The Dexter Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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Ouimet, Borregard square off for District 1 seat
By Sean Dalton, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: October 23, 2008
Democrat Eric Borregard will face off against sitting Republican County Commissioner Mark Ouimet, District 1, to represent Dexter Village, Chelsea, and Lyndon, Dexter, Sylvan, Lima and portions of Webster and Scio townships.
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They were asked several questions intended to reveal who they are, their motivations for seeking public office and their understanding of the people whom they seek to represent on the county commission.
What do you possess as an individual that you think makes you the best candidate for Washtenaw County commissioner?
Ouimet: As the two-term incumbent of the first district Washtenaw County Commissioner, I am running for re-election in order to continue to use my experience and expertise in finance to once again balance the county budget; to continue to find innovative and appropriate solutions to support the retirement fund without burdening the general county budget; to provide our county road patrol; and to provide cost-effective, non-duplicative county services to tax-payers.
Borregard: What makes me particularly well suited is that I'm very analytical and detail-orientated. I'm capable of thinking outside the box on the most complex issues creating original solutions where others see none.
Describe the way you intend to represent the people living in your district.
Ouimet: I will be privileged to continue to serve on the Road Commission; to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Elected Officials in Washtenaw County; to continue to be the liaison to the Michigan Township Association of Washtenaw County; to be a member of the MSU Extension and 4-H representative; to be a member of the Police Servicing committee; to serve on the Workforce Development Board; to continue to be present at the many township, village and city meetings throughout the month.
Borregard: For the board to be successful the average citizen needs to buy into the mission of county government. There is a general malaise and apathy among the district's citizens, too often less than 50 percent of the electorate even bothers to vote. To change this I would hold forums designed to gather consensus and build plans of action that each citizen can take ownership in. If we are to move toward economic prosperity the government needs to be coming from the bottom up and not from the top down.
Describe the challenges that the county faces in both the near- and long-term. Which of them is paramount to the well being of residents in this county? Narrow your focus from broad to just your district.
Ouimet: The most important challenge that the county faces in both the near- and long-term future is maintaining and balancing the budget. This needs to be done in order to continue to provide necessary services to all residents. Of paramount importance to my district is maintaining affordable and appropriate police road patrol.
Borregard: The county's population has grown by 20 percent in the last 25 years yet county services have not kept pace with this level of growth. There are shortfalls in many areas but the most critical areas are in police services and major infrastructure failures that have resulted in overcrowding in the county's correctional facilities. Falling property values resulting from the mortgage market meltdown and subsequent foreclosure crisis has created a 3 to 4 percent loss in state equalized values. This after many of years of 6 to 7 percent revenue increases has created a dramatic funding gap. Obviously increasing property values in the district should be the county's number one priority. This requires that the county attract the kinds of new industries that can increase the overall property value of the county without eroding the quality of life.
Give us a brief narrative of your personal background.
Ouimet: I am a fifth-generation Washtenaw County resident coming from a long line of public servants. My grandfather served on the Washtenaw County board in the 1930s and my father was an Ann Arbor City Councilman in the 1950s. I, too, served on the Ann Arbor City Council from 1988 to 1992. I have raised both my children here and am proud to have my grandson, Trey, a county resident as well as a constituent.
I have chaired many of the county nonprofit organizations during my working career, including the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce; the Washtenaw Economic Development Council; the Ann Arbor Convention and Visitors Bureau. Most recently, I have been the Chairman of the Board of the county American Red Cross, Ele's Place, Resource Chair for United Way, Vice-Chair of the Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce, Mott Children's Hospital Community Board, trustee of Cleary University, and co-chair of the county's Success by Six program.
Borregard: I am President of EB Graphics/Artech LLC, a technical publication company in Livonia. In my early career I worked on many private sector military projects including secret-level proposal work at Williams International Corp., publications for TACOM on the early XM1 tank, technical manuals for the Marine Corps Logistic Vehicle System produced by Oshkosh Truck in Wisconsin as well as publications for airport crash trucks for the Air Force.
