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A weekly show from the folks at East Lansing Info breaking down all the news and happenings in East Lansing, Michigan.
WDBM East Lansing.
Speaker 2:This is East Lansing insider brought to you by ELI on Impact eighty nine FM. In this show, we break down all of the news and happenings in the East Lansing community. And now, today's East Lansing insider.
Speaker 1:Hello, everyone. I'm Eli's deputy editor, analyst Nichols. Thanks for tuning in as we reach the end of election week. East Lansing voters elected two new city council members, Chuck Grigsby and Steve Whalen, and additionally voted on a millage that aimed to alleviate some of the financial strains the city is facing by utilizing the millage to fund Parks and Rec. Today, we are talking to city council members elect.
Speaker 1:And first off, we have Chuck Grigsby, and then we'll talk to Steve Whalen. Thank you so much for making time. I so appreciate it.
Speaker 3:Thank you for having me. I appreciate you.
Speaker 1:Of course. You know, right off the bat, what did election night look like for you? Were you up late? The results didn't come in until quite late into the the evening. I believe it was one or 2AM.
Speaker 1:You know, what did election night look like for you?
Speaker 3:Well, after the day ended, I went to go to the gym. I went to go workout because it was very stressful, and so I needed to get some of that energy out. So between, I believe, the last hour or so of the election, I was at the gym. And then, right after that, I went out and we grabbed the signs. Because soon as the post close, I grabbed the signs because I know that's important for a lot of people to have someone pick those all up.
Speaker 3:So my son and I went out and did that. And then that's when the night just got longer and longer and longer. And, as you know, the results didn't come too late. So, I was pretty much at home, after a while. We didn't get done with the signs until about 11:30 and twelve.
Speaker 3:So that kinda gave us a little busy work during that time frame, and then the rest is history.
Speaker 1:Yeah. I I all I went for a run during election day too. So I totally I totally get it. Obviously, not in the same shoes as you. So you kept busy.
Speaker 1:You know? Did you you did you stay up until one or 2AM to hear the results, or when did you find out?
Speaker 3:I did stay up, and, I was working. I was doing some different things, that I had outside of the election that I couldn't didn't get a chance to get to during the election. So I was looking at that information and just kinda see how it going, and I didn't purposely pay attention to the results. Like, I didn't wanna keep looking for them again to see what was going on. But everyone that supported me and, you know, was wanting me to to win were giving me updates.
Speaker 3:And so that's when I kinda got the intel about kinda what was going on, and things started to look better as the night went on. And I was really happy about that.
Speaker 1:Mhmm. You know, we talked earlier in the election cycle right before absentee ballots were going out, and I asked about, you know, your your strategy and your plan, you know, navigating this this now absentee ballot, no reason absentee ballot voting landscape we have here in Michigan. And you talked a lot about the amount of effort, the the the amount of hours, and many of those hours being on your feet, the importance of door knocking. You know, what in your mind really put you forward as a candidate?
Speaker 3:Yeah. So we when I I think when I entered the race or entered the campaign, there was only three candidates, maybe four at that time. And then all of a sudden, it got really crowded. And I had already planned on going out and and knocking on doors because that's just kind of what I think is really, really important. So I knew when we had as many candidates that we had, voters were going to be in a situation where they had a lot of things to go through in regards to who they want and who they feel is qualified.
Speaker 3:And so I really made a conscientious effort to really go out and start knocking on doors, I think, at the June, early July, right before the holiday, right after the holiday, I just was really doing that and just making connections. And I just knew that that was gonna be really, really important, and I knew that I was gonna need that extra time in order to kinda have more reach in regards to who I had conversations with. Because I knew from my previous experience that time after probably after literally July, you, like, you just don't really have a lot of time to do all those types of things. So that's what was my mindset. I thought it was really important to do that.
Speaker 3:It was really, really impactful. I had a lot of great conversations. I really got a pulse for, as I told you before, account about what was important to people. And it kinda was their first diversified between neighborhoods and some of the issues they were dealing with and some of the things that they appreciate about East Lansing. So it really gave me an opportunity to really get a feel for kinda really what people were looking for.
