What are the biggest challenges the City is facing in the next five years, and do you have ideas on how you’d like to see those challenges addressed?

Over the next five years, the challenges facing the city may be many of the same we are experiencing today: short-term rentals, lack of affordable housing, the availability of a stable workforce, and an aging population. These challenges are all interconnected. What happens with housing affects our ability to attract and retain a workforce, while our aging population creates additional needs for housing and services. These challenges, if left unaddressed, will impact the future of Harbor Springs. We need to be proactive in addressing them.

Infrastructure will always be a challenge, but always should remain a top priority. Therefore, I believe that separating our planning process for capital spending from the budget process will help us be able to prioritize projects and ensure there is funding so that our infrastructure can be maintained. We need to do this with preservation, charm, and strategic growth in mind.

Our City staff is an integral part of the everyday operations in Harbor Springs; with the anticipated upcoming staff turnover due to retirement, City Council will need to support the City Manager in assessing what positions are necessary to run the city well and within the confines of the budget. Ensuring policies are in place for recruiting, interviewing, hiring and training will need to be up to date to bring the right people on board.