LWVKA 2008 Kalamazoo County Officials

Republican. Age 53. Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney. WMU; U of Toledo School of Law; National College of District Attorneys. Joined the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office in 1980 as an Assistant Prosecutor; over 25 yrs of experience handling the toughest of cases. Have prosecuted cases involving child abuse, robbery, home invasion and murder. Served as the Chief Assistant Prosecutor and as the Elected Prosecutor; currently oversee the entire office that handles several thousand cases each year. Further information: www.JeffFinkProsecutingAttorney.com.

1. The Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office is currently recognized as a leader in criminal justice both on a state and national level. Victims and their families have referred to the office as “world class.” We encourage our staff to continuously make improvements in our service to the community. We have recently reorganized our office to allow vertical prosecution in District Court cases. This allows a victim to be served by the same Assistant Prosecutor throughout the court process. We are currently working on a pilot project using technology to speed up the transferring of investigative reports between the police and our office.

2. The Prosecutor’s Office has two Assistant Prosecutors and a Victim Advocate on duty Monday thru Friday to personally respond to citizens’ and victims’ needs. We have one Assistant Prosecutor available on weekends and holidays to handle any cases when the defendant is in custody. I am always available to personally meet with citizens. I attend neighborhood association meetings, township meetings and other functions in the community to answer citizens’ questions. We maintain a working relationship with the media to provide information to the public. We also have a website that allows citizens to contact me and the office staff.

3. The state could provide additional funding for prevention activities and drug treatment. In Kalamazoo County our office has partnered with the Courts and treatment professionals to create a Juvenile Drug Treatment Court, an Adult Drug Treatment Court and a Sobriety Court. These are programs that both hold offenders accountable and provide intensive treatment. These programs are extremely effective, but only become available upon a criminal case referral. Increased collaboration between schools, law enforcement and treatment providers would also benefit the community.

Robert A. Champion

Democrat. Age 53. Attorney. A.D., Delta College; Bachelor’s degree, Ferris State U; J.D., U of Denver. Criminal defense attorney; attorney, City of Plainwell. Served in the criminal justice system since 1978: Police Officer, Kalamazoo Township Police Department; Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Kalamazoo and Allegan counties. Former School Board President, Parchment School District. I understand the importance of the criminal justice system and understand how education can reduce the number of individuals involved in criminal activities and justice system.

1. As Prosecutor I will set fiscal priorities. I will focus on preventing crimes in our community while protecting the most vulnerable members of society. My staff and I will be active in the community. The current office is more concerned with appearance rather than substance. I would not waste scarce resources on appearances that could be better used pursuing real criminals, educating our community and making a real impact on the safety and welfare of our community. The community should know that the Prosecutor’s Office is concerned with growing and supporting local communities and their endeavors as a whole.

2. The Prosecutor needs to appear and handle cases on a regular basis in court so that he may truly understand the issues facing the criminal justice system and the victims, witnesses and defendants. In addition, the Prosecutor needs to be involved in community prosecution where he is meeting with the general public on a regular basis. Finally the Prosecutor must have an open door policy.

3. The problem of illicit drugs needs to be addressed first through education and prevention, second through treatment and diversion and finally, and only as a last resource, incarceration. It is better to spend our resources on violent criminals and those who prey on our youth than to fill our jails with those with a substance abuse problem.

Sheriff
Four-year term — Vote for 1

1. What strategies would you use to improve the effectiveness of the office in which you hope to serve? [100 words]
2. What strategies would you use to remain responsive and accountable to the public between elections? [100 words]
3. What is the role of the sheriff in ensuring that all persons detained in the county jail are “treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person,” as required by the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights? [100 words]

Michael Anderson

Republican. Age 67. Sheriff. Master’s degree, public administration, WMU; Bachelor’s degree, criminal justice, MSU; Southern Police Institute, police admin., U of Louisville. Sheriff, 5 yrs; Undersheriff, 17 yrs; Michigan State Police, Major (Retired). See website: www.sheriffmikeanderson.org.

1. I will continue to: (a) Emphasize that the citizens we are sworn to serve and protect are the only reason for our agency’s existence. (b) Explore every opportunity to partner with our community in using agency resources to maximum advantage for the right purposes. This includes meeting regularly with community leaders regarding services provided by the Sheriff’s Office. (c) Seek opportunities to conserve tax dollars through consolidation of police services. Past examples include a joint crime lab with the City of Kalamazoo and a co-located/integrated dispatch center. (d) Strive for the highest possible achievement in training and equipping our employees.

2. Strategies I would use to remain responsive and accountable to the public—I will continue to: (a) Respond forthwith and openly to all media and citizen inquires; (b) Regularly attend community and governmental meetings where issues involving the Sheriff’s Office may be of concern; (c) Partner with community organizations and other governmental entities to forge solutions to public safety problems; (d) Never waiver from absolute integrity as the cornerstone for maintaining trust with the community we serve; (e) Quickly acknowledge and correct errors that do occur.

