Candidate Profile: Sharlan Douglas, Royal Oak Commissioner

ROYAL OAK, MI — There are three City Commissioner positions available in November's general election.

To help readers make informed choices, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Sharlan Douglas, 69, is running for Royal Oak Commissioner.

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Party Affiliation

Non partisan

Family

Spouse Ken Hebenstreit. Married 26 years.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

no

Education

BA, Journalism, Michigan State University

Occupation

Retired as a public relations consultant, after a career in communications and nonprofit and association management

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Royal Oak City Commissioner

Campaign website

sharlandouglas.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

We accomplished so much in my first two terms on the commission. We built a new city hall and police station and two parks. We pioneered in Michigan in building green infrastructure to keep stormwater out of our combined sewer system. We were rated one of the safest cities in Michigan. We continued to strengthen our neighborhoods with the services people want: Strong public safety, reliable solid waste and recyling services, curbside leaf pickup, and strong code enforcement. I see the coming as a time to measure the effects of those successes and plan for the future. We will create a new master plan, driven by epic community engagement. We will complete our work to make sure our seniors can age in place here and we will define the work to be done to be carbon neutral by 2050.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

In the past few years we've seen extreme storms overwhelm our combined sewer system. Climate models predict that this will continue or get worse. We've built bioswales and rain gardens in Royal Oak but this isn't just our problem; we share it with 11 other south Oakland communities. I will take advantage of the knowledge I've built through my work with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) and my strong relationship with the Oakland County Water Commissioner to forge solutions that benefit all in our region.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I bring exception experience in urban planning to the commission. Much of my career work was in community- and economic development. I'm a past president of the Michigan Association of Planning, a member of the SEMCOG executive committee and serve on the Michigan Municipal League's land use and economic development policy committee. I've been a planning commissioner for 15 years

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The current commissioners, with whom I am privileged to serve, have ably served the people of Royal Oak. We have listened to the voters through multiple channels and based our decisions on that information. We conduct a biannual quantitative survey that consistently shows the approval of our Royal Oak's residents. Hundreds of people participated in the community engagement process that defined our two new parks. We used statistically valid quantitative surveys to determine if and how we should allow marijuana businesses in the city. We use multiple channels to convey information: A TV channel, quarterly magazine, weekly enews, website, custom text messaging and water bill messages, to name a few. The current city commission is a model of good governance.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

The city's staff acted quickly and decisively in response to the pandemic, following all state and county mandates and taking advantage of services offered by Oakland County. We deployed relief funds to lower-income employees of local businesses, especially in food service establishments. We directed funds to help people at risk of losing their housing. We now planning how we will spend an additional $28 million in relief funds to further benefit our residents and businesses.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

As a planner, I am focused on our future; On a city that is safe, accessible, welcoming and sustainable. I support the renewal of the public safety millage to continue to deliver first-rate police, fire and EMS services. I am proud to be endorsed by the police officers' and firefighters' unions. We will complete the work of the Senior Services/Aging in Place Task Force to make our city accessible to all. I everyone who wants to live here to have that opportunity by offering a wider range of housing that meets current customer demand. And we must continue to do our part to reduce greenhouse gases and conserve resources.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Experience matters. I've spent two terms on the commission, approving budgets and understanding the complex, behind the scenes necessities of municipal governance like pensions, investments, the open meetings act and labor negotiations. My extensive experience as a planner makes we well suited to serve on the commission as we begin a new master plan.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

You don't learn anything when you're talking.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

For more information visit sharlandouglas.com