In 1998 I took over running the family business from my brother Todd. At that time the company produced technical manuals and process engineering for Ford Motor Company's Body & Assembly and Service divisions as well as for Mazda North America, which continues today.
I have worked on many school board committees over the years; including the Farmington District's "Mission 2007" committee in 1997, this led to the passage of a $93 million school improvement bond for technology. I was also an Odyssey of the Mind (OM) coach for three years, winning the Outstanding OMer in 1995. In 1998 I ran for the Michigan State Board of Education. I came into the national spotlight when the Green Party of Michigan nominated me for the U.S. Senate in 2002. I have also been a tireless advocate of public access television serving on the Southwest Oakland County Cable Commission's Promotions Committee in 2005 and producing the environmental issues TV talk show, "In The Green." I have been a Webster Township resident since 2006.
For the rest of the interview with Mark Ouimet and Eric Borregard, visit www.chelsea standard.com or www.dexterleader.com.
Describe how you intend to represent your district when making decisions that affect economic development. What is your vision of the district over the next couple of decades?
Ouimet: When re-elected, I will continue to respect the will and concerns of the various jurisdictions that I represent. To ensure this, the Dexter Area and Chelsea Area Planning teams meet to coordinate and cooperate in executing a regional development plan that honors the wishes of each governmental jurisdiction.
Borregard: The county needs to declare an economic energy emergency. After declaring that emergency the county would present a plan to the federal government for economic relief similar to that of the New Deal of the 1930s. We know in 20 years fossil fuels will no longer be the fuel of choice for land transportation. The fossil fuel-based airline industry will also be eventually priced out of existence for middle class travelers.
Part of the relief package would be grants for the two state universities in our county, to research, design/engineer, build and provide logistical support for a high-speed electrical based land system. This would replace airliners and current passenger rail trains. Most likely it will be similar to the German-designed "maglev" trains now in service in China, only much larger and faster.
The other part of this proposal would be for design/research grants for the electrical based automobiles of the future. Since our transportation systems would now be electrically based our county would have to dramatically increase electricity production.
What sort of opportunities do you see for infrastructure improvements, both in the county and in your district, and how do you intend to work toward making them happen?
Ouimet: My current focus in infrastructure improvement has been and continues to be Wireless Washtenaw in order to provide Internet access to all residents. This will benefit my district as well as the county.
Borregard: Many communities around the state such as Traverse City, Wyandotte and Grand Blanc supplement property tax revenue with public power income. Washtenaw County and my district could easily join these growing numbers of communities. This would not only provide lower cost electrical power to local residents and business but better capitalize the county and eventually reduce the tax rates.
With that said - budgets are tightening. How do you deal with shrinking revenue streams?
Ouimet: To offset the shrinking revenue streams, partnering with the private sector is an important approach. For example, I have been involved with a program with Chrysler Corporation to assess the viability of wind technology in our county. Also, it is important to continue to partner with all governmental jurisdictions to eliminate duplication of services. A recent success has been combining the Human Resources of the Sheriff's Department and the Road Commission into the general HR functions of the county.
Borregard: With more higher paying jobs in the growing areas of solar, wind power and a new high-tech green transportation sector Washtenaw County would become one the most prosperous areas in the world, a Seattle, Washington, Saudi Arabia and major transportation capital all in one.
The average resident's incomes in the county could easily double in just 10 years. This would drive up local property values to levels that exceed the county's modest needs and allow the county to actually lower the current property tax rates.
How would you improve the quality of life in the county and in your district?
Ouimet: As cited in earlier questions, providing the most services in the most cost-effective manner will improve our lives in Washtenaw County. We are working toward easy access to the Internet, decreasing the tax burden by combining services, improving safety by maintaining road patrol and exploring new technologies for energy efficiency.
Borregard: First by improving the general standard of living though better job opportunities, this allows for the kind of prosperity that can fully fund county services. I would also focus on smart growth, better design and better public safety through improved bike paths, etc.
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