9 Candidates Vie for 4 Seats on The Pittsfield Township Board

Nine candidates are vying for four seats on the Pittsfield Township Board of Trustees in the Aug. 4 primary election. All candidates are Democrats. There are no Republicans on the ballot.

The terms are four years in length.

All four incumbents, Linda Edwards-Brown, Yameen Jaffer, Gerald Krone and George Ralph, are running. The four other candidates are Janet Nevaux, Andrea Urda-Thompson, Jonas Berzanskis, Sean Zera and Jason Meier.

We emailed questions to each of the candidates and received replies from five. Here are the questions and answers.

Biography

Linda Edwards-Brown

Family: Spouse - Walter Brown, middle school teacher (retired); Daughter - Melissa Hansberry, market researcher

Career/Business: Pittsfield Charter Township, Trustee; Washtenaw County Juvenile Court, Court Administrator (retired); Eastern Michigan University School of Social Work, Part-time Lecturer

Government experience: I am currently a Trustee for Pittsfield Charter Township. I worked for the Washtenaw County Trial Court/Family Division, in various capacities, for over 40 years.  I also served on the Pittsfield Charter Township Natural Resources Commission and the Pittsfield Charter Township Stormwater Management Committee.

Volunteer/community organizations: Current:  Board Member, Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County; Board Member, Michigan Center for Youth Justice; Member, Edward Ginsberg Center Community Advisory Board; Member, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.. Past: Director, Eastern Michigan University Alumni Association; Volunteer, Detroit Public Schools Reading Corps; Volunteer, American Cancer Society Relay For Life; Volunteer, Ann Arbor Community Center; Volunteer, Susan G. Komen, Breast Cancer 3-Day.

Gerald Krone

Seventy-seven yrs old, born & raised in SW Michigan;
Married, 43 years to Kathleen Krone (who currently chairs the Saline Arts & Culture Committee, directs the Art Around Saline project, and serves as V.P. for the Saline Library Board of Directors); Two adult children, Megan & Chris, both graduates of Saline Area Schools; Resident, 35 years, Pittsfield Charter Township; Resident, 48 years, Washtenaw County (since 1972). 

Career/Education: Forensic Social Worker, State of Michigan, Dept. of Health & Human Services (1978 - 2002), Retired; Master's of Social Work, Univ of Michigan (1974); Bachelor of Arts, Univ of Michigan (1968);  U.S. Air Force, 1962-66.

Government Experience: Forensic Social Worker/Administrative Assistant, Center for Forensic Psychiatry (York Township), Michigan Dept of Health & Human Services, 24 yrs, 8 mos (Retired - 2002); Trustee, Saline Area Schools Board of Education (BOE), 2000-2004; Trustee, Pittsfield Charter Township Board of Trustees (BOT), 2008 - present.

Volunteer/Community: Secretary, Silo Ridge Homeowners' Association, 2005 - present; Saline Coalition for a Quality Community (CQC), 2014 - present; Saline Leadership Institute, 2000-2001, graduate; Subcommittee Co-Chair, Saline Community-Wide Planning Steering Committee, 1999-2000; Member, Board of Governors, U-M School of Social Work Alumni Society, 1991-1997; Member, Board of Directors, U-M Alumni Association, 1992-1995; Various roles with youth baseball & volleyball leagues when children were attending Saline Area Schools, 1990-2001.

George S. Ralph

Family: Spouse-Married for 48 years to Denise Ralph, a retired school bus driver for Ann Arbor Schools; Daughter Ginny Ralph; Stacey and Kevin Warren and 3 grandkids.

Career/Business: Pittsfield Charter Township Trustee; National Director of Safety and Loss Prevention for Domino’s Pizza LLC 28 yrs. retired; Detective for Washtenaw County Sheriff’s office; Police officer for Pittsfield Township. I have lived in Pittsfield Township for the past 71 years.

Government experience:  I am currently a Trustee for Pittsfield Charter Township. I worked as one of the first police officers for Pittsfield Township in late 70’s and transferred to Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office as a Detective and then recruited to start a Safety and Loss Prevention Department for Domino’s LLC in 1985 and retired after 28 years. I am also on the Pittsfield Township Planning Commission.

