Election 2017: Candidates talk about issues facing the city

By Charles Sercombe
Welcome to week two of The Review’s candidate survey.
On Aug. 8 Hamtramck voters will be going to the polls to vote for candidates for mayor and city council.
This is the primary election, and the candidates who survive that first round will square off in the November General Election.
The Review mailed each candidate a survey of questions about some of the issues facing the city.
In the coming weeks The Review will present their responses, in their own words. The Review asked for candidates to respond by June 30, but only several of the candidates have returned the survey.
This week, we present Andrea Karpinski, who is running for re-election to city council, and council candidate Nayeem Choudhury:

 

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NAME: Andrea Ellen Karpinski
Education: Attended St. Ladislaus and Our Lady Queen of Apostles Grade Schools, and graduated high school from Saint Florian in 2002. (The last graduating class from there.) I completed a few credits from Wayne State in General Education.
Employment: I worked for the City of Hamtramck beginning in 2003 until 2010. I began my career working part-time for the Building Department and the 31st District Court, and was then hired full time as a clerk in the Department of Public Services in 2004.
I also worked as a Code Enforcement Officer and finished off working in the Records Bureau of the Police Department. In 2010, I left municipal work to take a position with the State of Michigan. I worked for the Department of Corrections, Department of Human Services and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Within those positions I did not feel like I was a part of helping anyone as directly as I was while working for the City of Hamtramck.

Experience in government/municipal affairs: In 2013, I decided to run for City Council, because I felt I had a different perspective that I could offer, because I was a full time resident, who had worked for the City in the past. I felt I could work to help both the residents and the city employees to have a good future with the City of Hamtramck.
I won the election in November of 2013, and took office in January of 2014, at which time, I was selected to be Mayor Pro-Tem by a vote of my peers on City Council, I served as Mayor Pro-Tem until January of 2016. I am currently finishing my first term on City Council. I yearned for another way to give back to my community, and couldn’t find another job that sent me home with satisfaction of helping others and helping a community that I loved.
From 2013, until December of 2016, I worked a few part time jobs, one with the City of Dearborn as a Code Enforcement Officer. I never felt connected to that community as it just wasn’t “Hamtramck,” and yearned for that connection that I had while working for the City of Hamtramck.
I finally was able to find a position that gives me satisfaction, helps me give back and be more of a part of Hamtramck’s future, by being hired with the Hamtramck Public Schools, as a secretary at Hamtramck High School in December of 2016. I enjoy working with the youth of the community and it gives me a new aspect into the many nationalities and cultures that make up Hamtramck.
I continue to believe I have an aspect different from other candidates in that I worked for the City of Hamtramck, live in the City, and currently work for another entity within the City, I truly have the City employees, residents, students, business owners, and visitors best interests at heart.
My experience is included above, in addition I have achieved the Level One Education Award and very close to finishing my Level Two Award, through the Michigan Municipal League by taking many classes over the last 4 years while on City Council.
As a challenger or incumbent, explain why you are running for office:
I am running for re-election, because I truly bleed Hamtramck. I want the best for the community and its residents, business owners, workforce and visitors. I want to continue seeing forward progress in areas of infrastructure and development.
What are the city’s top three challenges, as you see it?
I see the top challenge as people being involved in politics who have ulterior motives or are looking for personal gain. To me, I truly want the best for the community, I don’t have any personal interest other than to see the City flourish.
I believe we have been set on the right path by our hard working City Manager, Katrina Powell. If we continue on the path that she and her staff have set forth, we can do nothing but stay positive. However, greed, and selfishness will put us back in the negative.
If we can elect positive people and appoint well educated, positive people to head our departments, I see Hamtramck continuing to be the amazing City that it has grown to be.

How would you solve/meet these challenges?
If elected I will continue to have an open mind, and continue to be a voice for the community as a whole. Whether that is going with the majority or against. I will do my research when things are put up to us to vote on.
The city is transitioning back to full local control. What will you do to facilitate this transition if elected?
I will work with the City Manager and Department heads to keep the City moving forward, I would love to see the City gain full control back, but I will not go along with things just to make it happen. At this point I don’t believe the City Council as a whole deserves to have full control back, many members are making decisions that will negatively impact the City in the long run, and are doing so for what I believe is personal gain. Unless those things begin to change, I will fight for the State to still have limited control. I would rather this happen, than to put our City into the Black Hole that is Receivership.
What will you do to prevent the city from falling into another financial crisis?
I believe my above response answers this question.

