4 seek 3 positions on Tecumseh City Council
TECUMSEH — Voters in Tecumseh have a choice of four candidates for the city council this year.
Incumbents Gary Naugle, Vicki Riddle and Austin See are running for new terms, and challenger Bill Swift is looking to take one of their spots.
The council members serve two-year terms.
In-person voting will be from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the AJ Smith Recreation Center, 810 N. Evans St. All of Tecumseh's precincts vote at the rec center in this election.
The Daily Telegram emailed questionnaires to the candidates. One reply was in a narrative format. It has been edited to fit the questionnaire format, which included word limits on some of the questions. The other responses have been edited lightly for clarity.
Gary Naugle
Age: 77.
Occupation: Retired.
Spouse/kids: Spouse, Garna; two daughters, Kim and Kerri; four grandchildren.
Government experience: Seeking my 10th two-year term on the Tecumseh City Council; have served as mayor pro tem.
Volunteer/community service experience: Memorial Day parade marshal, organize veterans, president of the Tecumseh Historical Museum, VFW auxiliary life member, American Legion Sons of the American Legion auxiliary member, member of Tecumseh Masonic Lodge No. 69, board member of Tecumseh Brownfield Redevelopment, member of the Michigan Municipal League Legal Defense Fund.
Why are you running for this position? There are things that I want see get finished: Hayden-Ford Mill and adding to our Business and Technology Park with more tenants are top priorities. I also want to be part of our 200th year bicentennial, 1824-2024. I was part of the 150th and 175th, so I would like be part of the 200th. It is a great city. I love it here.
What do you think is the main challenge facing Tecumseh, and what should be done about it? I think Tecumseh as faced all of our challenges head on and we have fixed them. We are working on things all the time so we don’t end up with any major problems.
Why should people vote for you? I hope people will vote for me because they have faith in me, that they know I have their best interest when I have to make a decision. I have learned that it is not about me, it is about "we." Thank you for your support.
Vicki Riddle
Age: 65.
Occupation: Self-employed embroidery business.
Spouse/kids: Partner is David. I have three adult children and five grandchildren.
Government experience: 10 years on the Tecumseh City Council.
Volunteer/community service experience: 12 years as the executive director of the Tecumseh Area Chamber of Commerce and various officer positions held in the Tecumseh Lions Club.
Why are you running for this position? The Tecumseh community is very important to me, and if I am going to be part of something I want to be involved. I want to work for the residents of Tecumseh to make sure we continue to thrive, grow and change as needed to adapt to the times.
What do you think is the main challenge facing Tecumseh, and what should be done about it? I think our biggest challenge is the old Tecumseh Products site and the industrial park on M-50. We are fortunate in that we have an Economic Development Department as part of our city government who are continually working to bring larger companies to Tecumseh. It's not an easy task, but we must remain vigilant in our efforts.
Why should people vote for you? I have lived in Tecumseh for 33 years. My children and grandchildren have all graduated from Tecumseh schools. I've been part of the city council for 10 years and director of the Tecumseh Area Chamber of Commerce for 12 years. My heart is in Tecumseh, and I've learned that sometimes tough decisions have to be made and I always choose the best alternative for Tecumseh as a whole.
Austin See
Age: 30
Occupation: Member relations manager for the Greater Lenawee Chamber of Commerce.
Spouse/kids: Girlfriend, Lily Vazquez; no children.
Government experience: I have served on the Tecumseh City Council since 2018 and have enjoyed every minute of it.
Volunteer/community service experience: United States Marine Corps as a combat engineer; Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh, American Legion, Sons of the American Legion, American Legion Honor Guard, Orchard Terrace board of directors and a Tecumseh Farmers Market manager; previously worked as a case manager at Share the Warmth of Lenawee; created the Lenawee County Veterans Coalition and serve as the coalition leader; Housing Help of Lenawee has invited me to help with a veterans home program; Lenawee Community Foundation’s 2023 Incito Award recipient; will be awarded an Everyday Heroes Award on Nov. 9 for the Local Military category provided by the Catherine Cobb Safe House.
Why are you running for this position? I believe the people of Tecumseh benefit from having younger representation. We have achieved so much as a council over the last few years, and I know there is so much more we will achieve in the future. I am extremely passionate about serving the people.
What do you think is the main challenge facing Tecumseh, and what should be done about it? I have received so many complaints regarding the water quality and I believe now is the time to invest in our infrastructure. Our water quality is safe, but I believe that as the city expands and moves forward, we will need to improve our water/sanitation services before it does become a problem in the future.
Why should people vote for you? I am extremely passionate about serving the people and love seeing the positive results from our service. I am not here to convince anyone to vote for me or others because I am not a salesman. I am a citizen that sought out a responsibility, and responsibility was exactly what was handed to me. We have done well in the past and we will do well in the future.
Bill Swift
Age: 52.
Occupation: Software engineer.
Spouse/kids: Divorced father.
Government experience: Not elected to office previously.
Volunteer/community service experience: Kiwanis of Tecumseh board member and chair the community service committee. I am on the board of Associated Charities and have helped with both the annual Turkey Trot and the Battle of the Badges. I am a member of the Lenawee NAACP and serve on the executive committee and have helped with the annual Juneteenth Celebration. I'm also a member of the Agricultural Society of Lenawee County and a volunteer for the Lenawee County Fair. I'm also an active member of reTree Tecumseh.
Why are you running for this position? I'm a candidate because the industrial heart of Tecumseh can be reclaimed and repurposed. It can once again pump economic vitality into our families and our community. Together we need to face forward and embrace the future while acknowledging the past.
What do you think is the main challenge facing Tecumseh, and what should be done about it? The redevelopment and political challenges presented by the county's ownership and lead role with the Tecumseh Products site. The recent announcement of the property's significant drop in assessed value in comparison to its sale price to the county and the outstanding environmental and safety issues, to name a few concerns. The future of the Hayden Mill is also a significant question which remains to be resolved. Significant questions about how we got to where we are today, in the wake of the failure of Project Phoenix, have yet to be asked, let alone answered.
Why should people vote for you? My job as a software engineer is all about understanding complex systems, breaking them down into understandable chunks, and coming up with sophisticated solutions which solve the challenges presented by our demanding clients. I have focused time and attention over the past few years specifically looking at Tecumseh and local Lenawee County government with a professionally informed eye, identifying the most critical challenges facing the people living here. I'm eager to apply that knowledge and experience on behalf of and in service to my neighbors here in Tecumseh.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: 4 candidates seek 3 positions on Tecumseh City Council
