our tax dollars are being spent wisely and that the neighborhoods are being maintained properly. I want to maintain the small-town, historic nature of our City and will vote accordingly,” he said.
Citizens should vote for him because he puts their interests first.
“I truly enjoy living in the city,” he said. “I will work to have the city run as efficiently as possible while providing a high level of service to our residents. I will work hard to make the city government more accessible for residents. I am currently the chairperson of the Communications Committee and the members of that committee are working hard to find ways to better the communication between the city and the residents. I believe the new website that will be implemented in a couple of months will go a long way in helping the city better communicate with residents. I think it is important that people feel that they have a voice in how the city is being run. I am available to talk to any resident who wants to discuss issues they may have with the city or how to improve our city and will continue to do that if I am elected. We have a lot of great people living here who care very much about the city. I want to make sure that their voices are being heard.”
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Michael E. Cascone is retired after a 40-year career in Risk Management/Safety.
“I believe my life experiences, career technical skills, cooperative management style and appreciation for the opportunity to live here will benefit the City of the Village of Clarkston,” Cascone said. “Then came this thought ? what specifically will be your goal, purpose and how will that be functionally implemented? This is the plan to satisfy the ‘what’ and ‘how’ to get there.”
His core purpose for serving will be to protect human, physical and financial assets.
“What will always be my guide are what I call My Five: Principles ? the foundation of everything. Hearing the will of the residents. Utilizing all available resources including City Charter, Master Plan, codes, rules, or dance, regulations and law as the basis, the foundation, the rock,” he said.
Objective ? post principle evaluation making all decisions objectively, fair and consistent.
Needs ? decisions based on needs analysis and always within budget constraints.
Cooperation ? between citizens, council, staff and retail. Trust, not blind, but trust that all decisions are based on consistent objective principle.
Smiling ? we are blessed to live or work here. As Mr. Hanks said ‘There’s no crying in baseball?, there should be ‘no smirking at Council meetings.?
His short- and long-term goals are the same.
“We are a small community limited in space and population and we must protect what we have,” he said. “All future decisions to maintain our delicate balance of residential and business properties must ? must ? be made with our core principles as the cornerstone, the rock. Change proposals must be evaluated based on principle and all decisions made objectively, fairly and consistently to protect this wonderful place.”
The top three issues facing the city include the budget.
“We must work within budget constraints now influenced by stagnant revenue flow,” Cascone said. “The DPW garage enhancement is a hot topic. Needs or wants, don’t know, I have not been privy to the needs analysis done to support the project. I will when elected.”
Second, Risk Management processes work to protect human, physical and financial resources, he said.
“I have a concern with the new ‘Clark Bridge’ project at Depot Park. I believe staff is dedicated to make our park a fun safe place for all. The new bridge and walks address the Americans With Disability Act (ADA) issues that the old bridge and walks did not. However even with ‘letter of the law? compliance we must also evaluate and address safety issues, intent of the law. The current, ramp like, downhill walk leading to the bridge has very steep and IMO dangerous drop offs on both sides,” he said.
Third, pay for a ‘how can we do a better job? consultant in the private or public sector and the answer will always be ‘better communication.? Chaired by Al Avery the newly formed ‘Communication Committee? is working to do just that, he said.
The nomination petition process was an opportunity to patiently listen to 35 people with thoughts and opinions across the board including current and past council and city staff, Historic District Committee, Planning Committee, citizens and business owners. Some shared close to the vest quietly, others not so much, sought voting and non voting business owners/operators, non voting retail users, and more, he said.
“There was at its core a very strong common denominator ? Clarkston is a special place,” he said. “We must work to keep it that way.”
All signed his nomination petition.
“I believe they did based on the skills I will bring to the council table, shared love for our community, willingness to listen, ‘My Five’ approach and honest desire to serve those in this great place called Clarkston,” he said.
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Incumbent City Council member Eric Haven, 67 is a p astor and Clarkston resident for 42 years.
“I currently serve on the Clarkston City Council because I value our city and want to see it prosper,” Haven said.
His short term vision is to see the parking study completed and action steps taken to enhance traffic flow, add available parking spaces and implement other suggested innovations to enhance vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
“I’m encouraged also by the progress being made in determining what type of city government facilities & DPW equipment storage is needed into the future,” he said.
Longer term, he looks forward to commercially viable downtown developments & increasing home improvements in residential areas as both commercial and residential properties enhance their individual presences.
His top three issues facing the city, not necessarily in this order, are probably commercial versus residential designations for some perimeter properties, parking enhancements and the type and the cost of city government and DPW facilities that are best for the future of Clarkston.
“As with every issue I will look at the facts as presented, seek good analytical information and vote in favor of decisions which enhance the entire village,” he said.
“I certainly don’t view service on the Clarkston City Council as a popularity contest; far from it. There will always be special interests favoring one side of an issue or another. This will likely affect some voters selection of one candidate over another. But suffice it to say that voters can count on me making decisions which are consciously in favor of the village/city as a whole, keeping in mind that Clarkston is a jewel and wanting to preserve and enhance it as such.”
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Jason Kneisc, 39, is currently employed in the information technology sector. He grew up in Clarkston and graduated from Clarkston High School in 1994.
“First and foremost I am a servant leader and therefore have a strong desire to heavily focus on the well-being of this community and the citizens,” Kneisc said.
“I want to ensure that pivotal parts of the community, families with small children, are represented on the council. I believe that my experiences in life bring a different dimension to the table that will complement the other council members well. “
Short term, he would like to see a good decision made on city hall offices, storage and public works space.
“Long-term, I think that a vision needs to be set that incorporates the continued progress we will see along with forecasting future trends and planning for them accordingly,” he said.
The top three issues facing the CVC include Progress ? Clarkston has been very fortunate and is a thriving community. Progress brings challenges such as new business growth and parking. These challenges must be continually evaluated on an ongoing basis as they will change frequently.
Generational Challenges ? Clarkston is a home and destination for groups of people that represent not only various ages but differing wants as well which can be challenging to accommodate all groups. This is a challenge but also the CVC’s potentially greatest strength, all generations learning from and living in community with one another.
Management of Existing Resources ? Another priority is the management of current resources like buildings and equipment. How do we continue to be the best stewards of the taxes that are collected? How do we leave future generations in the best possible position to be successful.
“I am a logically minded person that likes to base decisions off of concrete data points. I have found that emotionally charged decision making frequently leads to poor outcomes,” he said.
Citizens should vote for him for three reasons.
“I place the needs of the community and the citizen’s needs above my own desires; I bring a fresh, new outlook to the council; and my passion and desire to find the win-win solution for everyone involved is unmatched,” he said.
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Peg Roth, 60, is a property and business owner in Clarkston, and resident since 1998.
“There are questions about how things are being done in the village. A number of residents I’ve spoken to are concerned about what is being done at village hall and how money is being spent,” Roth said.
“I think we need to improve Clarkston’s walkability in terms of getting to our businesses,” she said. “Promote businesses and retailers, so customers feel free to shop and eat in our community and not be limited to two hours.”
The top three issues facing the city are managing the expansion to city hall, parking, and determining how the city’s budget will be spent, she said.
“Deciding how to vote on issues on the council will depend on the facts about the issue and how they’re presented,” she said. “I want to represent those people who are wondering where money is going, and what money is being spent on.”
People are questioning the priorities in the city, she said.
“Why do we need an expansion to city hall? Why isn’t City Council not concerned about parking in the village? Where is the money being spent,” she asked.
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David Marsh did not provide responses.