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Tina Peterson

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

 

My name is Tina Peterson, and I am running for a seat on the Iron Mountain City Council. 

I am a 41 year-old widow, with a daughter in college, a son in high school, and have been a resident of this city for most of my life.  I have an Applied Science Degree in Architecture and I am an Advisor on the John Lautner Foundation Board.

I feel that I represent the ordinary citizens who face the daunting struggles of daily financial juggling, as well as striving for our children’s successful future.

The decision to run for this position came after witnessing council meeting practices that I felt needed vast improvement.  Council members must treat residents with respect, should be earnestly hearing  their opinions, and must consider what is best for all citizens regardless of their stat

Our City can enjoy progress that benefits the masses...in an honest and financially sound way.  I want to be a part of local government reconnecting with our residents and bringing back a better relationship with surrounding areas.  I also wish to see a safer city and tax dollars spent appropriately and wisely.

 I am of the mind set that if you don’t know the answer, you should admit to it and go and find the answer.  If you make a mistake, you should own up to it and try not to repeat it.  Nobody expects perfection from you, but they rightly expect honesty and sincerity.

 I can give that to our City.

Tina Peterson          

TINA PETERSON'S

 
Response to 7-13-2007-04
 
I truly understand where you are coming from.  In previous elections, it seemed like there would be quick letters in the paper right before the election and you would have to base your decision on what felt like microscopic amounts of information.
We should all know more about people that will be representing us for 4 years, right?  It doesn't help that you would have to be a bit crazy to run for any type of office in the first place.
 
What happened to make me "jump in the ring?"  I could not stand by on the sidelines for one more moment and witness what I saw as atrocities being done to my City.
 
For over three years, it had been like a wave of decisions being made that never seemed to benefit the ordinary citizen.  Worse, when anyone had the courage to stand up and speak out, they were treated so poorly.  At a particular council meeting a few months ago, the arrogance was blatant and the indifference to the people was crystal clear.  These "representatives" were not interested in what the citizens had to say.  I had noticed that for years, but hadn't realized the extent of their self-importance.
Most of their comments will not show up in the Daily News and certainly not in the Minutes of a council meeting.  But those comments resonate in your mind forever if you've witnessed them firsthand.
 
Through the years, there had been a lot of what you might call "inside information" that would leave me feeling even more helpless.  How in the world could our Council and City Manager get away with these deeds?  How could they treat people like this?  How could they waste so much tax-payer money?  How could they get away with such deceit?
I kept track of things and in the past year started using my computer to research information. The more I learned, the more I wondered if I needed blood pressure medication. 
 
As a citizen, there are probably issues that I feel strongly about where there are many others who may not agree.  City Park is a prime example.  I feel passionate about keeping the deer and that the Pen area is not topographically suited to any type of field.  I feel that the money it would cost to level that area, if it even could be done with the pond, would be a complete waste and there are plenty of other suitable areas for fields.  I believe whole-heartedly that we do need to provide fields for our children's sports activities.  I believe that the parents shouldn't have to be the ones watering the fields or finding pieces of property in the first place.
My biggest beef with the current administration over City Park is how they have handled everything.  It is the usual route of going ahead and doing what they want and dealing with the outcry later.  If people hadn't raised a fuss, there would be no deer there right now.  They had STS consultants draw up plans, paid them big chunks of money for the plans, and have been on a 3 year subtle campaign to remove the deer.  Sally Jacobs had stated at 2 Council meetings that the Deer have mange, which is a very serious accusation.  That was completely false, but the repercussions would have been devastating because all the animals would have to have been destroyed if anyone had believed her.  Sally had stated in previous meetings she would like to see a concert bowl where the deer pond is.
Mr. Rigoni has stated that it's too expensive to keep them. In fact they all were on this kick for a while, stating it cost $10,000 a year.  I discovered the actual feed costs are about $1,800 a year.  The manpower to push a wheel barrel about 5 feet must be the rest of the cost.  I've been told that when the bathrooms are cleaned or the garbage's emptied, it gets charged to the upkeep of the deer...but that is just here say.
All current council members have been approached by citizens at meetings pleading for them to leave the deer alone, yet they verbally state that their constituents don't want them.  Who are these mysterious invisible people that want the deer removed?  Do they only want them removed for a field?  Can't we provide both things to our residents?  It's ridiculous for anyone to put forth the idea that we would have to choose between the two!
What they don't get at all is how so many residents went out of their way to fight for the deer.  People that usually don't speak out wrote letters and went to meetings.  These deer mean something to our City.  There were just as many letters from people that visit our area and if tourism is crucial, then we should pay attention to those letters.  If anything, it warrants some type of vote or at the very least, a public hearing.
 
