Election 2022: Meet the candidates for mayor of Battle Creek

Battle Creek residents will have their choice of three candidates for mayor in the Nov. 8 election.

Previously appointed by city commissioners from among their ranks, Battle Creek's mayor is now directly voted upon by city residents. Prior to the 2020 election, people in Battle Creek had not elected their own mayor since 1961.

Mark Behnke, Battle Creek's current mayor, is running to keep his position. He'll once again be challenged by current At-Large Commissioner Lynn Ward Gray and writer and longtime Battle Creek resident Jerry Steiner.

Behnke received 46% of the vote in 2020, fending off Gray (42%) and Steiner (12%), according to Calhoun County election records.

As election day approaches, here's a closer look at the candidates:

Mark Behnke

Behnke has been serving on the Battle Creek City Commission in some capacity for nearly three decades and believes his experience makes him the best person for the job.

"I still enjoy working with people, making certain that our government is responsive to the people of Battle Creek and that’s what’s more important than anything else," Behnke said. "As an elected official, you’re there to help people to cut through the government red tape and really hold the bureaucrats accountable for some of the decisions they have to make."

Behnke said a primary reason he's seeking reelection is to help launch the public discussion and public education surrounding how the city can better support its police and fire departments and make the workforce more reflective of the community.

An equity audit commissioned by the city earlier this year found that the city's Civil Service Commission — the board that oversees the process for hiring and promotion within the fire department — has a number of policies that leave room for potential biases and discrimination, particularly in the hiring process.

The elimination of the Civil Service Commission would require a ballot measure, something Behnke considers well worth pursuing in the name of inclusivity.

"We have an antiquated hiring system, a Civil Service Commission that was implemented in the 1960s, and at that time maybe it was the best thing to do, but I think it’s more important to become more diverse and allow our police force and our fire force to be made up of the community," he said.

The lack of housing stock is also a point of emphasis for Behnke.

"We’re probably at a shortage of about 1,000 houses, if not more, in Battle Creek," Behnke said, acknowledging there are a number of developments currently in the works, including a $5.9 million project to redevelop the former Hamblin Opera House into a mixed-use space with housing along Michigan Avenue.

The City Commission will "need to work more than ever before" to approve housing developments in the coming years, particularly on the southwest side of the city, he said.

"We need to continue to do what we’re doing (with respect to economic development)," Behnke continued. "Diversifying our economic base, providing good jobs, creating prosperity and making certain that people have affordable housing, workforce housing and child care."

Community engagement and responsiveness will continue to be priorities for Behnke if he's reelected.

"The buck stops at my desk," he said. "It’s important that we complete an investigation of things that frustrate people. We don’t want people to be frustrated in Battle Creek. We want people to be happy, we want people to be loving, and we want people to be kind. That’s what it’s all about."

Lynn Ward Gray

Gray has several years of local government experience, having served on the Battle Creek City Commission from 2009 to 2020 before rejoining the board earlier this year via appointment following the departure of At-Large Commissioner Kaytee Faris.

Gray said her husband, Samuel, was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma in September 2020, right in the midst of her mayoral campaign. It was a reality that prompted her to rapidly shift priorities as her husband began chemotherapy treatments the following month.

Ultimately, the treatments were successful and the couple celebrated their 20th anniversary in September.

Driven by her passion for service — and knowing just how close the race was two years ago — Gray is giving it another shot.

"I want to see everybody in the city doing well, thriving, getting what they need from city government and I want to be the mayor that helps them do that," she said.

Gray understands the immediate impact of offering food and supplies to those in need, but at the City Commission level, she asserts that she and her fellow commissioners have the ability to change people's lives for the better beyond that one single moment.

Making it "easier to do business" with the city through streamlining the permitting and inspection process is just one way to do so, she said, acknowledging she often hears residents voice frustrations about a seemingly never-ending list of required tasks.

"These individuals, businesses and homes, all of these improvements improve our community. It’s an investment, literally, in our community, and we need to be able to move people through the process with ease," Gray said. "It’s been a challenge, but I’m up for this challenge. I’m ready to make changes that people can actually feel."

Gray said it's not that city employees are doing a poor job of customer service surrounding planning and zoning but maybe a "one and done" list, containing all the things a resident or business needs to do to complete a project, would alleviate some of the frustration.

Affordable quality housing is also a point of emphasis for Gray. Like Behnke, she touted a number of projects currently in the works but recognizes a need for more.

"All of these (housing developments) are really exciting and we need more of them," she said. "We need people to be able to get into homes that they can afford, at a price point that they can afford."

As mayor she'd also encourage discussion and education around accessory dwelling units, which are secondary housing units on a single-family residential lot. They could then rent those units out to people who need housing.

Listening to residents and educating them on what services the city offers and how they can access local government would also be priorities for Gray. Educating the public on the opportunities for job training and entrepreneurship are additional priorities.

More than anything, Gray said she wants to ensure that all residents — including the "exploding" population of creators and innovators in Battle Creek — have a seat at the table.

"Battle Creek is the family you always want to come home to, and I just want to remind people, that’s who we are. We’re family," Gray said. "Family has a bunch of complexities, but it’s where you want to be. It’s the setting that you want to be in, where you feel comfortable, where you feel love, where you feel empowered that you can do anything and that’s the Battle Creek I want to resonate around this country, around the world."

Jerry Steiner

A writer and longtime Battle Creek resident, Steiner has no prior experience in local government. He's running because he says it's time for new voices to be heard, and he wants to change the way city government operates.

"I don’t have a bucket list, but if I had one, politics wouldn’t be on it," Steiner said. "I’m not here because I want to be, I’m here because I need to be."

As a city resident, Steiner repeatedly pushed for a popularly elected mayor and spoke out in 2019 when the City Commission initially voted against making a change to the city's charter. Voters ultimately approved an amendment to the city charter in March 2020 to change the process and put the mayor's race on the ballot.

Previously, candidates ran to represent one of the five wards or the city at-large. After commissioners were elected by residents, the nine members would choose one of their own to serve as mayor.

Now, candidates run to represent one of the city's wards, the city at-large or to be mayor. One person can't be on the ballot for more than one position.

Despite the change in the city's charter, Steiner still feels residents' voices aren't being heard.

"(The City Commission) doesn’t direct their proposals to the people, they just get amongst themselves (and) vote," Steiner said. "In order for this to be inclusive, in order to include everyone in the community, they need to ask the community what is their opinion."

If elected mayor, Steiner said, he would encourage the city to look into converting empty schools into housing for homeless people.

Steiner also emphasized the importance of economic development and said it should "be equal across the board" in terms of which entrepreneurs receive grant assistance.

"I'm for the people," Steiner said.

Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter: G_SteeleBC

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Election 2022: Meet the candidates for mayor of Battle Creek