Speaker 1:Mhmm. You know, from the campaign finance data, we saw that you spent the I think it was all of your camp all of your campaign funds on on consulting. What what was the benefit there for you? What was what were you trying to accomplish in the in the campaign?
Speaker 3:Well, I think mostly I wanted to separate myself. You know, I know I knew that a lot of the I knew a lot of the candidates were probably gonna be sending mail. They were going to be sending you know, have their own door pieces and things like that. So I really wanted to make sure that I was very strategic in being able to have my own message because we were all kinda running on similar topics and similar issues. And so for me, I really need to get that expertise in regards to how do I go about my message.
Speaker 3:How do I go about being receptive and people being receptive for me in regards to having that that conversation, that dialogue. So I really got with a good consulting team, and, we came up with a plan to be able to do that. And so my investment of all my money and and all the things I different I did with that was really figuring out how to go best out there and make connections. And so that's kinda why my finance report looks like the way it does.
Speaker 1:Something I thought was interesting is that what won this year or in the city council election was two candidates that have very strong criminal justice backgrounds. You yourself as an investigator at the Iowa State Attorney General's Office as well as other roles. And then, you know, Steve, who has more than two decades of experience with ELPD. Do you feel like public safety was something you talked about a lot on the campaign trail? Was it something residents, you know, asked you personally about?
Speaker 1:Was that an important platform for you?
Speaker 3:No. I don't think so. I I was we didn't have very much I didn't have a lot of conversation in regards to my public safety background or my field of education and, experience professionally. It was really more about I felt like it was really more about my knowledge about the topics and my knowledge about the issues. What are my plans in doing that?
Speaker 3:And so, I I know that possibly maybe played a part because with me being a previous, person that established the police oversight independent commission and where that commission is now, A lot of people didn't didn't really understand, like, okay. So are you on this commission or you know? And and so the conversation that I did have was in regards to establishing that and and letting people know that's what I was part of, and that's what I brought to East Lansing in regards to my previous work on that. So that was pretty much the the limit about my public safety background, but a lot of people really interested about what was in front of them literally in their neighborhood about what we can do about improving things.
Speaker 1:Mhmm. What were some of the things that residents, you know, brought to your attention that that they they would like to see you maybe address on the city council? What was important to residents from from these? It sounds like numerous conversations you had with residents from all the the door knocking that you were very proud of back in, I wanna say, September.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I think mostly the hot topic was the budget, obviously, and then we were really talking about what is my plans or what is my idea about kind of fixing the budget. And I really talked to a lot of people about really using and utilizing the expertise of people who do this.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So I'm really looking forward to seeing what the financial, review task force is gonna come up with. I'm really interested in talking with more community members who have, these accountings and these finance backgrounds and really getting, and absorbing that because as you probably know, my whole campaign was community led type campaign. I really wanna get input and continue to get input from people in the community, from the expertise on commissions and really, have a collaborative approach about going forward. Because I think right now, we have a lot of work to do.
Speaker 3:And in order for that work to get done in a way that, moves us forward, we're gonna need a lot of people working together, and a lot of expertise in some of those areas to kinda really come up with something that's gonna be long term sustainable for our future.
Speaker 1:Yeah. The Parks Millage failed this this election. And I what what do you make of the the the failed Parks Millage?
Speaker 3:Well, I didn't I didn't like that as the option to address some of the things that got us here in the first place. I did like the option that voters had to be able to choose yes or no. And that democratic process, I like that part of it. But I I just I didn't I didn't think that was, the answer. You know?
Speaker 3:And I was kinda asked that, and it was kinda do I was kinda get given a double, you know, doing that that typical politician thing. Well, do you support it? What what? I do if we say yes because then that way we need to have transparency. We need make sure we spend this money right.
Speaker 3:We have certain things allocated in a certain way that allows us to get to twenty thirty and be able to be okay from that. And then I was like, well, but I kinda don't want I kinda don't support it because, we already are heavily taxed right now, as a community as far as the rate and where we're at with that. And so I just felt like that was unfair because we did this in 2016, and here we are now in 2025 asking for more of the same things to keep what we have. And so I just felt like we needed to look at ourselves operationally, structurally about kinda where we are today, what we can do about it tomorrow, and how we can go about it forward. And so I thought that was really where the work needed to be put in when it comes to the to the answer.