The bigger issues of Fund depletions, Healthcare costs, Retiree benefits, Fees that are actually illegal Taxes, shady bidding processes, unnecessary Bonds, unnecessary financing on equipment, unnecessary new hires and departments, and the reassessment are critical topics that will be discussed possibly in a forum before the Primary.  If that debate doesn't happen, these issues will certainly be addressed by myself and the challengers in any way we can to get the information to the public.
 
I believe it is the duty of the public to do what they can to let all of the candidates know what their biggest concerns are.  What are the issues that affect you the most?  What issues affect your quality of life in the City of Iron Mountain? 
What realistic direction do you want your City to go in? 
 
Who is Tina Peterson and what is she made of?
 
I am 41 years old and have lived in Iron Mountain most of my life.  I was raised by my Grandparents, John and Margaret Anders, and grew up on Ludington Street.  Many of you may remember Anders Delicatessen, which sold pasties, raviolis, etc.  My Grandmother took on this business when Mrs. Vespa passed away.
My Grandparents were no-nonsense people who were ex-farmers and had struggled their whole lives raising 6 children plus myself.  They both worked very hard, and Grandpa never really did retire even into his eighties.  There were no luxuries, no extras, but I remember having everything I needed.  I grew up with weekly visits to my Uncle Adolph's dairy farm in Nadeau and learned everything from combining to haying to cleaning the barn gutters.  I also learned to respect the animals and appreciate the beauty of the land.  These are the best childhood memories that I have and I wish my children could have had the same experiences.
I am a late bloomer.  I went to college as a single Mom and received my Associate of Applied Science Degree in Architecture.  This was no easy feat, but I am proud of getting through this and even managing to make the Dean's list while still traveling back to work on the weekends here in Iron Mountain.
I have worked since the age of 14, but the job I am proudest of, besides "Mom", is Design Engineer at Cable Constructors Inc.  I started as a Design Drafter and was fortunate enough to be able to test to become a Designer.  At that time, it was very rare for a female to hold that position.
 
I am a Widow and have somehow survived heartbreak that felt like it would destroy me.  My two children have known this same heartache and I am always amazed at their strength.  I have two types of spinal inflammatory arthritis, AS and PsA, and degenerative disc disease.  I have had a double spinal (lumbar) fusion surgery and a cervical fusion. These conditions are painful and at times affect mobility.  They do not affect my ability to think or to reason. They do not affect my intelligence or my compassion.  Actually, all of these things have only made me stronger, more determined, and have given me the opportunity to always have an open mind.  I have learned firsthand that you should never judge someone by what you see on the outside, not knowing what their struggles may have been.  I feel strongly that being poor is a matter of circumstance most of the time, not a matter of character. 
All the money in the world can't purchase values or integrity.
 
I believe what most people want from their local Government is people they can trust.  Personally, I don't expect them to have all of the answers, but I expect the truth, always.  If the situation arises where mistakes have been made, I believe that should be admitted, not lied about.  If you don't know the answer, admit it and find out the true answer. If there are resources who are willing to lend their expertise, listen to them and learn.  Nobody ever benefits from an attitude of arrogance and narrow-mindedness!  Iron Mountain has a wealth of citizens with experience in every aspect of City Government and Municipality who would be willing to be advisors...how ridiculous it would be to ignore that goldmine of information.
I realize that you cannot please all, but you must listen to all and try to work through solutions that benefit the most.  This current Council has gone off track and gotten lost in personal-agenda-land.  They have had many chances to listen to the citizens and have continually turned their heads away. 
 
