Seminar on Adrian City Commission candidates, government boards well attended
ADRIAN — If participation in a seminar on running for city commission is any indication, interest is strong in the workings of local government.
“So You Want to Run for City Commission?” was the name of Friday’s nonpartisan seminar, which originally was to have been held in the community room at the Adrian District Library in downtown Adrian. Because of Wednesday’s ice storm, the library was still without power Friday afternoon, so organizers made a phone call and moved the seminar to Adrian High School. It ran almost continuously from 1 to 5 p.m.
There were no classes at Adrian Public Schools Friday because of the ice storm.
Scheduled speakers including Lenawee County Clerk Roxann Holloway and Adrian City Clerk Robin Connor were not able to attend because they were dealing with power issues at local government buildings. A scheduled field trip to visit Adrian City Hall was also scrapped.
Still, the meat and potatoes of what the seminar hoped to discuss – information that individuals should consider if they are thinking of running for city commission or serving on local boards and other government bodies – continued as planned.
Nearly 30 people attended. The training was brought together through the efforts of the Lenawee County branch of the NAACP, Latino Leaders for the Enhancement of Advocacy and Development (LLEAD), the Southeastern Michigan Migrant Resource Council (SEMMRC), and the M Society.
Retired Adrian Public Schools Superintendent Bob Behnke was one of the organizers. He is currently serving as a board member on the Adrian Human Relations Commissions (HRC) and was previously president of the Adrian District Library Board. He said the seminar was of importance to not only introduce residents to city government and boards but also to show residents the proper process of running for local office.
Using the HRC as an example of a local board, Behnke said it is important because it builds an outreach opportunity to engage the entire community while interacting through different lenses, he said. The city of Adrian is comprised of a diverse number of people, he added. Its city leadership should reflect that diversity, which Behnke and others at Friday’s training said it does not.
“It's really our hope to build the diversity of the (city) commission,” Behnke said. “...Diversity is important to me. It’s a passion of mine. In Adrian, I have always felt accepted.”
Packets of city-related documents including a nominating petition form, an overview of the Adrian Downtown Development Authority/Main Street board, the city of Adrian’s 2018-19 strategic plan, Adrian’s comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, and other city documents were provided to each attendee.
The takeaway of the program, Behnke said, is for residents to be more knowledgeable about their local government and to be aware of the options available to them in terms of serving their community.
“Anyone in the community can move forward with the right process, message and focus,” he said.
At least four people in attendance at the seminar pulled nominating petitions to run for Adrian City Commission during the upcoming election cycle.
Rudy Flores, longtime Adrian resident and a member of LLEAD and SEMMRC, said the timing of the program was based around the April 25 filing deadline for those interested in running for mayor or the three city commission seats that will be on the ballot in November 2023. Petitions to be on the ballot must be returned to the clerk’s office at city hall by 4 p.m. April 25.
Terms that are expiring this year include Mayor Angie Sword-Heath and city commissioners Allen Heldt, Mary Roberts and Lad Strayer. The mayor serves for a two-year term, and the city commissioners serve four-year terms.
Heldt, along with fellow city commissioner Gordon Gauss, sat in on the meeting and provided input and feedback about city government procedures when asked. Jim Van Doren, chairman of the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners, was another local board member who spoke.
Robert Pena — a trainer, Ingham County commissioner and a member of LLEAD — guided a majority of the session.
“It’s an honor to serve, really,” Pena said. “I think a lot of elected people look (at being elected) as an exultation, and I look at it as I go down below and exult the people who I am serving.”
Pena shared ways in which people can successfully campaign for office, how they can approach constituents, make themselves available to stakeholders and how to deal with non-supporters. Role playing was an aspect of the training that got participants involved with certain scenarios. Dialogue and feedback were encouraged.
“America is built on the commoner running this place,” Pena said. “Of course, do that within limits. You have to obey the law, but do the best you can for the people who live where you live.”
Adrian resident and former Sand Creek Community Schools student Aimrie Ream-Taylor was among the people who attended the program. While she currently is the Adrian District Library board's treasurer, Ream-Taylor said she wanted to find out more ways in which she can make an impact within the community.
“Getting more involved with the community, being more inclusive and pursuing more equality are important,” she said. “We know there’s not diversity within the government. That’s just something I want to see change if there’s any way for me to help.”
If a second training opportunity is offered, Behnke said, it will have to be sometime before the April 25 filing deadline. A potential name for a follow-up seminar, he said, could be “Now That You Have Decided to Run for City Commission.”
“Another takeaway from this event is what’s next?” Behnke said. “There was a lot of energy in the room, and we don’t want to see that stop.”
For information about Adrian's upcoming election and for information about boards, government and commissions offered in Adrian, visit www.adriancity.com.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Seminar on Adrian City Commission, government boards well attended
