- Christopher Wardell is one of eight candidates running for an open East Lansing city council seat in the November election.
- Wardell said his top two priorities are working with the new city manager to build the city's workforce back up and addressing and fixing the city's infrastructure.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
It's a crowded race for the November election in East Lansing with three open city council seats. There are some big issues for the city to address. Over the course of the next week, we will be introducing you to all eight candidates with a series of four questions.
Starting with Christopher Wardell.
Background:
Wardell is an East Lansing resident, living in the Bailey Neighborhood with his wife and four year old son. He currently works as the Chief of Staff for Representative Kevin Coleman and holds many roles in the community. He is the Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, a commissioner for the East Lansing Arts Commission and a member of the Bailey Community Association.
Wardell applied to fill Lisa Babcock's seat earlier this year, but was not appointed. Now he'll appear on the November ballot.
Question & Answer:
Q: What would be your top two priorities if elected to city council?
A: "First is getting in and working with the new city manager Mr. Belleman and having him get out into the community and meet with the people and working alongside him, building our workforce back up, working alongside current members George Brookover and Dana Watson.
Secondly, what's important for me is addressing our infrastructure, fixing our current infrastructure. I'm a big disability rights advocate. I had a brother who was in a wheelchair and I watched him struggle to get around. We have an aging population and one of my neighbors has MS and he's tripped a couple of times and now has to wear a helmet on his head. So that's important to me. And also fixing our sewers and and continuing to improve our roads and sidewalks."
Q: The turnover rate in the city has been high the last few years. What would you do as a council member to encourage employees to stay in the city?
A: "I think this is a thing where we just need to move forward and, again, we need to work alongside Mr. Belleman in getting that workforce built back up, learning to trust the employees that we have in place, least from my position. It's important for me to take a hands off approach and let them do their jobs. I can't speak to what has happened in City Hall, I don't have all the facts. So, you know, I'm not wanting to speculate, but I do know, as a city, we just need to move forward and Mr. Belleman needs to lead the way. I would like to follow with him and get out in the community and ask what they would like to see."
Q: Affordable housing and student housing are always hot topics in the city, but with downtown space so limited, how would you want to see those addressed?
A: "For me, I would really like to take a look at what existing structures that we have that might be vacant to where we might be able to develop some of these into housing for families. It's hard to strike a balance out here, you know, the rental overlay causes some confusion as well. I'm not saying I'm anti-students, students have a right to housing, but so do single families that are looking for affordable places to live.
My wife is also a professor at MSU and attracting workforce to East Lansing, to work in different departments or people who are graduating who want to stay in this area and live here, they're having to go to other cities like DeWitt or Okemos or Haslett. So, this is something I would like to sit down with our council and take a look at with the planning commission as well and try to identify places where we can put affordable housing. The project, the Bailey Parking Lot was not the project. I know it was under the guise of affordable housing, but I don't believe that to be the case."
Q: Why should people vote for you this November to serve on city council?
A: "You're going to get someone who's real and that's not to say any of my other competitors are not real, but you're getting someone who, I'm not seeking the next seat, I'm not seeking any type of power. I'm just a dad. I just care about my son. He's four years old. I want him to have a good future here in East Lansing if he chooses to stay here. I hope he goes to school here. I've been saying at the doors, I don't have any big endorsements, I'm just the guy who cares about the people of East Lansing and I will be fully transparent with them.
I've said I will give out my phone number to them and they could call me. My boss gives out his phone number, he's a state rep. Why can't I? So if someone has an issue or they're having trouble addressing something at city hall, they can call me and I will come and meet with them and help them and that's what I've been doing."
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