Talk about the city’s budget. Do you think there should be some changes to where money is spent or changes to any department or service?
I believe the budget is pretty good as it has been set by City Manager Powell and our department heads. I voiced my opinions in our Budget Workshop, in regards, to hiring more personnel in the Treasurer’s office and other areas of the City and the budget reflects those changes. I understand not every budget is perfect, but I believe the budget, as set, is a good one.
The city has had a problem in getting along with its city managers. What has been going wrong in this relationship, and how can the city avoid the constant change in management?
I think Hamtramck’s issue with “getting along” with City Managers has to do with majority of the past city managers being “yes men”, they went along with and abided by certain members of Council and/or contractors rather than getting the job done.
I have only worked with Ms. Powell, while being on City Council. While I didn’t agree with every decision she made, I felt I could talk with her; If I had a concern, I felt she was there for me to voice it to, sometimes, light was brought on the situation for her and sometimes for me. I don’t have the education to run a city, and that’s why I trust the City Manager to run the day to day operations; as detailed in our City Charter. I believe the City Council needs to know what its role is, as City Councilmembers, and stop trying to interfere in the City Manager’s job.
Yes, we may technically be their “boss” but none of us have the education or background to manage a City, so we need to find a candidate that has that background and help them follow through on what their position is, rather than meddle with the day to day job.
Talk about economic development. How can the city spur economic growth?
I think qualified people have been hired that will continue to move the City forward. We have new businesses coming into town with owners that want to live here as well. I think we need to continue moving forward and keep selling the City for what it is; A walkable community, a city that gives of that “community” feeling, a place that people want to live and work. We need to keep moving forward making changes to our Zoning Ordinances that adapt for the changing times, and the ever changing community needs.
How can the city encourage commercial property owners to fill their retail spaces?
I don’t know what the answer is to the issue with commercial property owners filling their retail spaces. It’s tough, we have to somehow work with them to lower their leasing prices, to entice more “Mom and Pop” type businesses, because that is what this City was built on and continues to be.
I don’t have any immediate answers, as that’s not my background, but I am willing to work with anyone if they have ideas, or comments on how they think we can change the current relationship.

Nayeem Choudhury

NAME: Nayeem Choudhury

Education: Phoenix University; Currently enrolled and working on bachelor’s degree

Employment: Managing director at Walee Enterprise Incorporated

Experience in government/municipal affairs: Veteran at government affairs through assistance and service for residents as a translator, advisor and document preparations for legal matters

As a challenger or incumbent, explain why you are running for office:

I plan to help my community by advocating for their causes such as lowering utility costs, improving social service assistance, create a safer environment for every family and localize the city’s funding to ensure economic stability, cultural unification, and governmental cooperation with its residents.

What are the city’s top three challenges, as you see it?

Budget management, youth involvement and economic development are three of the major challenges the city of Hamtramck must overcome to develop.

How would you solve/meet these challenges?

Communication of city officials with concerns from residents, a successful budget structure supports our neighborhoods and our young people. We’ll be able to demolish dangerous buildings and invest more in summer youth employment.

The city is transitioning back to full local control. What will you do to facilitate
this transition if elected?

If elected, I will strive to work with the mayor and fellow councilman in continuing the transition to full local control. It will be necessary to work with different departments in finding beneficial solutions that are for the city and most importantly its residents.

What will you do to prevent the city from falling into another financial crisis?

The simplest solution in preventing a financial crisis is constant overlook on city budget and expense to avoid a collapse in the city financial management. Needless to say, solely relying on city managers will not be enough to secure financial stability. We will have to work with professional economic strategists to discuss solutions in guarantee a financial crisis is avoided without great expense to residents.
Talk about the city’s budget. Do you think there should be some changes to where
money is spent or changes to any department or service?

The city’s budget is an underlying concern for the residents and city officials. Although there are some departments that require more money than others, I strongly believe that with the support of the mayor and the unity of its councilman’s, there will be a solution with the city managers on understanding which departments require more expenses and how to attain them while keeping all other departments with its required amount needed to service the residents of Hamtramck.

The city has had a problem in getting along with its city managers. What has been
going wrong in this relationship, and how can the city avoid the constant change in
management?

Organization and communication are key fundamentals in any relationship. When there is no mutual understanding between city managers and residents, no progress can be achieved. It is necessary for city managers and residents to discuss on a regular basis to avoid any misrepresentation in finding solutions to benefit the city and residents.

Talk about economic development. How can the city spur economic growth?
How can the city encourage commercial property owners to fill their retail spaces?

Economic development can be done through localizing funds, stimulate business owners marketability, and encourage residents to shop locally resulting in a growth for city funding that will be spent towards them.

One Response to Election 2017: Candidates talk about issues facing the city

  1. Captain Midnight

    July 19, 2017 at 9:42 pm

    I have been over to Nayeem Choudhury’s business over on Conant Avenue and met him.

    Seems like an honest and diligent businessman.

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