Leelanau County Commission race: Melinda Lautner vs. John O’Neill

From staff reports

The following are interviews conducted via email with Leelanau County Commission incumbent Melinda Lautner (Republican) and her challenger John O’Neill (Democrat). Lautner represents Solon and Kasson Townships, in the middle of the County. She stands by her vote to disband Leelanau’s Economic Development Corporation, which garnered headlines statewide.

Sun: What do you view as the role of the Leelanau County Commission? What are its most important responsibilities objectives? And how has the previous Commission faired in accomplishing that role?

Lautner: Developing policies that look out for all residents, and representing them in the best possible way. Creating a balanced budget and monitoring it closely. This current commission has been right on track with “county commissioner duties and responsibilities 101”. The county itself has no money. The money comes out of your pockets and that has not been lost on this commission.

O’Neill: The County Commission identifies priorities, sets policies, determines the budget, and ensures that staff implements policies and programs professionally and efficiently. It also carries out duties delegated to it by the state, such as enforcement of laws and the health code. Most current commissioners err by ignoring the chain of command and micromanaging the staff—this undermines the county administrator and department heads, damages morale, and cuts productivity. The commission needs to set aside partisan discord follow best practices, and behave professionally.

We need to face the real challenges confronting our citizens: an aging population, young families moving out because too few jobs pay wages that can support a household, and the need to encourage innovative business solutions that pay living wages. The county cannot and should not solve all these problems, but it can set the tone. We can improve it’s policies and help our remarkable residents address needs through businesses and non-profits. A smart, lean county government can address these issues without raising taxes.

Sun: The previous Commission (2012-2014) generated negative coverage in the press, locally and statewide, after disbanding the Economic Development Corporation. To what degree was that attention deserved or not deserved?

Lautner: That untruthfully coverage was mean, spiteful and did nothing but damage our county. The degree of coverage would have been wonderful if it had told the true story. The EDC was de-funked and had generated no new jobs in Leelanau county. Sending 16 thousand dollars a year out of county was not helping Our businesses. We have developed an exiting new EDC model working with our local Chamber keeping those $ here.

O’Neill: It was deserved, especially since there is no effective, ongoing strategy to strengthen the local economy and job creation.

Look what the Downtown Development Authority has done for Traverse City. Thoughtful policy can help to revitalize the local business climate and help extend the employment season beyond summer. For example. Baabaazuzu, which exports from the county high-quality clothing, borrowed funds from the Economic Development Council, expanded to employ 14-16 year-round workers, and repaid the loans. That revolving loan fund, along with the entire EDC was disbanded by a majority of the commissioners, some of whom expressed disinterest in job growth here. That is unacceptable.

Sun: What have you done, or will you do, to help businesses create jobs in Leelanau County?

Lautner: I believe that one of the most important things is to remove as much regulation as possible, and work with other local units of government to make zoning business friendly. Then with the help of the new EDC plan we can get small business growing.

O’Neill: For 10 years I served as sous chef and helped manage the La Becasse Restaurant, which was started by my mother Mary Ann O’Neill. La Becasse continues to thrive and employ many local workers.

In my housing work we always tried to empower people. At Habitat, Goodwill and the Benzie Housing Council we focused on creative partnership to solve problems in new and efficient ways. Alone, the Leelanau County government can’t create many new jobs, but it can facilitate the work of businesses, entrepreneurs and non-profits to do so.

This could include encouraging new business incubators. Examples include the non-profit Grow Benzie, which has a commercial kitchen that allows people to prepare food products and start new businesses, and Black Star Farm, a business built on a business-incubator model. To encourage this I would allow non-profits to apply for GT Band grants and revitalize the Economic Development Corporation.

Sun: What have you done, or will you do, to increase affordable housing in Leelanau County?

Lautner: I have worked very hard to keep your taxes from going up. The county millage rate has not gone up since I have taken office! Leelanau county has built many affordable homes, and I support our low interest CDBG housing program. We need to work with our township to zone in lots that are affordable to small and young families.

O’Neill: I helped to found the local Habitat for Humanity. Since my tenure, Habitat has built or renovated at least 11 homes in Leelanau County. I continue to support and occasionally volunteer with Habitat.

In 2007 the foreclosure crisis began. While Director of the Benzie Housing Council, and working closely with one of our board members, I helped to build a program that used volunteers from banking and real-estate to assist over 50 families to avoid foreclosure. A number of these family homes were in Leelanau County.

We need to strengthen the county’s housing program and encourage the development of rental housing in and near villages.

Working people find that decent, affordable rentals are scarce in Leelanau. Many of the Section 8 rental assistance vouchers set aside for Leelanau County go unused for the same reason. It’s challenging to be a landlord; creative county policies can encourage businesses and non-profits to be the primary source of rental homes and apartments. See my comments on the EDC and GT Band grants to non-profits.

Sun: Should public transportation or alternative commute options be enhanced or expanded in Leelanau County?

Lautner: This is an issue BATA has worked so hard to answer. They continue to explore solutions. Since they are a self funded entity, this decision is theirs.

O’Neill: Yes. The typical Leelanau County household spends at least 58% of their income on housing and transportation; moderate income families spend 73% for these. Reducing transportation costs is essential. It was once thought that people wouldn’t recycle, but our county recycling is a great success. The same can be accomplished for BATA and ride sharing.

BATA has made many improvements: the routes are faster and all buses can handle bikes. The Link bus service should be improved so it’s practical for commuters. The voters have consistently supported BATA. In order to increase ridership, BATA should continue to make it more practical to use the bus for daily commuting. Without spending an extra dime of tax money, a commissioner can encourage people to try the bus. Follow this link.