Speaker 3:So that was kind of my spiel in regards to the parks and recs and millages that I, you know, I really wanted us to and I was I was joking. Was kind of a jokey thing. It was like because, yes, selfishly, yeah, that would be helpful. You know, that would make it easier for me if I'm making it to get elected in regards to kind of the first steps on how we're doing that. But at the same time, I just don't think it's fair.
Speaker 1:What are some day one priorities for you, as city council? What are some of the things you're gonna do in your first, you know, first day, first week, first first month?
Speaker 3:I think, really, honestly, I'm gonna get abreast of the current decisions that have been made or the current pending decisions. I know some things that were carried over from the last meeting or two, and I just wanna get a grasp of kind of where we're at in that process and of the options and and some of the data that's that's associated with that. And I wanna be able to have it all in front of me so then I can kinda get up to speed as soon as possible because we we really need to get to work, and we really need to start moving in the right direction to some of these different things. So that's what my first priority is. Just really kinda shutting up and listening, kinda looking around and getting that information.
Speaker 3:So then I'm able to speak on it. So I'm able to decide and talk about it and question about it in in ways that I'll be beneficial to the team.
Speaker 1:Mhmm. Was there anything either poignant to you on the campaign trail, like an interaction you had with the constituent or something you learn even learned about the city of East Lansing that, you know, really, I don't know, mark something for you from this campaign?
Speaker 3:Yeah. I the the door knocking for me, I I really enjoy. It's hard grinding work, but I I gotta tell you, you know, I started late June. And, you know, by the time you get to September, September, I don't care how who you are, you are just beat up. And I just can't I I just was so empowered, and I was just so enlightened by some of the conversations that I had with people about kind of their experience in East Lansing, how much they love East Lansing, kinda what, you know, they see for their future of East Lansing.
Speaker 3:And I just I was really struck by that. I was struck by that in 2021 when I ran, but it was like, again, I just really was, I just, I guess, enlightened, empowered, motivated by being able to kinda just speak with people and have those conversations in the community because there's nothing like it usually that you would do in a normal space, going to people's door, knocking on there and saying, hi. Can I talk to you, and who I am? And and and and one of the things I love most, and sorry to go on, but one of the things I love most is knock on that door. And I got someone looking at me, and they're not quite sure, like, who's this person?
Speaker 3:Alright. And then they opened that door. We had that conversation, and we're both smiling. I'm feeling good. I'm thinking they're feeling good, and we had a positive interaction.
Speaker 3:Even if they didn't or did, you know, vote for me ultimately, it was just kinda really breaking some of those barriers and really having those conversations, and that was really special to me.
Speaker 1:Yeah. You know, something that you know, it's it's a local election, and and, you know, I said ELI and you know, constituents and other media organizations, you know, had their guesstimations of how things would shake out, but we had a a fairly large panel of candidates. And and in East Lansing, elections can be won by two votes. Like, plenty of local elections. You and Steve won by significant margins.
Speaker 1:I think the next closest candidate to you would have been Adam Delay, and you got about 600 votes more than him, which is a big deal in in in small elections. So you you won by a big margin, and I kind of asked this in the past, but, you know, that's that's a that's a significant margin. Were you expecting this?
Speaker 3:You know, I didn't know what to expect. I gotta be honest with you, because we we did have some quality candidates. We had some people who had some, great energy. They had some great ideas, and I thought it was good. I thought the competition was good because that that that created a great pool of people for people to kinda feel comfortable with and and feel like the city is gonna be in good hands.
Speaker 3:And so I didn't know how it was gonna shake out. You know, my gotta be honest with The two point twenty one, I felt like I was going to win. I had a lot of positive signs. I had a lot of positive indications that I felt like, you know, I had that enough support to win. And then when I didn't, it it you know, I was, you know, surprised.
Speaker 3:And so for this election, I didn't I didn't go there. I just knew that I had to keep working. I knew that it was gonna be possibly close, and so I just pulled all stops out. I did a lot of things I didn't do in my first election. I had a lot more community conversations and meetings and events with people in the community.