3. The Sheriff’s role is embodied in the agency’s official mission statement wherein it states jail functions shall be performed “in a humane manner which reflects sensitivity to the dignity and equal rights of all citizens and reinforces the values of our community.” Our jail staff is to be highly commended for the manner in which they fulfill this mission. A major obstacle to humane treatment, however, is the structure of the current jail itself. It is antiquated and analogous to being a human warehouse, a situation that needs to be corrected.

Richard Fuller

Democrat. Age 44. Sergeant, Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Dept. Currently Coordinator of AED/CPR Instruction, Methamphetamine Clandestine Laboratory Unit, Project Life Saver Unit; A Child Is Missing Instructor, Sergeant, Uniform Services Section; Supervisor, Field Training Officer Operations. Associate Applied Art Law Enforcement, Kellogg Community College; 800 plus hours of continuing education certificates in Law Enforcement. Sergeant, Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department; Police Officer, Homer, Michigan; Police Dispatcher, Reserve Officer, Marshall, Michigan; EMT / Fire Fighter, Marshall, Michigan.

1. I will work with regional governmental agencies to create a co-op for purchasing of goods and services. I will look to cut overhead operating cost. I will examine strengths of current employees, placing them in positions that best fit them and the needs of the agency. I will work with employees to create a program that will involve them more in project designs and ideas; encouraging employees to become partners and offering ownership in goals we set as a group. By utilizing the knowledge and experience of our number one asset, the employees, we will save time, energy and money.

2. I will make the Sheriff’s Department more transparent to the community. They will get to know us better through a new interactive website. There will be community meetings with deputies who work their streets and walk the halls of their jail. I want to provide monthly Community Access Television programs addressing various issues of citizens by answering questions of importance to them. This program could be a teaching tool for the community as well as an up-to-date learning device for the Sheriff to find out what is of concern to the citizens he serves.

3. The Sheriff must implement safeguards designed to protect inmates’ physical well being from themselves as well as others. There must be procedures in place that allow the inmates the rights of law and protection of discrimination based on gender, religion, race or other. Inmates’ individual freedoms allowed by the law shall be protected. A procedural fairness is required allowing inmates rules of law, rights upon arrest, rights to a lawyer and impartial process in trial. Mechanisms for inmates to launch complaints must be provided. Employees receive training, support and supervision necessary to keep the jail a safe and professional environment.

Clerk & Register of Deeds, Treasurer, Drain Commissioner, Surveyor

Clerk & Register of Deeds
Four-year term — Vote for 1

Timothy A. Snow

Republican. Age 49. Kalamazoo County Clerk & Register of Deeds. B.S., education, Central Michigan U; additional coursework at WMU; Certified Municipal Clerk from International Institute of Municipal Clerks. Kalamazoo County Clerk & Register of Deeds, 12 yrs; Comstock Township Clerk, 12 yrs.

1. (a) Technology has been a top priority throughout my service as Clerk & Register of Deeds. In 1999, the office was the first in the County to begin digitizing records for preservation and access to the public. (b) A new vendor is currently preparing to install new software which will make more of the public records available on the internet. (c) The many new pieces of election equipment require effective management and planning. The department has been successful in this effort. (e) A highly trained staff is ready to provide friendly, quick and responsive service to the public.

2. (a) The Clerk & Register of Deeds Office is the most personal of County offices as we maintain records of peoples’ lives. We continue to improve access to the public by making information available on the internet on all aspects of the office. The department has saved dollars in order to fund digitization of paper and microfilm records for permanent retention and accessibility. (b) I continue to plan for additional ways to improve customer service in the future, primarily by using the internet. New software will be introduced in the near future to assist the public with even better access to the Clerk/Register’s Office.

3. (a) I am a professional clerk and regularly attend training in all aspects of the Clerk & Register of Deeds offices. I work closely with other Clerks and Registers throughout the state and am interested to see how other counties operate. I have gained much by my involvement with the Michigan Association of County Clerks and Michigan Association of Registers of Deeds. (b) Prior to coming to the County, I served as Comstock Township Clerk. That experience assisted me greatly and prepared me for my role at the County. It also gave me insight to needs, wants and desires of the public and their records.

David Kinsey

Democratic. Age 49. Head of Shipping/Receiving, D&R Sports Center. Attended Wittenberg U, Springfield, OH. Currently attending KVCC, focusing on computer information systems. Current Board President, Edison Neighborhood Association. Member and past Chair of the City of Kalamazoo’s Community Development Act Advisory Committee. I’ve lived in the Kalamazoo area my whole life. I’ve owned a home in the Edison neighborhood since 1997.

1. (a) The Clerk’s office needs to make as much information as possible available on-line. Birth certificates, property records and DBA’s on-line will be a great convenience for our citizens. (b) I will strive to reduce the lines at polling places on Election Day. Voters should not have to wait two hours to cast their ballots. (c) Some voters continue to feel uneasy about going to the polls because of persistent rumors of background checks for things like outstanding warrants and unpaid child support. The Clerk needs to take a pro-active approach to reassure all voters that they will not be arrested at their polling place.

