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Despite a city budget situation that’s tighter than a few years ago, Petoskey Mayor-elect Bill Fraser doesn’t believe officials will be constrained from pursuing at least a few new initiatives in the coming year.
Fraser, who will turn 63 on Thursday, is slated to take office in early January. He received 754 votes in the Nov. 8 mayoral election, compared to candidate Brian Sommerfield’s 364. As mayor, Fraser will succeed Ted Pall, who decided not to pursue re-election this year.
Fraser, the co-owner of Jesperson’s Restaurant, said he hadn’t been totally confident that he’d prevail in the election as it approached. But in the end, the former Petoskey City Council member believes his message turned out to be an effective one.
“I think my campaign message was clear — that experience counts,” he said. “I think it was clear that I had more experience in city government. I think that’s important in providing leadership.”
In his decisions to pursue elected office in recent years — he was elected to his two-year council term in 2008 — Fraser said, “I’ve always been interested in the process and the opportunity to serve the city. I’ve lived here a long time, and it’s been a great town.”
Eyeing the budget picture
During this fall’s election campaign, Fraser noted his expectation that the city’s tight financial picture — taxable property values have been on the decline in recent years in Petoskey and many other Michigan communities — would be one of the most demanding issues for city officials in 2012.
The city budget proposal staff recently introduced for 2012 “looks like it’s going to be balanced, with no need to increase millages and no drastic cuts to be made, so that’s really good news,” he said.
Even so, he senses a need for officials to keep tabs on the budget picture as the year goes on. He hopes city staff can provide reports, perhaps quarterly, on how actual financial figures are turning out compared to what was budgeted.
Ideas taking root
Along with any ideas that elected officials bring forward themselves, Fraser noted that city initiatives can be inspired by a variety of other sources — such as the city’s comprehensive plan, citizen input and interactions with officials in other communities.
Fraser noted several projects he believes the city perhaps could begin working toward at modest cost this year. For example, in years past, he noted that there was some interest in establishing a dog park on the community’s south side, using a former landfill site near the intersection of Howard and River roads.
“That’s a reasonable thing to do, where people could take their dogs and let them run off-leash,” he said. “It’s a great spot. It’s got a great view.”
Improving downtown streets’ usability for bicyclists — with directional signs and bicycle lanes adjacent to those meant for motor vehicles — is another project that Fraser hopes can get consideration in the near future.
“Again — not a big project, but something that has received public interest,” he noted.
Fraser made plans to attend a Michigan Municipal League conference for newly elected officials in late November in Boyne City, noting that this would provide a chance for incoming officeholders around the region to share ideas.
Fraser said a mayor’s exchange might be another idea-sharing initiative worth pursuing. He’s not yet clear which community he’d like to exchange mayoral visits with, but noted that Traverse City has some similar concerns to Petoskey, such as waterfront matters, downtown development and transportation issues.
The mayor-elect also hopes the city can take some steps in the coming year toward improving downtown parking availability. He’d like to see some conversation about possibly constructing a deck over an existing downtown parking lot to create additional spaces.
Debt used to acquire a public parking lot next to The Grain Train Natural Foods Market on Mitchell Street is set to be paid off in the near future, and Fraser said the dollars freed up perhaps could be used to service new bonds if they’re issued to pay for a deck.
Fraser, who will turn 63 on Thursday, is slated to take office in early January. He received 754 votes in the Nov. 8 mayoral election, compared to candidate Brian Sommerfield’s 364. As mayor, Fraser will succeed Ted Pall, who decided not to pursue re-election this year.
Fraser, the co-owner of Jesperson’s Restaurant, said he hadn’t been totally confident that he’d prevail in the election as it approached. But in the end, the former Petoskey City Council member believes his message turned out to be an effective one.
“I think my campaign message was clear — that experience counts,” he said. “I think it was clear that I had more experience in city government. I think that’s important in providing leadership.”
In his decisions to pursue elected office in recent years — he was elected to his two-year council term in 2008 — Fraser said, “I’ve always been interested in the process and the opportunity to serve the city. I’ve lived here a long time, and it’s been a great town.”
Eyeing the budget picture
During this fall’s election campaign, Fraser noted his expectation that the city’s tight financial picture — taxable property values have been on the decline in recent years in Petoskey and many other Michigan communities — would be one of the most demanding issues for city officials in 2012.
The city budget proposal staff recently introduced for 2012 “looks like it’s going to be balanced, with no need to increase millages and no drastic cuts to be made, so that’s really good news,” he said.
Even so, he senses a need for officials to keep tabs on the budget picture as the year goes on. He hopes city staff can provide reports, perhaps quarterly, on how actual financial figures are turning out compared to what was budgeted.
Ideas taking root
Along with any ideas that elected officials bring forward themselves, Fraser noted that city initiatives can be inspired by a variety of other sources — such as the city’s comprehensive plan, citizen input and interactions with officials in other communities.
Fraser noted several projects he believes the city perhaps could begin working toward at modest cost this year. For example, in years past, he noted that there was some interest in establishing a dog park on the community’s south side, using a former landfill site near the intersection of Howard and River roads.
“That’s a reasonable thing to do, where people could take their dogs and let them run off-leash,” he said. “It’s a great spot. It’s got a great view.”
Improving downtown streets’ usability for bicyclists — with directional signs and bicycle lanes adjacent to those meant for motor vehicles — is another project that Fraser hopes can get consideration in the near future.
“Again — not a big project, but something that has received public interest,” he noted.
Fraser made plans to attend a Michigan Municipal League conference for newly elected officials in late November in Boyne City, noting that this would provide a chance for incoming officeholders around the region to share ideas.
Fraser said a mayor’s exchange might be another idea-sharing initiative worth pursuing. He’s not yet clear which community he’d like to exchange mayoral visits with, but noted that Traverse City has some similar concerns to Petoskey, such as waterfront matters, downtown development and transportation issues.
The mayor-elect also hopes the city can take some steps in the coming year toward improving downtown parking availability. He’d like to see some conversation about possibly constructing a deck over an existing downtown parking lot to create additional spaces.
Debt used to acquire a public parking lot next to The Grain Train Natural Foods Market on Mitchell Street is set to be paid off in the near future, and Fraser said the dollars freed up perhaps could be used to service new bonds if they’re issued to pay for a deck.