Speaker 3:I obviously made sure that I was very collaborative. I met with almost all and everyone on the current council and just really talked with them about what was going on and and, you know, kinda me working with them. I reached out to a lot of the commission chairs in the city. I just really wanted to make sure that people kinda really get the full side of Chuck Grisby as far as kinda what I was bringing to the table. And I just felt like that was really, really important.
Speaker 3:I think that really made a difference. I really do in regards to the number because I had to go out there and earn it by having those conversations, by making those connections, by having that collaborative approach in mindset and leadership.
Speaker 1:Mhmm. One point to note is that you will be replacing the only person of of color we had on city council, Dina Watson, who who stepped down from her role. I was wondering, you know, in terms of of diversity and having different voices on city council, if you have any thoughts on because some I think so much of the conversations we've had throughout this campaign is the value of listening, of of having conversations, of of reaching out and knocking on doors. I was wondering if you have any thoughts on, you know, the board maintaining a person of color on on our city government.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I think it's important. I think having a diverse group of people, is very, very important. I think it's absolutely necessary for the makeup of who we are as a city. And so I take great pride in that.
Speaker 3:I I saw someone someone sent me that there's been four, I think, people of color that served, but I'm the third elected by the city of East Lansing. I take a lot of pride in that. And, you know, I just wanna say this, and I this is really important. I know when I was running, the support I didn't get from some of the people in the community that I thought I should have based off those demographics, based off some of the things that they said was important to them and how they want to make sure that we that we ensure that as far as representation, that it wasn't there, that was odd to me. And so I wanna make sure going forward that, you know, I'm always gonna be in a situation where I'm always gonna be looking to advocate for that.
Speaker 3:And it doesn't necessarily have to be a person of color. It could be a person of a different you know, it could be any anyone in regards to diversity when it comes to that. And so I think it's really, really important for us to maintain that on council and have that representation and have that voice, because it really is the makeup of who we are as a community.
Speaker 1:Yeah. What are your expectations for the first year of your term? What do you hope to maybe accomplish? What do you hope, yeah, what do you hope to accomplish? What would and what would define, you know, success and and be like, this is why the people elected me to be here specifically?
Speaker 3:Well, what I'm hoping is to come up with a formula that allows us to governance our process. So we have things before us. We have a process that we're getting business done. I really think that's important right now is to get business done to work. And so that's my goal is to find out kind of, you know, the strengths of who we have on council and work within that.
Speaker 3:You know, as some of you people know, I'm a certified mediator as well. And so I've learned to understand how to work with people, work on issues. I embrace conflict. Conflict means there's a solution that is available to us. And so I'm hoping to be able to find my way to be able to work with my colleagues, work with the staff, city staff, work with the community, and the commissions and all that kind of stuff to be able to to keep governance going, keep us moving in the right direction, keep business working and going through, when it comes to and not be stuck on one topic or one issue for four or five meetings and have another meeting to have that meeting about that meeting and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 3:That is something that I'm not looking forward to to to kind of having in in my working process. I really wanna look at things thoroughly. Wanna be able to make decisions based off what's best in front of us and what's best for the city as far as the data is concerned and as far as kinda what has worked for other places as well that we can bring into here. So I really wanna be very collaborative and open up the book, if you will, and kinda see what we can get away with in regards to moving ourselves forward.
Speaker 1:This is an important role in our city government. So you you have a say and authority over this. What would a better East Lansing look like to you?
Speaker 3:Well, I think the city governance is responsible for three things. One is is responsible for public safety, making sure that we have certain things in place to make sure that our people are safe for the community, make sure that we're protected from hazards and things like that. And I think also the other thing is our lifestyle, our quality of life, which is associated with our parks and and and and doing those types of things and having that be something that we're gonna protect going forward. It's it's really important that I think especially with how we just voted and how people feel about that. We I wanna really make sure that people feel good about the fact that our parks and recs is gonna be secure and safe and and being able to prosper in regards to that.
Speaker 3:And then the third one is really creating revenue by working on our infrastructure, working on development projects, and really making sure that so having those three things are really, really important. I think those are the first three things that when I come to the table, what category does this fall in, and what do we need to get in this category to make it work.
Speaker 1:Is there anything that residents, whether they voted for you or not, should know about you, about what your commitment is to the city?