Volunteer/Community organizations: My wife and I volunteer and deliver Meals on Wheels for Ann Arbor residents.

Yameen Jaffer

Family: Married, 31 years. Zainab (spouse), 2 Adult Children Talhah Jaffer MBA. (Cert) Cyber Security, Sohaib Jaffer MSN (Johns Hopkins)

Career/Business: Pittsfield Charter Township, Trustee; Entrepreneur, Small business owner- Jafferson Travel

Government experience: I am currently a Trustee for Pittsfield Charter Township. Volunteer/community organizations: Current: Past: Board of Director of Pakistan Association of Michigan. Board member of Charter School (Multi Cultural Academy).

Janet Nevaux

I am married to Kevin, with one adult daughter, Nikki. I grew up in North Dakota, and received my Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from the University of North Dakota. Upon graduation, I moved to the Phoenix AZ area, where I worked as a graphic artist and illustrator.

While working as an artist, I also worked at a family services agency supporting at-risk teenage girls with life skills, education and goal-setting. I partnered with Teen Challenge at juvenile prisons to help the teens break patterns of addiction, build self-esteem, and set future goals, where I got first-hand insight into problems within our system. I also volunteered at a homeless shelter, providing clothing and food, and especially reaching out to fill emotional needs.

In 2013, our family moved to Pittsfield Township, and I love it here! We became involved in our church, Grace Ann Arbor, soon after moving here, and volunteered in various capacities. Lately I have partnered with a non-profit in Detroit, Hesed House, to provide food to those heavily affected by the pandemic.

Why are you running for the township board?

Edwards-Brown

I am running for re-election to the township board to continue to build on the culture of inclusivity and respect that the current administration created and continues to foster. My experience as a social worker for over thirty years and serving on numerous community boards and committees has given me the skills needed to listen, learn and lead in a respectful and equitable manner. I have used these skills to actively listen to what the residents of the township want and need to implement equitable and sustainable solutions that will keep our community moving forward.

Krone

My personal goals align closely with the current direction the township has taken, which was articulated over a decade ago after the current administration assumed office in 2008:

"...to provide for practical, productive and sustainable growth and preservation in Pittsfield Township." Of utmost concern is the goal of seeking sustainable means to preserve & maintain greenspace as nearby communities have done, such as the City of Ann Arbor and Scio Township. Although the township has endeavored to partner with the private sector along with regional stakeholders, and has successfully expanded open/park/green spaces by about 200 acres in the last decade, there is a critical need to have specific and more expansive plans for the future.

Ralph

I am running for re-election to the Township Board to continue to build on the successful past four years that the current administration created. I have always had the interest of the citizens of Pittsfield Township on top of my mind when making decisions. I have always felt that I work for the citizens and am very proud of that.

Jaffer

I am running for reelection as a trustee Pittsfield Township with the goal of building on our progress and hope to continue Pittsfield promise initiatives which include inclusivity in diversity. My experience as Muslim leader in my religious Community has allowed me to refine my skills as a leader and be able to learn how to listen and lead in a respectful matter. While also being a small business owner give me, the skills needed to understand Pittsfield Township’s needs economically. The skills have given me the ability to listen to our resident needs as the current trustee and find ways to implement which are you important to keep our Community moving forward.

Nevaux

Not long after purchasing our first house, we were confronted with the reality that there were problems within our township government. They refused to consider our neighborhood when designing a paving project for our road and pathway, and actually concealed their plans for it until the design was nearly complete. Our input was not considered, and thousands of trees along our road and in our Preserve were cut down unnecessarily. I wondered if others had experiences similar to my own, and I found that others had been notified of plans within their own neighborhoods only after all the designs had been made (thousands of dollars in design costs). Some, like the activity barn in Hickory Woods Park, or the proposed rezoning to accommodate Wacker Chemical’s plans to erect a mammoth R&D facility next to a park, were abandoned after a large public outcry, but others plans, such as the rezoning at Ann Arbor-Saline and Oak Valley to accommodate apartments, went through without any public knowledge until after the fact. I am running for the township board because I value our residents and our beautiful diverse township, and I believe I can do better.