The Northwest Michigan Council of Governments has a ride sharing website that is not well publicized. Instead of quarreling with the Council of Governments, as a commissioner I would encourage a fuller use of their resources. In fact, right now the reader can meet new friends and save gas money by following the link to the Ride Share website.

Sun: What is your awareness of, and how might you be thinking about, the politics of water quality and water rights as the state and country grapple with the growing awareness of these issues?

Lautner: Nothing is more important than the quality of our water. One of my daughters is earning her degree in this field. Fortunately Leelanau County has purer water every year. Education needs to be ongoing.

O’Neill: I am acutely aware of the issues surrounding the water that surrounds us. It’s important to remember at its base, this is not a political issue but a stewardship issue. We are entrusted with very stuff of life. We drink it and play in it. Water has a central role in tourism and agriculture. Clean water has a big impact property values, on the quality of life.

The current county leadership is disinterested in better water quality standards—this is short-sighted. High water quality standards are an investment in our health and economic viability. Look at the recent mud plume releases in East Bay. Short-cuts in compliance with environmental standards may damage fishing and recreation industries and lower waterfront property values. No one loves regulations, but I am opposed to a penny-wise and pound-foolish water policy. We have a shared interest in protecting our water; decisions made with mutual respect and cooperation are more likely to work. With rights come responsibility. Ownership rights must be respected, and property owners are responsible for returning water to streams or groundwater water that is as clean as the rain that fell on their land.

The Health Department must is a both a regulatory agency and a service organization. It should facilitate compliance not lower water quality standards and it should be open to new technologies that work. We need to find solutions that are economically efficient and the costs allocated as fairly as possible. No one wants to live on an algae-clogged lake or in a town where sewage contaminates the water. We need to recognize that we are given water as a trust and must manage it wisely for our benefit and the sake of generations to come.

Sun: Once the biggest job provider, and popular destination, Sugar Loaf resort, has been closed for 14 years now. What role should/can the County Commission play to re-open it?

Lautner: Sugar Loaf is privately owned so there is nothing we can do until the owner decides to sell. I was on the EDC board a year before it was disbanded. I fought hard to have Sugar Loaf be our number one priority hiring a single person to resolve the sale issue. Ironically I could not get support from the EDC on that effort.

O’Neill: It’s been a puzzle to me why the current commissioner, Melinda Lautner has been so passive on this issue. As I understand it, she even resisted the Building Department’s inspection of the property. I support the work that Steven Haugen is doing to enforce the building codes at the Sugar Barn.

The crux of the problem it to identify the actual owner and to motivate a sale. All of the other problems are manageable. We need the political will to spend the time and resources to do so. Because so many jobs are at stake, and because those wages circulate in the county many times, the county has a legitimate role to play in solving the Sugarloaf mystery.

The legal tools to move Sugarloaf along include zoning, junk, attractive nuisance, and public hazard ordinances. The County can work with Centerville as it did on the four story unfinished Saffel building that was condemned, but Sugarloaf is a much bigger project. We should explore using the county’s Brownfield Development authority to help rehabilitate the project and make it suitable for commercial redevelopment.

Sun: Would you support a bond proposal whereby local taxes could be increased slightly to allow the County to acquire Sugar Loaf from its current owners (whomever that may be) and redevelop the resort? Why or why not?

Lautner: There would be nothing slight about a tax increase. I have heard estimates upwards of $20 million to bring it back. I have explored this through many channels, including a millage through Parks and Rec.,through the county’s EDC and through RUS Loan program while I was on a national committee for economic development. So I know there are ways to help Sugar Loaf without burdening the taxpayer.

O’Neill: Perhaps, but the problem with public ownership is that it would take the property off the tax roles and probably create few jobs. Any proposal for public ownership should be a last resort. The proposal would need to be well-designed and able to be self-sustaining before I would support it. Anything deal involving public funds must be financially transparent. And of course, the voters must have the last say on any bond proposal.

A bond proposal to act as a bridge to commercial redevelopment is worth considering. The Sugarloaf’s redevelopment is more challenging because the golf courses have been split from the property. Perhaps the owners of one or both of the golf courses can be encouraged operate the loaf. A creative solution is required because a winter-only business is unlikely to succeed. Perhaps a sky walk, a water park, a high-end campground, there are plenty of possibilities. But we to succeed or there will continue to be 400 or more jobs missing from our county.

Sun: What does the Leelanau County of tomorrow look like? What role should the County Commission play to make that happen?

Lautner: The Leelanau of tomorrow is bright vibrant and beautiful! Good budgeting and policy development plays into every aspect.

O’Neill: I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do know that a the future is influenced by the choices we make. And making good choices depends upon a clear understanding of today’s reality and an ability to work together for the benefit of the entire Leelanau County community. If we opt to do nothing, the trends we’ve seen in young workers, veterans and families leaving the county, dropping enrollment, these troubling trends will almost certainly worsen. The County Commission needs to lead and be an appropriate partner to residents, businesses and non-profits in working out solutions.

Sun: Anything more you’d like to add?

Lautner: On the advise of legal, Suttons Bay Township stopped 2% grant allocations to non profits. The County forwarded them for a while, but on advice of legal we also stopped forwarding. Suttons Bay schools did it for a while after that and now does not forward them either. This is a very difficult and complex issue every entity and other counties have struggled with. I support many non profits personally and recently enjoyed working the “Blessings in a backpack” program. I would support a county wide church sponsored food bank effort that I believe would benefit the entire county and be immensely more successful .

O’Neill: I have great confidence that when we lower the partisan temperature and engage in civil dialogue, we can make solid, fact-based decisions. By following best practices and considering creative solutions, together we can improve the beautiful county that’s been entrusted to us.