For myself, I feel that I represent the "common" citizen of this town.  I am not a business owner and certainly have no silver spoons lurking in my background.  I am blatantly poor, struggling constantly, and like my Grandparents provided for me; my children have no luxuries, but hopefully everything they need. My daughter Jessica is in college and will be transferring to Finlandia this Fall and my son Bryce will be a sophomore at IMHS.  As a parent, I want my children to live in a safe city they can be proud of.  I hope they choose to live here after their education and often wonder what our City can do to become more attractive to young families wishing to relocate.
 
I feel that even though my health and circumstances direct my financial situation, I am still educated and open-minded enough to understand the needs of ALL types of citizens:  I don't want to see again an elderly person forced by the City to hire an expensive tree-cutting service instead of how the DPW used to take care of a branch/wire situation.  Social Security income does not triple like utility bills, heating costs, ordinance and user fees. 
 
Surrounding areas barely trust us anymore and businesses, large and small,  don't want to locate here due to unusual hassles with permits and lack of cooperation from City Planning Departments.  The City Manager Boasts of Grant dollars that seem to mostly benefit Council members.  All Cities receive Grants...always have, always will. 
 
What about our City streets?  If this Government had put a fraction of the effort into our local streets and alleys as they have into the Parking Lot/Pavillion and the "Master Plan of City Park", we would be riding smoothly through our neighborhoods.  The biggest sin that I perceive of the current Council, besides their self-indulgence, is their laziness in bothering to research what they are unanimously approving, meeting after meeting...including Mr. Marquart's performance and bonuses.  The City Manager is not supposed to play the huge part he is playing, with his hands in every single cookie jar, for a very good reason.  There are so many Charter discrepancies it is scary.  It seems that when the Charter becomes inconvenient, it gets amended or ignored.
 
The City Council and Mayor are responsible for the actions of the City Manager.  They are responsible for his performance. 
The City Manager is responsible for all local government hires.  He is responsible for their performance.
The City Council, Mayor, and City Manager are all responsible for serving this community.  For serving this entire community.  Serving a community requires doing what is best for all or most, being excruciatingly careful with their tax-dollars, and listening to their desires and wishes.
Serving a community means putting one's self-interests to the side and focusing on the diverse needs of a large group of residents.
Serving a community means treating each citizen with respect and dignity, especially when they have mustered up the courage to come forward to speak in public.
Serving a community means being able to admit to mistakes and correct them, being able to research and find answers when you don't immediately have them, and honoring the value and contribution from every resident.
Serving a community means being responsible now for future financial situations.
 
The poster may have gotten more than they bargained for with my response, but this is the true, honest me.  The other challengers are extremely good men, full of integrity and are running to put our City back to rights.  I feel the same. I feel very possessive of my City and want to see it's reputation restored.  I would like to witness harmony again between different departments, financial freedom from heavy debt, the respect of surrounding cities, and above all else: TRUST.  I have faith in every single one of the challengers.
I am not a politician.  In fact, I've never thought of anything pleasant when I've thought of that word.  But I'm willing to become slightly savvy to get things done...while promising to still remain un-politician.
It is a strange sight to see, I imagine, all of us running as a team.  We know that one of us may be knocked out in the Primary and yet if it is one of us, that person will be right there still supporting the rest.  We have gotten to know each other and feel very secure in the collective integrity we put forth.  We would never, never be arrogant to a resident or get caught up in agendas.  The intentions are pure.
We have all been watching from the sidelines for years and have felt the frustrations of witnessing wrongdoings.  We individually decided maybe it was time to stop complaining and start trying to make some changes.  It takes courage, believe me.  We found that we had a lot of support from people that felt the same way, so we took the plunge and put our names on the ballots.
We are willing to put ourselves through some pretty rough times, ie: an "election" and beyond,  for the sake of our City and now it is up to the voters to do their part.
 
I think it is very wise of the Poster to ask that the candidates come forward and explain themselves and their views.  This election is crucial and I hope that others are doing what they can to find out where all the candidates stand.
It may be a good idea to have an evening where the challengers can gather and give the public an opportunity to ask any questions they may have.
 
If there are individual questions for me, my email address is tpeterson@upnorthcable.com
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Tina Peterson