Ludington Mayoral Race

[Wonder Woman]

I found it interesting that Steve Miller spoke at a partisan event considering he is running for a non-partisan position. Even more interesting is Miller's comment (see quote below from the LDN) about what he believes the mayor's job is:  “The mayor of Ludington has to convince seven counselors what is best for the city.” I beg to differ, Mr. Miller.  It's not the mayor's job to convince counselors to do anything! Each of those seven counselors should be receiving their marching orders from their constituents; not the mayor, city manager or other members of the council. That comment makes it clear that Miller has no idea how democracy works.  Are there any other candidates interested in running for mayor?

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LUDINGTON MAYOR

Mayoral candidate Steve Miller also spoke to the crowd Saturday. Miller said he's not affiliated with any political party, but was grateful to the Mason County Democrats for inviting him to share his ideas.

He credited his father for showing him the importance of being active in the community through his time with the Elks club. And, Miller said, part of the reason he’s running for mayor is to set a similar example for his two sons.

Miller said he is a trained negotiator and presenter, and his career in hospitality, food management and sales has provided him experience in getting people to change what they’re doing in order to be successful. He said he likes to institute a business practice he calls the three “P’s” — people, product, process.

“I like to analyze each one of them and fix them individually, and you will end up with a better product,” Miller said.

“I need to know what you don’t like more than what you do like,” he added.

Miller graduated from Ludington High School in 1972. He moved back here about three years ago after living and working in southeast Michigan for 42 years. He works in business development and sales and marketing at radio station WMOM.

“I want to do it because I honestly believe I can fix things,” Miller said about his candidacy. “The mayor of Ludington has to convince seven counselors what is best for the city.”

[Willy]

I don't know anything about Miller but if he is of the same mind as the other SE Michigan transplants that control the City, I think the citizens will regret putting him in office if he teams up with the other migrants. He needs to be more specific on how he is going to contribute to getting Ludington off the progressive slide it is currently on.

[XLFD]

Processed people and product?  Where do I recall that from?

I have heard somebody else has taken out a petition for mayor, but do not know whether they followed through with it.  Isn't it amazing how much column space Steve Miller can get in the COLDNews without really saying anything substantive.

[Wonder Woman]

What does anyone know about William Dustman? I'm surprised that only two people are running for mayor.

[XLFD]

William Dustman is an interesting person that lives on the northernmost block of George Street.  I have talked with him on many occasions regarding issues that he has had with the City of Ludington over the years.  You may know him as the older gentleman that wore jaunty costumes walking along the highway near Wal-Mart and Walgreens drumming up business for the quick cash place across from Wal-mart. 

He is a very deep thinker with a very interesting past, and if he is in it to win it, or even just to make a statement, the race should be memorable. 

If the COLDNews doesn't offer him any space either due their inability to hunt him down for an interview or because of their inherent bias, I will over the next few days.

[stump]

I also have talked to Dustman at length a few times, each time  I see him now I  try to keep to the conversation short as I don't have all day to waste. He is a very knowagible person on every subject you might or might not want to talk about. I could see a council meeting lasting 3 days.   LOL

[shinblind]

3 day  council meet.

Chief Barnett with a loaded gun.

Could make Nightly News.

[AQUAMAN]

I know Miller from LHS, and he was nothing to brag about then, nor now. Plus, he left for the big city job for 42 years, and now returns close to retirement. All he brings back is his broken marriage and big city attitude and habits. He was no leader early in life, why any different now? He's in sales, and is simply making a pitch for a job he knows nothing about. I wouldn't mind seeing what Dustman looks like and has to say now too, and why the Dems. didn't also invite him to speak.

[stump]

Thinking about the mayoral  race, Dustman would be a better mayor than we have at the present time. He probably wouldn't drink known contaminated lead water.  And he will probably tell you all about the hazards of drinking it. Yes it will be a interesting race.

[AQUAMAN]

The Mayor, so called now, what a joke! She can't even pay her gas bill at the gas station without help and courtesies up on N. Washington Ave. when she visits, pathetic human being that should be in a nursing home now. And she also doesn't even spend or live her life in Ludington, but Hamlin, with some pathetic BF that takes her in. Get with the facts, it's all out there if you look and ask.

[XLFD]

Aquaman,

Like Donald Trump, you might want to exercise a little more caution with your social media posts made during the middle of the night.  The mayor has had lapses in her thought processes at times noticeable at council meetings, but sometimes we all do, perhaps even while remembering the protocols for paying bills.  

As for the anecdote concerning her spending most nights up in Hamlin with her boyfriend, I have heard this before from another source.  It worries me most that somebody is keeping such close tabs on the mayor that they can make such a statement like that.  She lives at Sherman Oaks, whether she goes elsewhere to be with a companion at times, I cannot fault her for that.

As somebody who has repeatedly been falsely accused by the city manager at public meetings of doing creepy things, I will have a propensity to defend the mayor when her character or abilities are attacked without compelling proof.  

[Freedom Seeker]

XLFD, for someone who has been repeatedly publicly scorned by the Mayor while she was a former council member for requesting too much public information through FOIA (and her rant at how much time and money is wasted), your statement to defend her shows your fairness in reporting, political relationships and if that, then fairness must be deep in your character.

I agree Aquaman, while it may be true, especially if you live at the other end and can see these activities, but her personal business is no one else's. How she performs her public responsibilities is however, and with that I understand your frustration. At least she has enough cognitive abilities left to know not to rerun.

What I can fault the former council member along with others for is allowing this city and its' management to neglect the infrastructure to get us into this looming debt. That is public business that we will be paying for 40 years. At least she didn't want to renew John Shay's contract a few times. I hope others start realizing that a really good city manager would emphasize staying within budget and taking care of infrastructure. When did that go so wrong?

[AQUAMAN]

You're right again X, but some of the truths should come out before her retirement. The BF part is from another insider/s which I must not reveal yet. City Charter requires each and every CC/Mayoral member to live in the city limits, full time . The other part on gasoline, well, that I witnessed in person at that Wash. Ave./Bryant Rd. store. I wasn't the only one laughing out loud about it in line either. I even offered her some money, but she didn't even hear me or look my way for courtesy sake, mostly deaf. The infrastructure problem didn't happen overnight either, and the Shyster knows that also all too well, along with the city pension funding. The CC should be calling the CM on this for a long several years now, but what are they continuing to do? Discussing and passing even more nonsense nowadays and ignoring even more deficits for our future.