Rapid growth and how best to deal with it are the crucial issues in this year’s Monroe City Council races.
There’s a political undercurrent at play, too, with a leading proponent of a strong city ethics policy challenging a longtime incumbent.
That race, between 15-year incumbent Ken Berger and Todd Fredrickson, a founding member of the Monroe Ethics Board, pits two frequent adversaries against each other.
Fredrickson has long been a voice for stronger ethics rules in city government, and Berger has been one of the targets.
Berger, an attorney, was hired to represent the city in contract negotiations over a land lease in 1998, while he was on the council, and was paid $5,744 for his services. The state auditor issued a finding that the action was an inappropriate conflict of interest. Berger also was part of a quorum of council members who were rapped by the auditor for violating the Open Public Meetings Act after gathering regularly in a Monroe restaurant to discuss public business.
Fredrickson has been a passionate voice for stringent ethics rules, arguing that it’s improper for members of city boards and commissions to have business dealings with the city. When the City Council weakened provisions of the city ethics policy, Fredrickson launched an initiative drive to restore them. Facing that effort, the council eventually did so on its own.
Berger’s brushes with the auditor notwithstanding, he has been a capable council member. He points to his record as a budget hawk and his background in putting together the North Kelsey development, which he says is needed now to help guide the project to fruition. Anytime a council member has served as long as Berger has, though, it’s reasonable to ask whether a fresh perspective is in order.
Fredrickson, a corrections officer for 16 years, emphasizes that residential zoning mustn’t be allowed to become so dense that it further chokes already overburdened roads. He said he supports the mayor’s efforts to attract industrial development as a way to keep good-paying jobs in town and more cars off the roads.
Fredrickson’s articulate voice on ethics issues is something citizens should appreciate. His years as an informal watchdog have given him a familiarity with city issues that will help lessen the learning curve he would face as a new council member.
We believe it’s time for voters to bring Fredrickson’s passion and voice of integrity to the council.
In the race for Position 2, two-year incumbent Geoffrey Thomas, a community planner by trade, should be retained. He brings pertinent professional skills to the growing city, an open mind to issues and a vision of the city’s future that emphasizes parks, a revitalized downtown and improved traffic flow.
His challenger, Michael Foote, is a newcomer to the city and to politics. His knowledge of local issues is limited, and he would be well-advised to seek experience on city boards or commissions as a way to become a more viable City Council candidate.
Voters have a chance to bring exceptional financial skills to the council by electing Elizabeth Sholander, a banker and current member of the Monroe Planning Commission, to the at-large position. Sholander, who analyzes businesses and underwrites commercial loans for a living, emphasizes the need for the city to reduce its high debt structure in order to be self-sufficient over the long run, and to provide adequate infrastructure to support. Clearly, she would bring a pair of well-trained eyes to the city’s budget process.
Sholander is taking on two-year incumbent Robert Zimmerman, who brings what he calls a “family focus” to the council. Zimmerman, a sales manager, volunteers as a coach and at the Pregnancy Resource Center, and is a member of the Joint Fire Board that operations Fire District 3. He was an early proponent of having the city purchase services from the new YMCA, and wants the city to maximize opportunities to build parks, trails and other recreational opportunities as it grows.
Zimmerman is a capable council member, but we believe Sholander’s energy, strong financial background and record of civic involvement are a combination that would make her an outstanding one.
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