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WSW: Proposal Would Change Elections in Kalamazoo

WMUK

Voters in Kalamazoo will decide whether to change the way the city's mayor and city council are elected on November fourth. 

The proposed amendments to the city charter call for a separate election of the mayor, while city commissioners would be elected to four-year terms, which would be staggered. Currently the whole seven-member commission is elected every two years. The candidate who receives the most votes becomes mayor, while the second-place finisher is vice-mayor. The mayor would still be elected every two years. 

Kalamazoo Planning Commission Chairman Mark Fricke and former Kalamazoo Vice Mayor Al Heilman wrote opposing op-eds for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Fricke supports the changes to the city charter, while Heilman opposes them. WMUK's Gordon Evans invited both men to discuss the proposed changes on the November ballot. 

citycharter102314-end-web.mp3
Mark Fricke and Al Heilman summarize their positions on the city charter amendments

Fricke says Kalamazoo has changed over the years and its charter needs to change with the times. He says having commissioners serve four-year terms would provide stability. Fricke says under the current system voters have to wade through a large number of candidates to find seven qualified to serve on the commission. 

But Heilman says Kalamazoo has done well under its current city manager form of government. He says the positions of mayor and vice-mayor are "ceremonial." Heilman says there doesn't seem to be a "ground swell" of support to change Kalamazoo elections. He worried about Kalamazoo moving to a "strong mayor" form of city government. 

citycharter102314-web.mp3
Mark Fricke and Al Heilman on proposed changes to the Kalamazoo City Charter - web version

Fricke says the proposed change does not call for a "strong mayor" form of government. But he says a separate election of the mayor will require candidates for the job to articulate their vision for the city and what they want to do if elected. Fricke says Kalamazoo is unique in the way that it elects the mayor. He says most other cities approximately the size of Kalamazoo have a separate election for mayor. 

Heilman worries that the mayor elected separately from the commission will create the impression that the office holds additional power. As far as stability, Heilman says there has been little turnover on the city commission in recent elections. 

Gordon Evans became WMUK's Content Director in 2019 after more than 20 years as an anchor, host and reporter. A 1990 graduate of Michigan State, he began work at WMUK in 1996.