Speaker 3:No. I think a lot of people know a lot about me in regards to you know, based off what I've done here in the community. I think I know now some people that probably work really paying attention to me and and had their candidate or two. And now looking at some of my different information out there and some of the work that I do, I'm very open person. I love sitting down and having a conversation with people, having coffee, and maybe a little slice of pie when it comes to some of our conversations in regards to that.
Speaker 3:So I want people to know that I'm accessible. I wanna talk with you. I wanna engage with you. I wanna understand. Wanna learn from you.
Speaker 3:And I'm I'm an ex professional. You know? You know, I I do have a higher level education, but I'm also ex professional athlete. And I've been humiliated and embarrassed in front of thousands of people, in regards to my fights and things like that. And so I'm very I I feel like I'm very open to being able to say, hey.
Speaker 3:You know what? Can you tell me what you know? And I can show up and listen and understand and learn from that.
Speaker 1:And now I'm looking it up. What was what was this
Speaker 3:I was a professional fighter.
Speaker 1:I feel like I did know that.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Yeah. Is there
Speaker 1:any element of being a professional fighter that you feel like gave you an add an edge in this election or gives you an edge in this role?
Speaker 3:Oh, you wanna go there? I can tell you. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely.
Speaker 3:So I did a mixed martial arts, and in mixed martial arts, you're doing different martial arts. You're doing boxing. You're doing kickboxing. You're doing wrestling. You're doing jujitsu when you're doing all these different things.
Speaker 3:And you have to be kinda good at all of them in order to be successful. And usually for someone, you have to have your main thing. And mine's was boxing stand up and things like that. But in how that translates to the campaign, how it translates to working, you know, everyone has, you know, their thing that they're good at, but you also have to be good at other things or be willing to learn those other things in order to have a complete pitcher or a complete fighter. And so I learned that through that sport, and I've learned to apply that in life.
Speaker 3:And so, you know, by the time I ended up stop fighting, I had 33 fights, I only lost 10 times. And so when it comes to this governance, I wanna be able to be in a situation where I'm winning record. I'm able to have a little bit here, a little bit there. And when don't have it, I can go to a coach there to ask for expertise in that area, bring it in here, and then we have a full you know, because when you see that one person in the ring, everyone thinks it's that one person, but it's a whole team of people behind that person. And that's really what I think East Lansing City Council is all about.
Speaker 3:There's five of us, but there's a whole community of people that got us in those positions that we need to rely on going forward to make sure that we're making the best decisions for them going forward.
Speaker 1:Like that you said, oh, you wanna go there? I'm like, of course. That's basically the same question I asked Joe Tate about being speaker of the Michigan State House, you know, last year of, you know, what what are you taking from being or is it hard I think I asked, is it harder to be was it harder to be the captain of, you know, MSU's football team or to, you know, wrangle the Michigan State House of Representatives.
Speaker 3:Gotcha. Yep. Yep. Exactly. It all translates.
Speaker 3:You know? That's why I think, you know, I'm really excited because, you know, my son grew up in the you know, going off tangent here. I just the parks and recs is really something that is really, really important. Think to this community, talk about the quality of life. Talk about our parks and things like that.
Speaker 3:Things just gives us a culture identity, and I really want to make sure that we we we really keep that intact because I think a lot of people's confidence in what's happening next with that is kinda up in the air because we've said no as a community. And I wanna make sure we get in front of that, and people feel strong about that and know that that, at least for me, it's it's gonna be a priority that we keep that bad boy in place.
Speaker 1:But I just between you and me, was wondering where's I think it was football for your son. This is not for the podcast. I'm just curious. Where is he looking to play?
Speaker 3:Well and you can include it because I I he's a better version. He's a he's a better version of me. I I promise you that. Yeah. So he is going to be going to visit Alma College here this weekend, and they're going to do a a recruiting type event.
Speaker 3:We're gonna walk around and check out campus and check out some facilities. We're gonna check out a football game, and then we're gonna have a little dinner with the tea. You know? So I'm really excited about that because he's he's had to fight for everything he's got to get to where he's at. He started late in the sports, and he's really worked his butt off to get to where he is to have even a college to be looking at him.
