The 2024 Saginaw City Council Candidate Forum

Despite the growth In population globally over the past 50 years, the City of Saginaw currently has a population of 42,876 residents and is declining at a rate of -0.72% annually, with a -2.8% decline since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 44,112 in 2020.   Back in 1974 that figure stood at 61,799.

Because Saginaw is classified as a home rule city under the Michigan Home Rule Cities Act, it is permitted to exercise ‘home rule powers’ which include the power to frame and adopt its own City Charter, which serves as the fundamental law of the city, in a manner similar to a constitution for a national or state government. Consequently, the government of Saginaw, Michigan is a Council-Manager form with a Mayor selected by members of the city council.

The current City Charter was adopted in 1936 in response, largely due to allegations of corruption of the heads of each department. Pursuant to this document, Saginaw is governed by a 9-member elected at-large Council.

The term of office for a member of the city council is four years commencing with the first meeting following a regular municipal election. The terms of council members are also staggered so that the entire council is not subject to re-election at the same time; alternatively either four or five members are elected in each even-numbered year.

Back in 2007 an attempt was made to revise the City Charter and move from electing city council members ‘at-large’ to having them elected pursuant to equitable districts throughout the city, so each of these different sections of the city would have equal geographic representation. 

Additionally, rather than having an appointed City Manager responsible for daily operations, the new charter proposed shifting these duties over to an elected Mayor who would be directly accountable to the voters; and because of a dwindling population and fewer financial resources, it also called for combining certain departments as police and fire into one Public Safety Department.

A question was placed on the ballot to achieve these goals and the City Charter Commission was established with the approval by 11,000 votes and a 60% majority of city residents. However, two years later when the new charter was placed upon the ballot for ratification, only 2 out of 10 registered voters bothered to engage in the voting process, thanks in part to an anti-charter revision campaign that received substantial backing from unionized employees.

Fast forward to the 2024 Saginaw City Council candidates race and this year for the November 5^th general election there will be 11 candidates competing for five seats serving 4-year terms, consisting of incumbents Annie Boensch and Bill Ostash, challengers Charles Allen, Eric Braddock, Sr., George Copeland, Jr., Monique Lamar-Silvia, Jacinta Seals, Charles Sledge, Michael Thompson, Heidi Wiggins, and Tobias Young.

Additionally, one candidate not mentioned above - Carly Hammond - has a relatively clear shot at obtaining a 2-year seat on the council. In November 2022, Saginaw voters elected incumbent Autumn Scherzer to a 4-year term, only to step down less than one month after the win citing “personal reasons.”

Six weeks later the Council appointed Bill Ostash to fill the vacancy, who previously served on council before losing his seat during the November 2022 election. Because Saginaw’s City Charter prohibits returning the decision to voters until the next city election happening this November, and with two years remain in Scherzer’s 4-year term, this 2-year race is different from the remaining 5-seats open for 4-year terms, and to date Hammond is the only candidate to file for the position prior to the October deadline.

As if this isn't confusing enough, with these five seats up for grabs, this November 5^th Saginaw City Council race comes at a critical juncture in the city’s history. 

Beleaguered by escalating crime rates, unfunded liabilities, and declining city services for things such as curbside leaf pick-up that were eliminated during Darnell Early’s stint as City Manager, prior to the role he played in the Flint Water Crisis, we have a general fund budget that is currently carrying a $138.4 million unfunded pension liability, despite receiving $38.7 million back in 2023 from the State of Michigan,  

Considering 70% of the general fund budget goes to public safety, with a majority of that being dedicated to legacy costs, is it any wonder or surprise that city governments have hit the wall of unsustainability? 

While the City of Saginaw received $52 million of the $350 billion in federal funding allocated nationally to eligible state, local, territorial & tribal governments from the American Rescue Plan Act during the COVID pandemic, which benefited governmental entities, public infrastructure, and certain qualified citizens who were able to get new windows, roofs, and improvements done to their homes, the offshoot of course is the number of businesses that were forced to close permanently during the pandemic, not to mention the inflationary trend we are currently experiencing thanks to so much fiat currency being printed and circulated. resulting in all of us paying more for fewer goods and services.

