40° and Overcast
What is Saline- A Statement from Heidi McClelland for City Council.
Home, Family, Work, Recreation, Friends... Community.
Saline is HOME. A place to raise a family, a place to retire, a place to get a world-class education, a place to grow, a place to have fun, a place to get great food, enjoy sports, and listen to music, a place to shop and get a haircut. COMMUNITY. We are a place that is rich in history and heritage, we are a place that is learning, and listening. We are a place that is welcoming, a place that believes that everyone has value and unique gifts, talents, and voices that add to the rich tapestry of who we are. Saline is a place that is working on being better than we were the day before. We are a place that works together as a TEAM to solve problems by listening and by caring about our neighbors. We value our resources and do our best to use them wisely. We are better together and we are Saline STRONG.
My name is Heidi McClelland and these are the things I believe that Saline is. I am running for City Council in the fall and I hope to be your representative. I firmly believe that being of service is a duty, a privilege, and an honor.
I whole-heartedly believe the key to a successful City and Community is volunteerism and participation in the process of government and involvement in your community. I have enjoyed serving the citizens of Saline as a volunteer for many years both in the schools and community. I was a Councilmember for 4 years, have served on the Parks Commission, Youth Council, Arts and Culture Commission, Oktoberfest/Kinderplatz leadership team, Community Foundation Task Force, Saline Main Street Design Team, various school PTA boards, and served as Saline Cooperative Preschool President as well as leadership and volunteer positions at my church. I took this last year to reset and refresh to focus on my family, and I am ready to take on the challenging issues that Saline is facing from the council table. Some of the challenges Saline is facing in my view are racial and diversity issues, maintaining world-class service for residents and making wise decisions about growth in a smart and reasoned way. The most pressing service issues are the wastewater treatment plant, other infrastructure, and staffing needs. I believe it is a Council Member's responsibility to be informed, to come to Council meetings well prepared and ready to make decisions after listening and digesting information. Using staff time wisely. This is how I plan to do the work.
I firmly believe in treating everyone with respect, professionalism, and a caring heart. Saline is full of amazing, talented, and passionate people and I truly think that making sure that people are valued, respected, and heard is part of being on a successful team. We can only be successful if we work together and lift one another up. Experience tells me that in government things can be tough, and hard decisions need to be made, and sometimes people will disagree… but I think if we can treat each other with respect, professionalism, and a caring heart we can do big things even if the circumstances are difficult.
Just a little bit about me... I have been a Saline resident for 25+ years. I run my own photography business in downtown Saline and am a resident of one of the Historic Districts in town. I have 3 teenage children and a husband who is very supportive and is also a volunteer on the Historic District Commission. Family is very important to me, and I want Saline to be awesome for all. I look forward to serving and listening and making Saline the best place it can be for everyone to live, work, and play.
If you have questions for me or would like to chat I would welcome it. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I will be hosting a few information sessions in the near future so stay tuned for information on that!
Thanks for reading!
Heidi McClelland