Speaker 3:And in that capacity is a blessing for us as a family. And he he's got the grades where he can go anywhere he wants to go, but I think he wants to play football. And so Alma's an option for us. And if he doesn't play football, he might end up going to Michigan State and doing his thing there. So whatever he does, I'm I'm about it.
Speaker 3:But this weekend, we're about Alma. We're about the football team. We're about the event, and, just, I'm really excited for him.
Speaker 1:Hey. The the Spartan football team needs you, though. We need all the help.
Speaker 3:He's got a lot of work to do to even get to to even be able to have a chance for that. But, yeah, I we're just excited and and fortunate with that. And, you know, getting ready for some college is a is a big deal. So especially for our family in regards to education on my side of the family. I was the first to get my master's.
Speaker 3:I'm working on my doctorate now. Mhmm. And I just you know, when it comes to leadership, I really think it's all about leading my example. And like I said, he's already a better version of myself, and I'm just looking forward to seeing what he ended up doing with his little life.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Well, it's been a very exciting week for you and your family.
Speaker 3:Yes. It has. You know, you asked me earlier what, you know, what's gonna we're gonna be rolling up our sleeves. We're gonna be having long meetings, and we're gonna be figuring things out. And so it's not gonna be kissing babies and cut ribbons.
Speaker 3:It's about the work and getting things done. So I'm looking forward to doing that because that's kinda what I like to do, figuring things out.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you so much for your time, and I so appreciate it.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you.
Speaker 1:Next, we're going to be talking to city council member elect Steve Whalen. Thank you so much, Steve, for making time for East Lansing info.
Speaker 4:Yes. I'm I'm very, very happy to be able to communicate, and I really appreciate you taking the time to have this conversation.
Speaker 1:So Were you up all night waiting for the results, or what did election night look like for you?
Speaker 4:So it was a great night. We actually planned a a watch party at Grand Grillin, which is a restaurant on Harrison Road. And we end up having a quite a large crowd get there right about 08:30, 09:00. We had a whole bunch of friends go out and pick up my signs. I had almost 295 signs out all over the community, so that was quite a task.
Speaker 4:I kept track of all that. So I had a bunch of people go out and getting signs, and then we all merged and got together at the restaurant Grand Grillin. And so we ended up with a full room, and it was just really an electric environment. We didn't know any results at that time. But then as the results started coming in, we got more and more encouraged.
Speaker 4:We didn't leave there till 01:30 that night because the last results came in very late, and you don't know until you know. Right? So and there's been people elected in the city council by two votes before. So we did watch it all night. It was an encouraging night.
Speaker 4:I'm also very excited about Chuck Rigsby being elected. I really look forward to working with him, and he is a very kind and very smart person and very intelligent. So I'm really excited about working with Chuck for the next four years.
Speaker 1:Mhmm. You know, something that's interesting about both of you coming out of this election is that you both are the two candidates, I'd say, that have the most public safety background. You with more than two decades of experience with East Lansing police. One of the top issues that that residents raised during the candidate forum, the first one at the Hanna Community Center, was concerns over public safety. What do you think, you know, your public safety background really brings to to this role, and what would you like to see from public safety in in the coming days?
Speaker 4:So, yeah, I just retired in July from twenty five years, ELPD, and I I had a variety of different experiences there. I was a school resource officer for eleven years. I was a detective for six years. I was on road patrol for a very long time. I worked nights.
Speaker 4:I worked days. So I had a lot of different experiences. But I was a community member. I lived in East Lansing for years before I ever became a police officer. All that to say is that experience has really been really, I think, really valuable for me going forward.
Speaker 4:I think when we talk about law enforcement, there's an enforcement end to it. I understand that. But, also, there's a advocacy for survivors and victims. Victims. I think that really molded my perspective on the community.
Speaker 4:When you have someone that has been assaulted or you have someone that's been violently affected by by someone else. When you come in and you listen to them and you find out their needs and find out their situation and when they really start off as a victim, victimized by someone else or victimized by the community or victimized by something
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 4:It takes time to really listen to them. And the goal is to have them go from victim to survivor. And the survivor says, you're not gonna take my power away from me. And it takes some time of really listening and taking time of understanding them, understanding the whole truth, and getting to to the bottom of the truth. And then walking through with them that process is a very difficult situation.
