Oakland Co. Water Resources Commissioner Race Profile: Jim Nash

Jim Nash, a Farmington Hills resident is running for Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner.

Age: 63
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family:My wife of 35 years, Karen, four children and three grandchildren living in southeast Michigan.
Occupation:Water Resources Commissioner, eight years
Previous elected experience:Oakland County Commissioner, from Farmington Hills, 2005 to 2013.
Family members in government:Just me
Campaign website: www.Nash4wrc.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
The single most important issue is climate change and its effect on extreme weather that damages our infrastructure, pollutes our environment and threatens Our lives. I am working with Oakland County communities, regional partners and state in federal regulators to develop mitigation and resiliency programs to deal with this long-term emergency. Mitigation includes developing alternative energy sources to cut down and eliminate fossil fuel use. Resiliency involves reforming our infrastructure to deal with the large and extreme weather events climate change is bringing to our area.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I have 16 year experience in Oakland County government, working with communities on Green building, sustainability and environmental issues. I have led collaborative efforts involving communities across Oakland County, our neighboring counties and cities and state agencies and organizations to bring reforms to make water service, sewer service and stormwater management more efficient and effective.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
As County Commissioner I helped create the Tri-County Sustainability Taskforce. As Water Resources commissioner I helped create the Great Lakes water authority, we created the North Oakland Water Authority, that saves four communities including Pontiac over three million dollars a year.. we created the system that allows 12 communities to send sewage flow to Pontiac for treatment, saving all the communities money every year. As Water Resources commissioner I have organized seven stormwater summits, bringing in local almost 300 elected officials, citizens and experts to discuss and learn from each other how to better treat stormwater and protect our environment and people.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
True economic recovery and success depends on having an infrastructure system that is modern and capable of supporting a good economy. The state needs to invest in the infrastructure that we all depend on for our livelihoods and our health, that includes water sewer and stormwater systems. Just our local citizens and businesses can't be the only ones to pay for these systems, we need State help to do that.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
I will always advocate for policing that is fair to all our citizens, although my position has no relation directly with police. In the operations of my office I have and will continue to ensure that all the customers we serve are treated fairly and equally. I will work to ensure all our communities have the infrastructure they need to thrive and their citizens can afford their water. As we recover from the COVID-19 we will work with our communities to ensure lead lines are replaced properly and on time, our infrastructure is kept up to date and functions at maximum capacity and ensure all our citizens have access to clean safe water at affordable prices. I have been and will continue to support efforts to bring environmental justice to all our communities. In short I believe in the triple bottom line, environmental protection for future generations, economic success and social equity, so no one is left behind.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
Protecting our water resources from stormwater pollution, chemical pollution like PFAS or the 9,000+ toxic chemical sites in SE Michigan, such as the green ooze on i-696 last year. Expanding our asset management program for our underground infrastructure, using closed circuit TV and other methods to rate the condition of pipes so we can replace older infrastructure with modern assets, engineering and technology. Ensuring all our water, sewer and stormwater systems contribute to the economic success of our region while protecting the environment and human health and life.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I am always open to questions from the public and I work to ensure we have an excellent relationship between all our communities and my office. I am always willing to come speak to any group or community and the experts on my staff are always available to answer questions from the public.