Since The REVIEW’s inception back in 1979, we have conducted these Saginaw City Council Candidate Forums in order to familiarize the voting public with each of the candidates and allow for a more informed electorate.

Unfortunately, similar to the last City Council election, for this year’s 2024 council race only 5 of the 11 candidates running for City Council took the time to participate in this Candidate Forum.

Whether this is born out of apathy, societal degeneration, or just plain laziness, the most important question to ask yourself as you cast your vote is this:  If a candidate cannot be bothered to participate in a free, open, and uncensored forum to express the goals and reasons they are running for office to the people they supposedly represent, how responsive will they be to your own personal concerns once they are elected to office?

Despite this disturbing lack of participation, we hope that you find this Saginaw City Council Candidate Forum an informative and valuable resource to help assist with making your decision as to who is best qualified to represent your interests over the next four years.

REVIEW: What are the personal qualities and professional background that you feel qualifies you for Saginaw City Council and why are you running for this position?

Charles Allen: I’m someone who has lived in Saginaw my whole life. I know what it’s like to be a grocery store employee, or to work at a restaurant. I know the struggle of being a small business owner and also a gig worker. My lived experience is something we  need on the city council. We need people representing us who know how the policies of these cities have directly impacted the way we live, and that’s why I’m running and seeking your endorsement.

Annie Boensch: I am a lifelong resident, currently serving my third term on City Council and as Mayor Pro Tem for the last 2 years. I first ran for Council to be a part of making Saginaw a place where my children could see themselves living and thriving as adults. During my time serving, I’ve worked hard to put Saginaw on a positive trajectory, but that work is not done and I’d like to see it through.

Bill Ostash: I have been on City Council since 2018.  With that comes experience and dedication to a city I love.  I frequent many neighborhood association and business district meetings keeping myself in the loop.  I currently serve on the Planning Commission.  Past commissioner of Zoning Board of Appeals and Historic District Commission.  I serve on the board for the following: Great Lakes Bay Pride and the Potter Street Train Station as Treasurer. 

I am running for this position to continue to make sure the Downtown Saginaw Medical Diamond is complete with the $215M in new investment.  This creates a 12-story hotel with a conference/business center, mixed use housing, retail/commercial spaces, mental health building, Saginaw Valley State University tower, and CMU College of Medicine training all new doctors here in Saginaw.

Last, making sure residents have someone who does answer their email or phone call.  Residents will tell you I do get their concerns addressed or taken care.

Jacinta Seals: I am a lifelong resident of Saginaw; Saginaw High School graduate (class of '93), graduate of Saginaw Valley State University with my Bachelors of Arts (majoring in Sociology and minoring in Mathematics) and Masters of Art (Administrative Sciences). I raised three children here. I live, work, and have a business right here in good-ole Saginaw, Michigan.

I have also worked for Houghton-Jones Neighborhood Task Force, Inc. as a Youth Program Director for more than five years and was the Executive Director of Good Neighbors Mission of Saginaw, Inc. for six years. Both community positions assisted me in becoming a leader in the community who always put the people first.

I then turned gears and began to work in the Saginaw Public School District as a paraprofessional and teacher's aide until I received enough credits to substitute throughout the district. I built relationships through the schools and community while I attended college building those same relationships until I became a certified teacher through the accelerated program.

As a city councilperson, I am that person that can represent most of the individuals in our city; from the ones who must report their earnings to receive their food stamps to the ones who calculate their own taxes and the business they will soon open. 

Heidi Wiggins: I have always had a heart to give back, whether personally or to the community. Running for Saginaw City Council promises an opportunity to make a difference for the people of Saginaw on a broader level. I was a partner in a small business for 18 years that grew into a company that shipped products globally. I have seen the value of developing home grown businesses and the immediate positive effect it has on the community. I was born and raised in this beautiful city and I want to be directly a part of improving and growing my hometown.  

REVIEW:  What are the three biggest priorities that need to be addressed in the City of Saginaw and how will your involvement impact and advance the improvement of Saginaw's quality of living?