Speaker 4:So I think in that law enforcement, the biggest challenge is to be able to learn how to listen. And I think we've gotta listen to our community. So, yeah, Chuck and I have never really worked together before. We've met each other several times, and we've always had really good interaction. I'm excited about talking about the different common issues that we'd have.
Speaker 4:And, also, a lot of people that work right next to each other can disagree on really significant things also. I think that's where that dialogue and that situation can really make a difference. He is also a he's trained in restorative justice and so am I.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 4:I used
Speaker 1:to
Speaker 4:coordinate things with the schools, bringing and restorative justice is basically bringing people to a table and allowing them to talk through how this incident has affected them. For the people that are being pointed at as the possible people that have hurt someone or the people that have been hurt. And when you sit down at a table and talk through that, it's amazing how you can have some common common outcomes.
Speaker 1:You know, I in our conversation, we were talking, prior to the absentee ballots being sent out. You discussed with East Lansing info that the reality in East Lansing is people had people were voting for two city council members, so people would have two signs in their lawn or even more.
Speaker 4:Right.
Speaker 1:You know, I think you'd mentioned it was either Republican or Democratic households would have, like, your sign and Chuck's and Liam's or or or or Katz or anyone's. Like, there would be what would appear to be different candidates, different policies in the same same lines. And, also, you know, from house to house, it'll be like a checkerboard. In terms of of, you know, communication and and perception when it comes to our political landscape, I was wondering what are some of the conversations you've had with residents and some of the the concerns that they that really stood out to you from from these conversations from door knocking. And sorry.
Speaker 1:I have I have, like, five questions in one, but I'm like Oh,
Speaker 4:that's great.
Speaker 1:It's all it's all in there. And maybe are there any interactions you've had with residents during this campaign cycle that really stood out to you?
Speaker 4:So I've knocked on approximately 3,300 doors, maybe 3,200. It's been exhausting and exhilarating. So meeting people and I thought
Speaker 2:I knew a lot of the community
Speaker 1:Mhmm.
Speaker 4:Because I've been here. I know all the streets. I know all a lot of the stuff. I've met a lot of people. And I'll have people think, like, hey.
Speaker 4:You remember when you helped me fifteen years ago? It's like, I don't remember that, but I trust the fact that happened. And signs are a funny thing. So signs don't vote, but it kinda says, I stand I don't stand with this person for everything, but I feel like this person will be a good one on city council. And again, this is a nonpartisan race, and it's a nonpartisan race for a reason.
Speaker 4:City council needs to not represent a certain party or certain people. City councils gotta represent every single person in this community, whether you agree with them or not. So I really wanna be somebody that can bring people together. So when you ask people, what do they like about East Lansing? They love their neighbors.
Speaker 4:They love their community. They love downtown. It's really what unites us, I think, is the good part. There's lots of things that we can disagree with, and there's lots of things we can be divided on. But I think that's where city council can really bring people together saying, okay.
Speaker 4:We all need our trash picked up. We all need our leaves picked up. We all need when we have an accident or a crash at Evans Saginaw, we need somebody to come and help us out. If we have a stove fire or if we have a medical incident, we need to have somebody come out and help take care of us. So that's why I'm saying there's so many things about our community that we can unite about.
Speaker 4:And so many people love this community, and then they'll say, yeah. But I see I see different things, and everybody's always fighting, and everyone's always arguing or calling each other names. It's like, yeah. I think we can rise above that. I think that's where the message that I kinda gave, I think, resonated with people.
Speaker 4:It's how have I treated you? How have I treated your students and the school? Have I treated with dignity and respect? Have I tried to bring people together instead of tearing them apart?
Speaker 1:You know, on this topic of divisiveness, though Eastlands this East Lansing race was not devoid of those divisive political conversations we're having in this country and also, you know, on a local level. There were comments made by by one candidate, Cath Edsall, to to media saying that we have a white supremacist in this election. And that
Speaker 4:I can I can answer that?
Speaker 1:So Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 4:So this is my concern. And even I just read something this morning from one of the other candidates. I have been called a lot of names, and that is so offensive to me. It's offensive to the people that I support and I wanna represent. When you're called names that are not true, you're called concepts that are not true, and those things that that has been said are absolutely not true.
