Councilman Tony Vear (top left) and Jacob Bruns (top right) are running for Ward 1, and Bob Flynn (bottom left) and Matt Kniffin (bottom right) are running for Ward 3. Courtesy | Tony Vear, Jacob Bruns, Bob Flynn, and Matt Kniffin
Ward 1, 3 candidates discuss road repairs, homelessness, and city-college relations
With Election Day less than a week away, City of Hillsdale residents are about to select four new city council members. The Collegian asked the candidates from the two most competitive races about road repair, homelessness, the Keefer project, the city’s relationship with the college, and their own top issues. Jacob Bruns and Councilman Tony Vear are running for Ward 1. Matt Kniffin and Bob Flynn are running for Ward 3.
What should be the city council’s top priorities?
Tony Vear (Ward 1):
Roads, because in the past the council has always placed public safety, which includes police and fire, as a top priority. This current council has placed a higher priority on the roads. What that means is that we’re getting more funding to address the poor shape of many roads in Hillsdale. So, while maintaining a strong public safety, we need to address our street situation.
Jake Bruns (Ward 1):
Dealing with crime and drug use; maintaining city infrastructure; protecting the city from state and federal overreach.
Bob Flynn (Ward 3):
I feel the city’s top priorities should be the safety and security of its residents; continuing to improve infrastructure; working to bring more retail to the city, especially downtown; and restoring residents’ pride in their city.
Matt Kniffin (Ward 3):
I want to help make Hillsdale a better place to live, work, and raise a family, and that means focusing on crime, infrastructure, and roads (in that order).
Do you think special assessment districts are the best approach to fixing the city’s roads? If not, how would you change the city council’s strategy?
Special assessment districts require each property owner in a SAD to pay up to $5,000 to fund road repairs in the district.
Vear:
At our current stage, that’s the only way we can actually address some of the problems. I envision the college’s $2 million endowment in the Hillsdale County Community Foundation getting larger so going forward there could be less emphasis on SADs. But the bottom line is our current funding, even with SADs, makes it very difficult to address the problem because the roads have been neglected for so many years.
Bruns:
Special assessments are the most efficient means of repairing the roads, but government is not a business; its standard is justice, not efficiency. There is room in the city’s budget to make up for special assessments.
Flynn:
I am not a fan of Special Assessment Districts. However, it is currently the only course of action the city has to help pay for needed street repair. Councils of the past have kicked this problem down the road enough to where we are now stuck with major repairs, but failed to budget for those future street repairs. We need to increase our tax base (residential, commercial, and industrial) so that street repair is more affordable.
Kniffin:
Absolutely not. At a recent council meeting we were told that at the current pace our roads will always be in critically poor shape. We must come up with another strategy. I suggest we start investing in our ability to fix our own roads. I believe the only road work we currently do is pothole filling. The city will receive $2 million from the college over the next three years, and the city council can direct this money to improving the roads.
How should the city council approach homelessness in Hillsdale?
Vear:
I believe that’s more of a role for charities and the churches. I look at that more as a state issue as opposed to the city itself taking on the homelessness situation.
Bruns:
The city council’s primary duty with respect to the homeless is to drive out the drug dens from the city.
Flynn:
Homelessness isn’t just a City of Hillsdale problem. So, we need to work with the county commissioners, state and federal representatives on solutions to help the homeless. Our first priority should be to come up with a definition of “homelessness,” then work from there –– maybe invite the private sector to open shelters or transition homes and seek out grants and other sources of funding as well. There have been homeless in Hillsdale for decades –– this is not a new problem. Finding a solution will take patience and time.
Kniffin:
First, “homeless” is a misnomer. To make an impact we have to recognize that there are different people in the “homeless” community. I would support the recommendations made by the city’s Homeless Task Force. A shelter with work and sobriety requirements could be helpful if run properly. We should crack down on drugs and have zero tolerance for vagrancy.
Should the City of Hillsdale make any changes to its relationship with Hillsdale College?
Vear:
We can address a lot of issues with the new endowment. Taking over the street for the hotel enables the college to do their mission and house the majority of those people coming in for the different functions on the Hillsdale campus. I think that is the main driving force for the college doing that. The college is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and when it buys properties the first thing it does is tear them down. So, from the city’s standpoint, we’re losing tax revenue. But I think going forward, the endowment is going to enable the perception from the people that live in Hillsdale that the college is contributing to the infrastructure and essential services.
Bruns:
Hillsdale College has been here for a long time, so the city and college are bound together. Still, it would be good for the college to contribute more.
Flynn:
I think the question should be the other way around: Should the college make any changes to its relationship with the city? Again, this isn’t a new issue — it’s been going on for decades. Both entities need to work together for the betterment of all. I think the college could be more cooperative in working with the city, as the city has been with the college, approving several projects over the past few years.
Kniffin:
As I have been knocking on doors, I hear a lot of people talk about how the college should help the city more. The recent investment made by Hillsdale College in exchange for Galloway Drive will be helpful. The city council should make sure it spends money wisely and operates as efficiently as possible before it expects anyone to give money beyond what is legally required.
Would you vote to extend the deadline for the Keefer Hotel construction past Dec. 31? Why?
Vear:
Chances are I would support it to get extended as long as they are progressing. There seems to be a good attempt to get it done. They started bringing drywall in because the front supporting beams had to be reinforced, which was an unforeseen thing for the project. The only reason I would not is if all the work had ceased to happen. That undertaking has been plagued with many shortcomings. I think it is important that it continues, just from the historical standpoint of the Keefer House.
Bruns:
No. I understand why some would wish to keep the project going so as to finish what has been started. With that said, my opinion is that the city needs to cut its losses on this and stop undertaking these overly ambitious projects altogether. City government should instead worry about encouraging families to grow with lower taxes and an emphasis on public safety and good laws. It cannot guarantee specific economic outcomes.
Flynn:
Yes, I would vote to extend the Keefer deadline past Dec. 31. Even though it’s way past the deadline, it’s too late to stop the project. The best hope is that it’s finished soon and can open and start to be successful.
Kniffin:
CL Real Estate has invested millions and it’s good that the city isn’t on the hook for having to tear that building down. Based on what I heard about construction, that may have been necessary without CL’s investment. As long as they are actively working on the building and preventing its collapse, the council should let them finish what they started.
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