Allen: Affordable Housing. Saginaw is a city that was built for a population of 100,000 people and yet our population has declined to less than half of that number. Due to this fact alone, the cost of housing should be far more affordable than it currently is valued. We need more affordable housing to encourage more people to move here and revitalize our declined population.

Mental Health and Gun Violence Prevention. We’ve seen far too much gun violence in our community. Aside from improving the overall standard of living, a major cause I believe our city needs to champion is mental health for our residents. Extensive studies show that improved mental health practices are a key factor in improving public safety. The city can and should promote mental health awareness and take on initiatives that will save lives.

Solving the Food Desert. Between a lack of grocery stores and a lack of restaurants, Saginaw is a food desert. It will be my priority to address this issue in the city council. Having more access to food will go a long way to solving so many of our issues from population decline, public safety, mental health, and more.

Boensch: Jobs/Education Pipeline: I plan to continue supporting Saginaw’s reinvention into a Medical/College town via the Medical Diamond and bringing back manufacturing jobs. 

Public Safety: Continued support for public safety via Violence Disruption programs, no more cuts to Public Safety and advocacy for better local funding so quality of life issues can be adequately addressed. 

Population Growth through homeownership: Supporting the City's efforts to use CDBG Funds for building in addition to fighting blight and advocating for the development of tax foreclosure assistance programs to keep people in their homes.

Ostash: Public safety is number one.  I am watching the budget closely regarding the voter approved, renewal of the Public Safety Millage this year.  After the election I want to work with our City Manager to run numbers on how we can increase Police (I want our own Community Police Program) and maybe how to reopen Fire Station #3 on Hess. 

Continue growing our population and foster economic development.  I am committed to working with developers and looking for more to make sure our residents have job opportunities therefore giving them a chance settle here and call Saginaw home. 

Continue to address Saginaw’s food desert/food insecurity problem.  Making sure the Food Club is brought to completion which will serve our residents who fall below 200% of the poverty level.  I am currently engaged with our state representatives, a developer, and a capital company to open one if not two small grocery markets.  They will have fresh produce/meats, dairy, bake goods and possible small-scale pharmacy.

Seals: As a councilperson, I would make the following my top priorities (not in any particular order): bring a voice of leadership and sound reason to the council (I represent a wide range of people in our city - see Question 1) , be a catalyst in Lifting the Cap from the 1970s in order to increase the capitol we need and should be receiving as a city, Reducing Crime (a benefit from lifting cap because we could be able to afford more policing for our city - and other services), prevent our water source from going down a similar path as Flint, Michigan - if we do not be careful, we could face similar issues in the future), and work with our school district (SPSD) so we can grow together as a city.

Wiggins: Economic progress, safe neighborhoods, and sustainable growth for the entirety of Saginaw city.   I will listen to and genuinely represent the voice of the people of Saginaw. I am a natural mediator and problem solver and I am blessed with the ability to edit out the noise and offer obtainable solutions to work toward. Our city wants what should be simple things; safety, hope, and the chance to grow in success. I plan to foster transparency in our leadership with a heart that's truly a fighter for our residents.

REVIEW:  What can be done to curb blight and attract new businesses back into the City of Saginaw?

Allen: We must do all that we can to promote population growth. Saginaw has the potential to be a thriving city. Our business corridors have storefronts that have sat empty for far too many years, while our residential streets have suffered from empty houses and blight. We must confront this issue head-on if we are to regenerate our population. People will start moving back to the city if it is safe to live in and if there are businesses to patronize. But we also need people living here if these businesses are to survive. This should be the top priority of our city council. When the city council used ARPA funding to improve roofing, that was a start, but we need to use any funding we get from the state, county, and federal levels to address the basic infrastructure of our business and residential streets, give financial breaks to our business owners, and improve public safety.

Boensch: On Council I led the effort to create and pass the Unoccupied Property Ordinance which requires that unoccupied buildings be registered with the city, be inspected and maintained with a re-occupancy plan and timeline. I also supported the creation of the Blight Elimination Specialist and team. In addition, connecting our businesses with the opportunities available through the SEDC, SBDC, CMURC, the Chamber, and available grants and/or local incentives.