Why should voters select you?

Edwards-Brown

Voters should select me because I fully understand how to objectively monitor administrative actions for compliance with existing policy and law, and to ensure that these policies and practices serve the public well. I know how to critically examine proposals to evaluate how the proposed policies and practices could affect the township. I understand purchasing policies and the bid process. I possess knowledge of contracts, including intergovernmental agreements. I have experience preparing budgets and allocating resources.

In addition, I have a Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) in Interdisciplinary Technology and a Master of Social Work (MSW), both from Eastern Michigan University.  My coursework in Interdisciplinary Technology provided me with a foundation for understanding the social, political, moral and economic effects of technology.  My coursework, internship and continuing education courses in Social Work gave and give me a foundation for how I interact with and engage diverse populations. Having a core understanding of technology and how it impacts all facets of our daily lives and having a core understanding of human behavior and how to effectively communicate with others, coupled with my prior work experience, make me uniquely qualified to serve on the township board.

Krone

I began to serve to my community as a Boy Scout (eventually earning the rank of Eagle Scout) while growing up in Southwestern Michigan, and I volunteered to serve my country for four years in the US Air Force during the Vietnam era in the early 1960s. I have since served in mostly public-sector positions ever since I earned my Masters of Social Work from the University of Michigan in 1974, first working with volunteers at University of Michigan Medical Center for 3½ years, with troubled youth at a runaway shelter in 1977, and finally with the mentally ill at the State of Michigan’s Center for Forensic Psychiatry for almost 25 years (1978 to 2002). I have been active in various community endeavors for Pittsfield Township, Saline Area Schools, and the City of Saline for more than 30 years, including as a Trustee on the Saline Area Schools Board of Education, a Trustee on the Pittsfield Charter Township Board of Trustees, and as secretary for my neighborhood HOA. I believe I bring a broad range of relevant experience to the role, along with a demonstrated commitment to public service and a healthy respect for what it means to be a local elected official.

Ralph

If the voters are happy with how the Township has operated for the past 4 years and understand that I work for them, then I look forward to serving them for the next 4 years. I will continue to monitor expenses and make sure that we are doing everything we can to continue to make Pittsfield Township and great place to live.

Jaffer

I believe I bring many years of leadership experience and coming from small business ownership being able to help make tough and educated business decisions with diversified ideas to the team. I love this community and I have lived here for over 30 years with that comes the understanding of what type of challenges this community faces especially with Covid-19 in full affect. I have first-hand experience on small business are getting affected in this hard time, as myself I am small business owner. I bring that perspective to team to help make policy that will guide us through these hard times. We as a team will be working together with the community to overcome these challenges. If the community honors me to do so.

Nevaux

If elected, I will partner with community leaders to shape changes in our legal system and support youth in our community. I will push for more diversity when filling new township positions. I will be available to township residents, and will work hard to represent their needs when forming policy. I will push for a more user-friendly web site, where public meetings can be heard, instead of the current system which requires a FOIA just to get an audio copy. I will work toward a more just, honest way of governing.

What’s the biggest issue facing the township and how should the township handle it?

Edwards-Brown

There are several big issues facing the township and I am reluctant to define one issue as the “biggest” issue. Fiscal stewardship, environmental stewardship and sustainable growth are all issues facing the township. If re-elected, I will continue to work to solve these problems by working with the township board to identify and apply for grant funding to offset the decline in state revenue sharing; talking to residents and getting their feedback and suggestions on how to prioritize these issues; and researching and learning from what other communities have done and are doing to address these issues.

Krone

The most pressing issue facing the township is the preservation of open/green space within its borders in the face of ever-increasing pressure for development, both retail and residential. The challenge for the Board will be to address this issue in a fiscally responsible manner while improving working and living environments to build a thriving, equitable community that incorporates economic, environmental, and social impacts, and expands the existing multi-modal transportation network, while encouraging new development that relies on in-fill and density to minimize expansion of grey and impervious surfaces.