2. I don’t anticipate any difficulty remaining responsive. The Clerk is a public servant with a very open, public place of business. If the public is dissatisfied with my performance or responsiveness I expect their views will be communicated immediately.

3. I am very detail oriented and have perfectionist tendencies. I think these are desirable qualities in a County Clerk

Treasurer
Four-year term — Vote for 1

Mary Balkema

Republican. Age 41. County Treasurer. B.A., accounting, WMU. Fifteen yrs experience in banking in the Trust Department, Accounting Department and Brokerage and Financial Services Division. Elected to the Kalamazoo City Commission, 2001–06. Serves on Retirement Investment Committee, County Plat Board, County Apportionment Commission and Election Commission.

1. Maximize Investment Income, Tax Foreclosure Forums and Education Awareness, Land Bank Strategy

2. Model best practices in cash and financial management through effective internal controls and a cohesive, knowledgeable team. I will fulfill customer service through communication, outreach and education.

3. Financial and banking experience—15 years in financial sector, management experience, political experience.

Julie Kaufman
Did not respond in time for publication.

Drain Commissioner
Four-year term — Vote for 1

Patrick Krause

Republican. Age 59. Kalamazoo County Drain Commissioner. B.S., environmental health, Ferris State U; M.P.A., WMU. Director of Environmental Health and Laboratory Services, 18 yrs. Initiated numerous environmental programs in community including Groundwater Protection Program, Household Hazardous Waste Program and Surface Water Monitoring. Recipient of Chamber of Commerce Environmental Award. Inaugural member, MDEQ Environmental Advisory Council. Have worked with all local units of government in County on environmental issues. Drain Commissioner since September 2007.

1. Continue to build infrastructure of the office to meet needs of community and drain districts. Continue to be responsive to requests and inquiries from public. Work on building trust in the office with the community. Develop drain maintenance program in accordance with Drain Code. Meet all conditions and requirements of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Storm Water permit which includes addressing water quality issues within drain districts. Seek grant funding when possible to assist in drain projects and initiatives.

2. First, continue the practice since I have been in office of returning calls within one working day. Second, continue to network with community groups such as Michigan Association of Townships, Farm Bureau, Conservation District, township boards and officials. Third, hold public input meetings on proposed drain projects to seek comments and concerns. Last, and most important, respond in person and discuss face-to-face issues with residents of County regarding drain issues.

3. A year of experience working as the Drain Commissioner and making a number of improvements in the office in this short time. Proven environmental leadership skills to the community as evidenced by past experience as Director of Environmental Health and Laboratory Services. Demonstrated management and financial skills as exhibited in position listed above. A thorough knowledge of local government operations and a positive working relationship with all local units of government. Demonstrated ability to seek cost-effective solutions to problems. Last, passion for public service and a desire to improve the quality of life for all community residents. See www.electkrause.com.

Patricia A.S. Crowley

Democrat. Age 54. Environmental Scientist. Ph.D., Agricultural Technology and Systems Management (Soil and Water Conservation Engineering), Biosystems Agricultural Engineering Dept, MSU. M.S., Water Resources Management (Small Watershed Engineering, Environmental Monitoring), UW-Madison. B.S., Biology, SFSU. Agricultural/Environmental Consultant, 2001–present, American Farm Environment. Hydrologist, 1997–2000, Kalamazoo River Water Quality Trading Project. Environmental Quality Analyst, 1991–97, Remediation Redevelopment Div., Michigan Dept of Environmental Quality. Soil and Water Specialist, 1983–91, MSU. Researcher, Lecturer, Editor, 1978–83, UW-Madison. U.S. Peace Corps, W. Samoa, 1976–78. www.pat-crowley.com

1. (a) Keep the basements dry, the crops growing, the wetlands wet, and the water clean! (b) Prioritize and communicate the goals of the Drain Commissioner to the public. (c) Launch plans to address current projects while steadily working towards the establishment of long-term cost-effective flooding and storm water pollution prevention strategies. (d) Streamline in-house services such as permit review and reporting. (e) Form strong relationships with other public offices and community groups, and invite all stakeholders to seek solutions to immediate and long-term challenges. (f) Inspire public interest and involvement in caring for our water resources.

2. (a) Establish a stakeholder’s advisory board. (b) Seek public participation in decision-making. (c) Promote ongoing conversations between stakeholders within watershed districts. (d) Discuss ongoing projects in public forums. (e) Encourage local residents, students, and scientists to contribute articles to public forums about interesting local hydrologic features. (f) Continually seek ways to inspire stewardship.

3. Besides 30 years of education and experience in soil and water engineering and science, I have a strong education and experience in management and a style that welcomes innovation and working together with a wide range of personalities and circumstances. I have a talent for continuously seeking ways to improve systems and a determination and faith that moves around obstacles like water moves around rocks in a stream. I am balanced, broadly competent, honest and approachable. I am fiscally conservative, careful in accounting, yet always mindful that wise water resource management is an investment in our economy and our future.

Surveyor
Four-year term — Vote for 1

Gary D. Hahn
Did not respond in time for publication.