Ostash: Making sure our Downtown and Old Town Districts are seeing development.  I voted yes recently to create two large Neighborhood Enterprise Zones (NEZ) around Covenant Hospital.  This created a tax incentive for residents.  The NEZ area will see 60 new homes built and many home renovations. 

This and the Downtown Medical Diamond can encourage other businesses to develop here and people to move into the city.  Last and important, making sure police and fire have the tools they need to keep the city safe.

Seals: The City of Saginaw has done a pretty good job at curbing blight. They have collaborated well with the Saginaw County Land Bank, various organizations, and volunteers in this endeavor. However, blight is not the only reason why businesses are not attracted to our city.

Our city is full of multiple, empty spaces therefore it should be a businesses’ ideal location. We need to address why there aren't many businesses who chose the City of Saginaw as its home by looking at our business practices. Maybe it's time to restrategize.

Wiggins: There is pride in ownership. We need more affordable housing and paths to reach that goal. I was born and raised here in Saginaw City and to see both of my old neighborhoods now being empty lots breaks my heart. We need to encourage and support small businesses and larger corporations that offer higher wages so people do not have to work 2-4 jobs just to survive. Start-up resources (financial and operational) for small businesses are necessary to strengthen the backbone of our local economy. 

REVIEW:  Please rate the City Council’s performance for the past two years, 1 for lowest and 10 for highest and explain why you feel this way.

Allen: My campaign is all about unity and bringing people together from our residents to our business owners to our elected officials. The people united will never be defeated. Foremost I think the best thing we can do to improve this lack of unity is with transparency. It’s not enough to simply post our meetings on youtube. These meetings need to be more for viewing such as streaming on facebook. Additionally, the administration doesn’t do enough to engage the community on the work its doing. Not enough people know about the good things that the city administration does in fact accomplish, so we need people in this administration who have a plan to bring the policies from city hall into our streets.

Boensch:  I would give Council a ‘7’.  While there’s room to improve, I’m very proud of so much of what we’ve accomplished and the positive trajectory Saginaw is on. ARPA was a once in a lifetime opportunity and despite having 9 independent minds and many ideas to consider, we made some very solid decisions.

We’ve supported the new Community Food Club, the Medical Diamond, our Youth, $7.8M in housing rehabilitation grants, maintenance to Ojibway and efforts to fight blight and more.

Ostash: I would put the council at 8 or 9.  We work pretty well together, though we don’t always agree, we leave meetings in a civil manner.  The score also reflects the fact I would like the council to work more on projects together.  I propose having Committees of the Whole or committees to work on items you have asked about here; like blight and bringing in businesses.  But these committees could work on making sure residents have access to good food, more urban housing and working with the County Land Bank on a program to use funds to renovate homes for resale versus demolition.

Seals: Saginaw's City Council had a rare opportunity with the AARPA funds which they may never get again. The AARPA process started out with the right premise, using an outside and impartial entity to assist them in making objective decisions. The City Council then put a system in place, but did not stick to their initial process. There should have also been a better support system for organizations when they were awarded grants. Their rating could have stayed an easy 9 or 10 if they had stuck to their process but there was no follow through thus causing their rating to most likely shift from their constituents a bit lower. Other than that, the citizens of Saginaw who benefitted from those funds would definitely give a great rating because they were extremely satisfied with the outcome.

Wiggins: I would rate the current administration at a 6.5 for general performance and a 4.5 for communication effort. Many, many good things came out of the ARPA funds that were granted to the City of Saginaw. However, I have found when talking with the people that a heavy number of citizens are still either disgruntled, uninformed, confused, or out-right upset about how the funds were and are being handled. 

When information is not readily available, rumors naturally spread creating uncertainty and low morale. Low morale creates hopelessness which creates lawlessness and disenchantment. It's almost impossible to move forward in a united way without hope and trust. I want to rebuild that trust through transparent planning and two-way communication with the people of Saginaw.