By Scott Sullivan
Editor
Saugatuck and Douglas voters have choices for city councils Tuesday, Nov. 5.
In Saugatuck, incumbents Helen Baldwin, Scott Dean, Gregory Muncey and Lauren Stanton face challenges from Joe Leonatti, Chris Peterson and Sherry Tedaldi for four open two-year seats
In Douglas, returnees Greg Freeman, John O’Malley, Neal Seabert and Randy Walker seek four two-year seats as well. They are challenged by newcomers Jeff West and Dana White.
The Holland League of Women Voters sponsored candidate forums at which most hopefuls spoke; in Saugatuck Sept. 17 and in Douglas Oct. 2. To view them online, visit lwcholland.org, scroll down to “Meet the Candidates,” then click links to either town.
All five Saugatuck Township Board incumbents — supervisor Abby Bigford, clerk Cindy Osman, treasurer Jon Helmrich plus trustees Stacey Aldrich and Brenda Marcy — are running for four-year seats unopposed.
Saugatuck
The city has seen no lack of contentious issues, witness letters to the editor, stories and ads that have appeared for months on these pages. A campaign finance act complaint filed with the state Oc.t 16 stands pending.
Focused on in last month’s forum was council voting 4-2 to impose a 20-percent cap on short-term rentals in the R-1 Residential district. Stanton, Baldwin, Dean and Holly Anderson (whose term runs through next year) were in favor.
Muncey and Russ Gardner, who said council should first have conducted an independent economic impact study, then maybe a voter-wide referendum, were opposed.
The seventh council member, Logan White, recused himself due to conflict of interest, has since resigned and is moving out of town.
Remaining members, with 30 days per city charter to replace White, Oct. 17 again voted 4-2 — reflecting the same split — to name STR-cap supporter Joe Clark to fill that vacancy through November 2025.
Other city issues — converting the 170-acre “old airport” property into a public park with trails, how a new downtown playground was installed — have drawn challengers’ fire too.
Baldwin, Dean and Stanton — who are running together per ads and campaign signs — voice pride in preserving residential neighborhoods and improving parks while maintaining the city’s strong fiscal status.
Tedaldi, a retired banking official, voices skepticism about the latter claim and calls the majority’s spending as irresponsible.
Leonatti has criticized the “group of four” voting bloc for tuning out dissenting voices and failing to perform due diligence prior to acting.
Peterson, a former mayor and council member here, at the forum said voters expect fiscal responsibility, transparency and respect for others, which in the majority she finds lacking.
Muncey has at times been a swing vote. “With me,” he said at the forum, “you get experience, dedication, compassion and no particular agenda. I’m here to listen and help,” he said.
Douglas
The City of the Village faces no shortage of issues either. Since manager Lisa Nocerini replaced Rich LaBombard last fall, council has refocused on meeting infrastructure costs instead of las.
These include state-mandated lead water pipe replacement, fixing roads and the combination thereof of reopening Ferry Street, closed since Aug. 1 due to a sinkhole appearing there.
Elsewhere in this issue, Mayor Cathy North explains council’s stance on seeking a $4-million bond to renovate 415 Wiley Rd. into a new city hall and police station.
North, who current term runs through November 2025, contends the bond won’t result in new taxes on home and business owners but be paid down via sale of surplus property.
Freeman Oct. 2 prioritized striking an agreement with the Kalamazoo Lake Sewer and Water Authority for updated water and sewer services plus repairing the Ferry Street culvert, cost still unknown.
O’Malley concurred both are vital, but added state grant requirements are prohibitive. “We’ve started a process to find out what costs will be, then we can figure what needs doing and how to pay.”
Seabert, council’s veteran, noted Douglas has gone through three managers and six planning and zoning administrators during his 10 years serving.
“That’s a lot of change,” he said, adding he was confident in current staff and Nocerini addressing infrastructure challenges. “We also have an issue with deer population that our 1.8-square-mile city needs to work together with neighbors Saugatuck city and township to address.”
Walker too spoke of infrastructure needs and 415 Wiley Road renovations.
White said his experience as a builder would be valuable dealing with such issues and adding neighbor Saugatuck — “which stands to benefit more from reopening Ferry” — should be called on “to pay their fair share for repairs too.”
West, a realtor, was unable to attend the forum has cited online his practical and professional experience in helping Douglas meet these ends.
Not mentioned was cleaning up and selling the city-owned former Chase Manufacturing site at 200 Blue Star Hwy. Much of what has turned into a years-long process hinges on applying for and winning federal cleanup grants.
Polls in all three local governments will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Early voting and absentee ballots are available in the township and city halls.