Ralph

There are several issues that the township and other communities will face in the coming year with this pandemic. I will continue to work with the Township Board to identify ways we can support our businesses and citizens during these very difficult times.

Jaffer

There are several big issues facing the township and I am reluctant to define one issue as the “biggest” issue. Fiscal stewardship, environmental stewardship and sustainable growth are all issues facing the township. If re-elected, I will continue to work to solve these problems by working with the township board to identify and apply for grant funding to offset the decline in state revenue sharing; talking to residents and getting their feedback and suggestions on how to prioritize these issues; and researching and learning from what other communities have done and are doing to address these issues.

Nevaux

If elected, I will partner with community leaders to shape changes in our legal system and support youth in our community. I will push for more diversity when filling new township positions. I will be available to township residents, and will work hard to represent their needs when forming policy. I will push for a more user-friendly web site, where public meetings can be heard, instead of the current system which requires a FOIA just to get an audio copy. I will work toward a more just, honest way of governing.

Tell us about something the township has done well:

Edwards-Brown

Green space preservation is one of many things that the township has done well. Working with the Ann Arbor Greenbelt Program and private donors, the township has preserved over 500 acres as park/green space.  

Krone

The township's greatest assets are its employees and its public spaces, ranging from parks, forest preserves, and a network of non-motorized, multi-modal greenways that are accessible from all parts of the township. The current administration has made it a focus to provide increased opportunities for multi-modal transportation to encourage residents to utilize non-motorized means to access retail, recreational, and residential destinations. The township has also endeavored to create an environment that is receptive to input by its citizens, holding public forums & open houses that invite public comment and encourage resident participation in the setting of goals, the design of public projects, and the development of public policy.

Ralph

Green space preservation in one that really stands out. Working with the Ann Arbor Greenbelt program and receiving multiple grants to assist with many of the parks and walkways throughout the township. I think we also have one of the finest Public Safety Departments in the area and are very proud of the men and women who work for the citizens of the township.

Jaffer

The Township that has done well that’s we are proud of is the green space preservation. As well as working alongside Ann Arbor Greenbelt program and private donors, Pittsfield Township was able to preserve over 500 acres of park/Green space.

Nevaux

Our greatest strength is our wonderful diversity, both in our people and in our land use. Our parks and nature preserve are exceptional. The pandemic has put in jeopardy many of our local businesses, and put a hardship upon many of our citizens. If elected I would propose a financial relief fund for our small businesses experiencing significant financial strain, with an emphasis on minority-owned businesses, to strengthen our diverse and welcoming community. We should focus more energy on our current publicly owned services and resources, such as parks, athletic fields, walkways and buildings. Buildings are in disrepair, needing maintenance or replacement.  Parks and athletic fields are poorly maintained and in need of parking lot repair, invasive species control, pathway maintenance and improvement, and equipment maintenance. Our township has grown far beyond what was anticipated, and we need to assess our capacity and infrastructure for maintaining existing water and gas needs. Our community has treasures we need to preserve.

What other issues will the township face in the coming years, and how should the township face them?

Edwards-Brown

Other issues that the township will face in the coming years and is currently facing, are racial and socio-economic equity. The township should work closely with our residents and with the other municipalities in Washtenaw County to work collectively to address these issues.

Krone

Probably the major issue facing the township at this time is declining revenue, both from the state and local taxes, in the face of ever-increasing operating costs, particularly in light of the current economic conditions posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. While it is too early to determine exactly what the impact will be on the township’s budget, the township must begin to enact measures to ensure that vital public services, such as public safety, will continue to be provided at a sustainable level.

Ralph

Over the next several years we will see several retirements in the Public Safety Department and we need to prepare for this and look to recruit strong replacements. We also need to look at issues such as racial and social-economic equity and work closely with our residents and other municipalities to address these issues.

Jaffer

An issue the Township will face in the coming years is racial and Socio-economic equity which is also currently a problem we are facing. In order to address this issue to Township we’ll need to work diligently and respectfully with our residents and Washington County municipalities collectively to find solutions to this issue.

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