By RAUL GARCIA JR | Lansing News Wire
The Lansing News Wire had a chance to catch up with Joan Bauer, candidate for the City of Lansing City Charter General Revision Commission election slated May 7. Here is what he had to say in Meet the Candidate Q&A:
Q: Can you briefly introduce yourself and provide some background on your qualifications for this office?
A: I have lived and worked in the Lansing area for most of my life. I graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelors degree in history, political science and secondary education. My professional experience includes working as a high school and adult education government teacher, director of women’s programs at the Lansing YWCA, director of the LCC Foundation and director of volunteer services at Ingham Regional Medical Center for 21 years. In 1995 I was elected to the Lansing City Council as a member at-large and served for eleven years during which time I worked with three Lansing mayors and served on almost every council committee and as council vice president for two years and council president for one year. In 2006, I was elected as the 68th district state representative and served for six years until term limited. During my time in the legislature, I served on the House Appropriations Committee and chaired the Higher Education and the Community Colleges subcommittees. Upon leaving the legislature in 2012, I worked at Lansing Community College in the office of the president. I am currently serving on the Michigan Capitol Commission as an appointee of Governor Whitmer.
Q: What professional or community experience do you bring to the table that makes you well-suited for this role?
A: My experiences as a member at-large on the Lansing City Council and as a state representative have given me knowledge and insight that I feel would be helpful to the Charter Commission. I have been an active volunteer and community leader for numerous organizations over the past forty years and would also bring that knowledge to the work of the Commission.
Q: What motivated you to run for this office?
A: I am a longtime Lansing resident who loves our city and is committed to public service. I feel that my past professional and elected office experiences would be of value to the work of the Commission.
Q: Can you articulate your vision for the city and the key issues you hope to address if elected?
A: My vision has always been that our city should be a place where people want to live, work and raise a family. Lansing is the largest city in our region and should be seen as an attractive and vibrant place with opportunities to get a good education, have a business, earn a good wage, celebrate diversity, raise a family and have a home. The charter commission offers the opportunity to recommend any governance changes that could help the city better serve our residents.
Q: What are the top three priorities you would focus on if elected?
A: The role of the Charter Commission is to review the charter and recommend any changes that would better serve our residents. If elected, my priorities as a commission member would be to thoughtfully and thoroughly review the charter, seek public input and be sure the process is open and transparent.
Q: How do you plan to address specific challenges facing the city, and what are the relevant issues from your point of view?
A: Some of the pressing challenges that I feel our city is facing include: an aging housing stock, lack of affordable housing, attracting young people, job development, gun violence and infrastructure (especially roads). The role of the Charter Commission is to review the charter and recommend any changes to the governance model that would enable city government to better meet the needs of our residents and the challenges of the times.
Q: How do you plan to engage with and involve the community in decision-making processes?
A: Community involvement and input is critical to the charter review process. It is imperative that there be public input sessions which are well publicized and where all are encouraged to attend and share their thoughts about our city’s governance. It will also be important to seek the input of stakeholder groups including (but not limited to) neighborhood groups, community organizations, the labor community, the faith based community, nonprofit organizations, the business community, etc. There must be easy and diverse ways for the community to give their input.
Q: Can you provide a brief overview of the current city charter and its key provisions?
A: The city charter is the city’s “constitution.” Some of the charter’s main provisions include: the establishment of government, powers of the city, rights of the public, governmental cooperation, elected officers, election of officers, vacancies, ballot issues, structure and organization of City Council, powers of the City Council, internal and external audits, powers and duties of the Mayor, organization of city departments, powers and duties of the City Clerk, city boards and commissions, taxation and finance, budget, duties of the city assessor, board of review, collection of taxes, borrowing, special assessments, licensing, public utility services, purchase and sale of city property, and review of the charter.
Q: What specific aspects of the city charter do you believe need updating, and why?
A: It is important that the Charter Commission thoughtfully and thoroughly review the current Charter. I am keeping an open mind and if elected, would gather input from a variety of areas before deciding which aspects need revision. We are fortunate to have Michigan State University, Lansing Community College and the Michigan Municipal League in our region and the commission should avail themselves of their expertise. The Charter Commission should gather information on other governance models in Michigan and nationwide. Perhaps most important is to gather public input on the changes they feel should be considered.
Q: Can you discuss any experience you have had with drafting or amending legal documents, such as ordinances or charters?
A: My service on the Lansing City Council and in the Michigan House of Representatives included much experience with legal documents including ordinances and bills. In those roles, I often worked on developing and reviewing such documents though the actual work of drafting the ordinances and bills was done by legal staff.
Q: How would you approach analyzing the potential impacts of proposed charter changes on the community?
A: Throughout the charter review and revision process, it would be important to always discuss and consider how changes would impact the community.
Q: How would you handle conflicting viewpoints within the charter update committee or the broader community?
A: There will be many diverse and conflicting viewpoints in the charter review process. Those differences should be recognized and discussed in a respectful and open manner. The Charter Commission, after thoughtful and thorough review, will ultimately vote on proposed changes which will then be presented to the people of Lansing for their approval or rejection.
Q: How familiar are you with local government laws and regulations?
A: I am quite familiar with local government laws and regulations.
Q: Can you highlight any specific innovations or improvements you would like to see in the updated charter?
A: I think it is important that those elected to the Charter Commission keep an open mind as they thoughtfully review the charter. After such review, hopefully there will be innovations and improvements that have been identified.
Q: What are your favorite notable personal achievement:
A: Working on the passage of the smoking ban while serving in the legislature.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies:
A: Reading, travel, jigsaw puzzles, walking, community involvement
Q: Favorite Book:
A: I read a great deal and have many favorite books. Some of my recent favorites include The Covenant of Water, Caste, The Measure, The Soul of America, Hello Beautiful, Necessary Trouble
Q: Favorite Movie, or TV Show:
A: Call the Midwife
Q: What is your favorite food:
A: Seafood
Editor’s Note: All of the candidates on the ballot for the City of Lansing Charter Revision Commissioner have been asked the same questions and have been invited to participate in the Lansing News Wire Meet the Candidate Q&A. The responses will be published as they are received until the election.
Tanya Garcia