Mayoral candidates participate in debate
Economic growth, housing and civility highlight event
Pontiac Mayor Deirdre Waterman believes the city is on the upswing. Her challengers believe there is still plenty of work to do when it comes to economic revitalization, housing, city services and a civility among elected officials.
On July 22, Waterman, Jeremy Bowie, Wanda Denise Coates, Tim Greimel and Alexandria T. Riley participated in the only mayoral debate ahead of the Aug. 3 primary at the Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac. The event was hosted by Pontiac United and presented by the Pontiac Housing Commission.
Moderators asked questions submitted by residents in attendance.
An economic path forward
Waterman called the present “a very distinct period in Pontiac’s history,” saying that during her tenure the city has gone from financial distress to a surplus. She wants to continue on the “pendulum of success,” stabilizing more neighborhoods and improving more infrastructure.
Bowie said the city put “too many eggs in one basket,” refer
ring to General Motors and the Silverdome. While saying companies like Amazon and United Wholesale Mortgage calling Pontiac home is a good thing, he stressed business diversification.
“When that’s really your main base and you don’t build an economic foundation, when they withdraw the city is going to fail,” Bowie said. “When you couple that on top of not really investing in education in your children, you cannot attract talent to come to your city to live and spend money.”
Riley said re-engaging the workforce involves seeking local, state and federal funding so that roads can be repaired, streetlights function, and that seniors are offered quality programming in safe, modern environments.
“It is very important that we prioritize city services that impact directly the daily lives and well-being of our citizens,” she said.
Greimel said the key to sustaining Pontiac’s renewal is a renewed interest in quality of life, including repairing roads, plowing snow, and making sure all residents benefit from local business investments.
He said one of the reasons for economic instability is discord between the present mayor and city council.
“We need a mayor and city council who collaborate with one another, as well as with the broader community: residents, civic organizations, local small businesses,” Greimel said.
Coates mentioned workforce development and bringing people together, as part of her “unity in the community” platform.
Housing, blight and equity
Waterman asserted that Pontiac has experienced its biggest affordable housing boom in two decades. She said developer contracts have decreased in length, from 30 to 10 years, so services are maintained and buildings produce less blight. It has led to increased property values, she said.
Riley, who possesses a background in real estate, said Pontiac residents should be able to follow steps to attain wealth and equity through home ownership. The city should partner with local foundations and banks to improve affordable housing opportunities, she said, as well as create a geographic information system to show property owners and occupancy status.
“We need to have an equitable, fair system across the board,” she said. “Pontiac renters should be confident that there won’t be retaliation to them if they file any kind of complaint.”
Greimel said the city needs to do more to attract housing investments while holding developers and landlords to higher standards, adding that there is currently too much slum housing and blight. Pontiac needs to empower tenants to stand up for themselves, he added, so they know their legal rights and have resources.
Any time the city uses tax incentives, he said there needs to be a requirement that a certain percentage of housing be made affordable to the median income.
Bowie wants to create a database of landlords for better understanding of where people are renting, coupled with stronger code enforcement.
“A lot of these owners are out of state, and they only care about the profit margin and not the people,” he said.
Fixing healthcare, respecting opposing views
Other topics included updating the city charter; city retirees not having healthcare for eight years; collaboration between the mayor and council; the Phoenix Center; and medical marijuana.
All candidates called the healthcare situation unacceptable. The incumbent said she has worked for years to reinstate healthcare, promising publicly that it will return in September.
“The emergency manager taking (guaranteed retiree healthcare) away from (city employees) was unconscionable,” Greimel said in rebuttal. “It’s also unconscionable that it’s taken almost eight years under the current elected leadership to begin to restore it.”
As far as the strained relationship with the current elected officials, Waterman said she has kept “her eyes on the prize” as it relates to policies and moving the city forward.
Bowie said that when residents observe council meetings and see in-fighting, it shines a negative spotlight on the city. He suggested having a parliamentarian at meetings.
“People are going to disagree, that’s democracy,” he said. “But democracy is cordial.”
Riley, pledging to solicit input from other members of council, said working together for the betterment of the city is the foundation of respect.
“That lets the rest of the community and outside businesspeople or businesses or organizations know that we have a welcoming environment,” Riley said.
Coates said she would include weekly training for elected officials to create a more cordial government body, but was not specific on what that would entail.
Prior to the mayoral debate, candidates from Districts 1, 2 and 4 were given the opportunity to tell the public why they are running for council. One candidate from each district will win a four-year term Aug. 3.