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Mayor of Portage
Kalamazoo City Transit Authority Proposal
Portage City Mayor
2-year term—Elect 1
Q1 Citizens and elected officials often cite the need for improved intergovernmental cooperation. What progress has been made and where would you target other specific areas as opportunities for our local governments to work together in order to improve services and/or save costs? [70 word limit]
Q2 Describe the three most important steps that should be taken in Portage to meet the commitments made through the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which is intended to combat global warming? [70 word limit]
Q3 How will you guide the City Council’s response to the Portage 2025 Visioning project as it proceeds to adoption and implementation? [70 word limit]
Q4 What are the dimensions of diversity in the population of Portage to which the Council should pay attention? What strategies should the Council should adopt to welcome diverse populations? [70 word limit]
Q5 Which of your strengths or talents especially qualify you to be a member of the City Council/Mayor of Portage? [70 word limit]
Peter Strazdas
Age 49. 7130 Crown Pointe Cir. Director, Maintenance Services, WMU Physical Plant. Master’s degree, WMU, 1980. Assistant professor, WMU, 1980–90; construction administrator, WMU, 1990–95; physical plant administrator, WMU, 1995–present; Portage Mechanical Board, 1989; chair, Portage 2020 Public Facilities task force, 1991; Portage Planning Commission, 1994–2001, two-time chair; Portage City Council, various committees, 2001–05; Portage Mayor, 2005–present; Michigan OSHA Commission, 1994–present, four-time chair; president, Portage Soccer Club, 2003–September 2007.
1. Mayor McKinney and I meet regularly with our respective city managers to discuss items of mutual concern for our cities and the region. I also meet regularly with the township supervisors. The open dialogue and an honest attempt to work together has created one of the best relationships between local units of government in recent memory. That has resulted in mutual aid and first response agreements for fire service.
2. I was very pleased to be one of over 600 mayors to sign the Climate Protection Agreement. (a) Improve building energy efficiencies such as eliminating all incandescent lamps and use high efficient heating and cooling systems. (b) Support transportation options such as public transportation and bike trails. (c) Increase the fuel efficiencies in city vehicles and start using bio-diesel fuel in our diesel vehicles.
3. I was very pleased to initiate the 2025 Visioning process. The citizen participation was significant and critical to the success of the project. The living document must be used by all boards, commissions and the City Council. This past summer, I called a special retreat of the City Council to focus on how the Council and administration would use and implement the document for short- and long-term initiatives.
4. The City Council is a diverse group of individuals. The city’s policies and programs do not discriminate. I believe they provide an open and inviting opportunity for any person to be a member of the community. As our region and country transition with the world economy, we will see people and businesses of all cultures and customs transition through our city.
5. My past two years as Mayor of Portage has proven to the citizens my ability to lead the City Council and work with the administration and area leaders. We have stayed focused on the basics of local government and offered quality municipal services while keeping our millage rate one of the lowest in the state for cities our size. In these difficult economic times, we need individuals with municipal experience.