VOTE411 Voter Guide

Decades of local business experience working in hospitality, manufacturing, information technology, four years previously serving on the City Council, one year serving on the County Board of Commissioners.

Life experiences of having raised my children in Jackson and most recently over the last four years, I've had the experience of being catastrophically injured and learning what it takes to decide to survive and thrive again.

I've been formally trained as a skydive instructor and recently completed two associate degrees and certificate in Psychology from Jackson College (go class of '25,) and although that may not seem relevant, a cornerstone of my representation is my ability to communicate transparently and to do my job thoroughly.

There are many issues facing our community and very few of them can be handled efficiently or effectively at the City government level, hence it's better to focus on what we can and should do well.

The first priority of council is to work together as a team to effectively manage and direct the four employees of the Council: Clerk, Assessor, Attorney, and Manager. Failing this primary duty allows administrations to run their own agendas (not saying that's the current case,) and use the council as a puppet.

I enjoyed reading the agendas, listening to citizen comments, and asking a lot of questions before, during, and after every meeting I had the honor of attending as a representative, so that I could be most informed and make the best votes that I could.

The second priority of the Council is to be penny-pinchers at every single meeting ensuring the City runs according to a responsible budget that reflects the values of its citizens while maintaining it's fiduciary duty to taxpayers.

I would work with local non-profits to see which had the best "shovel-ready" projects ready to roll out with willing volunteers, pending funding. There are many people and groups in the Jackson area that are already serving their neighbors and neighborhoods every day in small and large ways.

I think the most productive use of $1M grant would be to divvy it out on a "best bang for the buck" basis to give credit to and empower our citizens with some cash funding for the projects currently being developed on sweat equity.

The best long term outcomes would come from applying the funds to serve the youth with afterschool programs, tutoring services, and early preventative education to help teach civic responsibility and positive life choices.

Our Police and Fire departments work hard every day doing jobs that many other people wouldn't or couldn't do, and they put themselves in harms way everyday to do it for us. Our departments and their families deserve our thanks, prayers and support every single day.

Practically, managing our expectations is key to managing these departments as they collectively account for nearly half of the entire budget and their contracts are tightly controlled by a delicate ongoing negotiation between City administration and the staff unions.

While we support each and every staff member and wish each the best of life everyday; we also want the best 'bang for the buck' in this department too, and more officers and staff for less money would be great..

I have been a Ward 3 City of Jackson Resident for 16 years. My background includes 20 years in the manufacturing industry. I am currently seeking a teacher's certificate and plan on teaching as either a general education teacher or special education teacher for the upcoming school year. My heart is for my neighbors because I have seen better days. My personal goal, if elected, is to meet up with neighbors through more neighborhood watch meetings. I also plan on personally writing up and following through on work tickets to trim tree limbs, maintaining sidewalks are ADA compliant, and making sure that potholes are filled in a timely manner.

The number 1 issue I've heard from my neighbors is the road maintenance. If elected, then I would look to make sure that some relief would be available through federal funds if possible. Also, since many of my neighbors are living on a fixed (senior citizens) or living below the poverty level, then road assessments could be lowered, and property taxes should remain stable if the lien is paid off. The number 2 issue is the rising costs of water/sewage rates. I believe that City Council should be reaching out to Blackman, Summit, Vandercook, Napoleon, and Leoni townships to see if they would be willing to allow us to service their water needs. I believe that our water is the best drinking water in Jackson County! I believe that if elected, then we should develop our water to service 60,000 people instead of relying on a population of only 28,000.

I would like to develop that grant for road infrastructure. Specifically, the monies should be used for a dual purpose: replacing lead pipelines while fixing roads that are causing car and tire damages to city residents. I understand that $1 million dollars doesn't go very far so I would prioritize the focus to remain on City infrastructure solely and not earmarked for other projects.

The number 1 issue is city-wide shooting. There really isn't a simple one-size fit all solution. However, I would make sure that if elected, that local churches, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Interfaith Shelter, and other charities would have more of a public voice at City Council meetings. I would also focus on making sure that single-parent families and those living in poverty know that they have a compassionate and caring council that wants to do what's best for the troubled youth of the city. The next issue is the maintenance and rehabilitation of the City jail. I have taken a personal tour of the downtown jail over a year ago. I noticed a lack of personnel (nurses, guards, kitchen staff) as well as broken pipes and sewage issues.

Angelita V. Gunn is completing her 4th year as councilmember for Ward 3. Ms. Gunn has been an advocate for justice and safety for crime victims since 1984. She is currently Deputy Director for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Victim Services. She is the former executive director of AWARE, Inc., a multi-service agency that provides crisis services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Ms. Gunn served as associate director for the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence for 15 years. In her role, she developed and managed a broad array of programs, served as grant writer, and was a member of the public policy team.

Priorities for residents of Jackson are aging infrastructure and the costs for street repairs, lead line replacement, and maintaining water and sewer systems. Residents have expressed equal concern with the rising costs placed on individuals to support these major and necessary projects. The city has done a much better job through planned improvements, such as resurfacing streets while at the same time replacing lead lines in several neighborhoods and minimizing the costs to individual taxpayers through grant subsidies. If re-elected, I would continue to work with the city manager to seek state and federal funds to subsidize these costs moving forward.

If the city were given a million-dollar grant, I would invest these funds in developing a plan to ensure the positive impact of the grant continues after the funds are expended. This might involve creating sustainable programs, securing matching funds, or building lasting partnerships. Further, these funds would well spend in crime prevention programs, such as neighborhood watch groups, and initiatives that promote community engagement and positive interactions between residents and law enforcement.

Pressing issues faced by both the City of Jackson Police and Jackson Fire Department is the reduction in staff since the pandemic. Efforts are underway for recruitment to increase the workforce. Until recently, outdated equipment and planning for major purchases, such as fire engines has been a concern. Jackson Fire Department has initiated strategies to plan for major purchases in the future. Recent efforts have also been made to improve response times in all areas of the city through the reopening of the Fire Station No. 2 and partnership with Summit Township Fire. Crime in the city continues to be a major concern for city residents.