Without fear or favor, Saline Journal turned to the second of three former members of Saline City Council posing the same questions introduced yesterday in Part 1 of this series. [1]
Mary Hess came to Saline in 1955 before the age of eighteen. She served as an elected member of our Council for twenty-two years between 1972 and 2005, having “lost a couple of times in there somewhere.” We’ve been talking politics with Ms Hess since 1986.
Saline Journal: “Describe the appropriate role of ‘local government.'”
Mary Hess: “Good government starts at home. It should have to work on a budget, as people have to work to a budget. I think we have too many tentacles out of our local government. We should be focused on safety and health — water, sewer, air quality.”
Saline Journal: “How would you describe ‘Saline Politics’ to an outsider?”
Mary Hess: “Now? Not thirty or forty years ago? It’s changed.
Building codes have become more lenient. There’s more density allowed.
Saline Journal: “What trait or approach do you think made you most effective during your time as a part of City Council?”
Mary Hess: “Attendance — as opposed to absenteeism.
Good City Council Members need to have a vision for the future: When we take an action, you don’t necessarily see the ramifications twenty years down the road.
Council Members need to remember that they are elected to serve, not annointed to rule.”
Saline Journal: “Is there ‘something bigger’ — perhaps timeless — that you believe could be viewed as a unifier for this community?”
Mary Hess: “You have to have a plan. We have all sorts of ‘plans.’ But sometimes those are just put down to appease.”
Saline Journal: “Where did you draw the line between your responsibility to make decisions based on unique access to informatiom on issues and following popular will of citizens?”
Mary Hess: “There are certain things that are guidelines. Other things can be taken as guidelines so long as what they’re a part of is followed — like our budget.
If I’m doing something big, I have to shorten other things. We don’t have the money that we used to. Residential doesn’t pay for itself. So the sales pitches should be done at the beginning of the budget planning process if they are to be financed.
Saline Journal: “Out side of Saline, what is your favorite town in Michigan? why?”
Mary Hess: “I’ve been watching Milan. Because they have a main street, too. I think of them for comparison on growth, budget, services. I think Milan does more as far as giving for what they get. Their downtown isn’t as close to Ann Arbor, of course. They have US-23, but it hasn’t killed downtown.” [2,3]
Additionally, each former Saline City Council Member was offered the opportunity to put forth a question of their own and then answer it for publication here.
Mary Hess: “Do I have good input by attending Council Meetings and using three minutes?
Answer: “I wonder, ‘Why do you do it, Mary?’ It’s home. As a parent protects a child, I want to help my home city.”
Read Part 3 of this series here tomorrow.
References
- “A perspective on past service as part of Saline City Council, Part 1 of 3: Our dicussion with former member David Rhoads” Dell Deaton (October 23, 2019) Saline Journal.
- Milan Michigan (home page).
- “MiPlace” Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
