Q&A with Patricia Soutas-Little (Democrat), District 5
Soutas-Little, the incumbent, is challenged by Republican Dale Schaub in District 5, which represents Leland and Centerville Townships.
From staff reports
Glen Arbor Sun: Please name three top goals you’d like to accomplish as County Commissioner
Patricia Soutas-Little: 1) Enhancing economic vitality and opportunities. Leelanau County has some challenges that we must address including bringing good, well-paying jobs to Leelanau County; availability of affordable places to live for working families and seniors; making high-speed internet accessible throughout the entire County; and support for our agricultural businesses. 2) Safe Guarding the Environment. We are charged with being good stewards of our natural beauty — protecting and preserving our waterways, beaches and farmlands — all of which are vital to our economy. I want to protect and ensure these attributes that keep us here in Leelanau through sound policies and fiscal management of County resources, and programs that make sense. 3) Services for all families, young families through seniors. I want to give our County’s children the best possible chance for success, a system of childcare that benefits children from birth to age five. As chair of the Leelanau Early Childhood Development Commission, I know how important these services are to all families. At the same time we must continue support for our senior service programs. Strong families build strong communities.
Glen Arbor Sun: What should the Commission do to support economic development and jobs in Leelanau County?
Soutas-Little: As a founding board member of the newly formed Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation (LPEF), we are working with both businesses and the community to find solutions to economic challenges facing Leelanau County. The LPEF is a non-partisan advisory board whose purpose is to support the Leelanau business community by providing resources, programming and collaborative opportunities that will strengthen the economic vitality of Leelanau businesses and communities. The LPEF, the Commission and local governmental units need to work together on issues of zoning, planning, code regulations and resource management to encourage economic opportunities, that benefit Leelanau County, while still ensuring that the rights and safety of citizen are protected.
Making high-speed internet accessible throughout the County is crucial to economic opportunity by providing good, well-paying jobs and allowing our entrepreneurial small businesses to communicate with expanding new markets throughout the world. As chair of the LPEF Technology Committee I serve with a group of talented committee members who are striving to do just that and will need the support of the Commission as we move forward.
Glen Arbor Sun: How should the Commission help solve the problem of too little affordable housing in the county?
Soutas-Little: Housing was one of the highest priorities expressed by local businesses in the recent Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation survey. Solutions to the housing issues are complicated by a number of factors. The Commission would benefit by establishing a formal housing committee to continue the excellent work begun by the Housing Task Force under the leadership of Ty Wessell. The HousingTask Force recommended that the County “partner with non-profits, local governments, developers, investors, and State/Federal government to address the housing challenges.” Further, it listed 15 tasks/roles that a housing committee could do to address housing issues in Leelanau County. I am hopeful that the Commission will begin to address this issue by starting with establishing the Leelanau County Housing Committee.
Glen Arbor Sun: Many area businesses struggled to find enough employees during the high tourism season — and some curtailed their hours, as a result? How can the Commission solve this riddle?
Soutas-Little: Over the past decade we have lost 16% of our young families–this hurts our schools, our economy, and robs us of new talent. As noted in this question, just this summer, our local businesses were struggling to stay open because they couldn’t find workers.
Why is this happening? Our demographic population has changed. We are an aging society and we are losing our young folks due to lack of good, well paying jobs. Leelanau is an expensive place to live and housing for young families, for sale or rent, is difficult to find. Our seniors are competing with our young families for the same limited housing options. Working families and seniors need homes they can afford. The Commission needs to support policies, best practices and the efforts of other organizations, groups and task forces and work with them to address these crucial issues of housing, workforce development and families. Government is not the sole solution to these challenges, but government must be a strong advocate for solutions by working with businesses, townships, organizations and community residents to find answers.
Glen Arbor Sun: What can county government do about Sugar Loaf, which was once Leelanau’s largest employer but has been closed for 16 years? Can the Commission do more to empower the construction code authority to take legal action under the resort’s current “owners”?
