Advertisement

Incumbents Charles Vondra and Jerry Douglas, face challenger Mike Cummings in the Nov. 6 election.

Vondra, 37, is running for his third term.

"I consider myself an average person and I can help the average citizen of Boyne City because I have the same perspective," Vondra said.

Vondra voted against the downtown parking boundaries because he said it will hurt downtown businesses when people cannot find parking spaces to run into a store.

He aims to keep the city's public waterfront "open with unhindered views as much as possible," he said. He also spoke about the waterfront area in the city that is privately owned.

"That (space) is covered by zoning laws and we should have private owners adhere to our zoning laws," Vondra said.

His major areas of concentration as city commissioner are running the city efficiently, bringing business and industry into the city's industrial park, and making the area enticing to young people by providing jobs.

"We need to get up-to-speed with infrastructure on knowledge-based jobs and be able to offer the top of the line infrastructure," Vondra said.

In the recreation area, he thinks Avalanche should have easier ingress and egress, and more winter recreation, such as more ice rinks for all ages.

When facing city issues Vondra likes to quote his grandfather: "Do the right thing, my grandpa always said, and don't worry about it."

Vondra lives at 1126 Nordic Dr. with his wife, Theresa, and two children. He attended North Central Michigan College in Petoskey, and Northeastern Police Academy in Saginaw. He is a detective with the Charlevoix County Sheriff's Office.

Jerry Douglas of 130 Cherry St. is running for his second term on the city commission.

"The city commission has been a rewarding experience for me. I feel I've represented the average people well, contributed in some very positive and creative ways to the community, and learned a lot in four years," Douglas said.

Boyne City faces the difficult challenge of promoting economic growth while preserving the unique character of the community, he said. Sprawl may destroy the hometown feel if planned growth of our downtown isn't creative and efficient.

"By consolidating development and parking now, we can slow or even prevent the block-by-block expansion of our downtown, while at the same time increasing the economic viability of existing commercial space," Douglas said.

Douglas voted for the downtown parking district boundaries, because he said it would prevent sprawl.

On the subject of city services needed Douglas said every citizen deserves to be counted.

"City Hall can often be intimidating," Douglas said. "A constant effort is required to make the city more approachable. City services must be accessible, understandable, and as fair as possible. Above all, people need to know they are being listened to."

Douglas wants the citizens of Boyne City to be able to a get the products and services they need without driving to other cities. He also wants employers that create good, stable jobs.

Douglas is a member of the Parks and Recreation Committee.

"I designed and helped create Cherry Park, a small wildlife habitat and flower garden along South Lake Street, and I hope to see more of these pocket parks in the future," he said.

Mike Cummings, 62, said he is running because he supports Chuck Vondra and because: "It's time for the commission to use common sense," Cummings said. "I support Chuck Vondra in his decisions."

Parking, lake view, employment and business are issues he would concentrate on if elected.

Cummings said if the commissioners listened to the citizens it would stop the petition drives and advocates better communication.

The waterfront is for the community, not the special interests, he said. But for types of businesses he would like to see in the city, he said: "Anything in the industrial park."

Cummings would like more city parks and public beach area for recreation.

City Hall should have the agendas for the meetings completed in a timely fashion so that the agendas may be published in the newspapers ahead of the meeting dates.

Cummings and his wife, Lyn, have three grown children. They live at 635 North East St.