Soutas-Little: While the County has a very limited authority to intervene in private business dealings or private property matters, it does have legal responsibility to enforce construction code laws. To this end, the County has filed legal charges against the owner of Sugarloaf for construction code violations. This issue is complicated and it will be a lengthy process before any real results can be obtained. Should the Sugarloaf owner be found guilty, then a myriad of issues must be resolved surrounding what to do with the property and who is financially responsibility for correcting code violations in compliance with the court order. An alternative that the County prosecutor recently brought before the Commission seeking Commission support involves the adoption of a municipal civil infraction ordinance. This provides the County prosecutor and building official the ability to seek fines and penalties for code violations against the owner. This change in policy failed to garner majority support. It is my hope that the civil infraction ordinance would be discussed by the Commission again in the near future and supported.
Glen Arbor Sun: What environmental issues are most important to you? What role can the Commission play in protecting our natural resources?
Soutas-Little: Our beautiful beaches and clean water are crucial to our tourism and to our enjoyment of this “most beautiful place” in America. It is essential that we continue to support the efforts of groups like Leelanau Clean Water and the various community lake associations who are involved with surveying and eradicating invasive species, water quality monitoring and addressing issues critical to maintaining clean water. Our agri-business is a major part of Leelanau’s economy and we need to continue supporting the MSU Research Station working to help our farmers with methods to control pollution of our waters from runoff. The Benzie-Leelanau Health Department needs to address changing their environmental health code to strengthen septic inspection beyond ‘point of sale’.
Glen Arbor Sun: The current County Commission voted (twice) against a resolution to shut down the Line 5 oil pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac. Where do you stand on this issue, and why?
Soutas-Little: The impact from Line 5 spill potentially could pollute one of the last bodies of fresh water, Lake Michigan. Studies done by NOAA and the University of Michigan have looked at the worst case scenario should the pipeline leak. This issue is of great concern to many people who feel prevention, rather than cleanup, is the best practice as there are alternative routes for transporting heavy oil. I felt that a “risk management specialist” would be the best individual to make a presentation to the Commission providing technical facts and information, as this issue has been clouded by a great deal of passion and emotion. A risk management expert was invited and did make a lengthy presentation. In the end, the motion to eliminate transportation of heavy crude oil through Line 5 was not supported by the majority of the Commission.
Glen Arbor Sun: What lessons should local government learn from the Flint water crisis? Where do you stand on Gov. Snyder’s hallmark initiative, and the state legislature’s law, that put power over Flint decisions largely in the hands of a state-appointed emergency manager?
Soutas-Little: Unfortunately, the Flint water crisis demonstrates the difficulties that occur when an outside state-appointed emergency manager assumes the decision-making responsibilities with the power to veto decisions formerly made by an elected body from the community. While I understand there are situations where an emergency manager might make sense, overall, I am not a proponent of this practice. When local knowledge, authority and reason are eliminated from the equation, and when decisions are based strictly on economics, poor choices are made as demonstrated in the Flint tragedy.
Glen Arbor Sun: Politics has reached pitiful new lows this election season. Both presidential candidates are viewed unfavorably; and one of them has made a habit of insulting women, minorities and the handicapped. What, specifically, can you do to promote civility in politics?
Soutas-Little: There is no question civility in politics is missing. It has been my practice, and will continue to be my practice, to: Listen intently to citizen concerns in one-on-one conversations, through email and social media, by attending township board and community meetings, and through conversations with residents at community functions and activities; Listen to my colleagues’ point of views and find areas where common ground solutions can be found; Understand community viewpoints and represent them fairly; Find innovative solutions to difficult problems; Have the vision to what might be possible, and provide leadership in making decisions that serve the greatest good.
Glen Arbor Sun: What’s your favorite place to spend an afternoon in Leelanau County?
Soutas-Little: It’s difficult to select just one favorite place or scene. We are blessed to live in this amazing County with abundant natural resources. But perhaps my favorite view is looking out our living room on those evenings when the sky is a mass of oranges and reds for as far as the eye can see — breathtakingly beautiful.
Glen Arbor Sun: Anything more you’d like to add?
Soutas-Little: It has been an honor to serve the residents of Centerville and Leland Townships, as well as the County at large. I would like to continue as your District #5 County Commissioner for a second term and ask for your vote. Thank you.