Speaker 4:And ask anybody that's known me for twenty five years or twenty nine years in the area. Ask my extended family. My extended family is very broad, representing pretty much everybody in our society. All my kids live in this area, and they are all amazing people. And they are kind, and they are bright, and they are just incredible people.
Speaker 4:So when you when you when it comes down to name calling, what I'm not gonna do is go back and call somebody else name. And we've gotta raise above the name call. Don't generalize or stereotype people by just what they do for a living. There's just gotta be a way we can raise above the rhetoric. And East Lansing City Council is nonpartisan for a reason.
Speaker 4:And frankly, I have voted for both parties through the years. Okay? I vote for the person that or the concept that I believe is the right thing to go. But we are nonpartisan for a reason because we are worried about trash. We're worried about fire, police, and running in a city that represents every single person.
Speaker 1:You know, I I ask you this, and and it's because it's been something that's brought up to me. There's been concerns over, you know, maybe how on city council you would vote on things that pertain to to abortion rights and to LGBTQIA rights, which was part of that conversation of of of name calling as you discussed. Is there anything you would want, you know, residents who have have strong feelings about, you know, reproductive rights or about LGBTQIA rights that you would want residents to know about about what would you would want from the city council?
Speaker 4:Absolutely. Good question. First of all, reproductive rights. That was voted on at the state level overwhelmingly. That was, that is not a city issue.
Speaker 4:That is a statewide issue. And I will I just swear to an oath as a police officer that I would uphold all laws in the city of East Lansing and the state of Michigan and The United States. I will absolutely uphold all laws in the city of East Lansing, state of Michigan, and the federal government because of my responsibility to represent everybody in this community. And the law is the law. We all may disagree with little nuances of parts of different laws.
Speaker 4:Mhmm. K? But number one, city council doesn't have that latitude on that issue, but I will completely follow the law. On the on my LGBT community, ask the people that have my signs in their yard that represent the community. Ask the people that have been incredibly supportive of me.
Speaker 4:I respect and will represent each person in this community, including people who love each other. I think that is a a distraction to where we're trying to go. K? That's why there are underrepresented communities, and I understand that. And as a city council person, we need to make sure that we represent everyone with respect and with kindness when they either come into my home or we go out to dinner or we sit in a city council.
Speaker 4:But you when you get attacked by divisive and name calling stuff, you can't say, I am not this, and I'm not this, and I'm not that. Look at my record. Look at how I treat people. Look at how look at how I speak to people. It is really offensive to me when someone can post something online or someone can put something in a article or whatever that is not true of someone.
Speaker 4:I appreciate you asking about it. Yeah.
Speaker 1:East Lansing voters voted down the the parks millage. I was wondering, you know, where you feel that leaves the city financially and maybe what you think solutions are to East Lansing's rather imperiled financial future.
Speaker 4:Okay. So the Parks Millage did not pass. I have got very good friends who are passionate about passing that. And I've also have very good friends who are passionate about not passing that. And my concern all along is when we when we took on the income tax that that there was not officially, but there's some people talking about that we should not do any more millages.
Speaker 4:My challenge is we spend a lot of money in tax. And I think that was maybe just we just passed the school millage several years ago, and then there are other things. And he's passed a lot of millages. Okay? The challenge is, I think it becomes, at some point, a breaking point saying we it's just very expensive to live here.
Speaker 4:So the challenge is about this is so in a city manager, city council form of government, the city manager has to come up with a budget. The city council obviously can influence that, but the way the system should work is all the directors get together and decide what to do. Now the challenge is the park parks and rec department itself. So that's where this is gonna be a a sensitive situation in that budget because there's things that people really value. K.
Speaker 4:Talk to the seniors commission about how much they value the Hanna Community Center. My kids grew up at the Hanna Community Center. I I coached pal basketball. I also coached soccer and all kinds of sports, and we use the Hanna Center all the time. So that's part of our culture now.
Speaker 4:And right when I first moved in community, that's when the Hanna was old school that was abandoned and city took it over. Challenges, city took it over, and I was able to renovate it, but yet the operating cost cost the city every every year now. There is a lot of fees that come from that, so it's a really complicated equation about knowing what to do now this hasn't passed. I do know that, there's been a lot of cuts through the years. Now there's always ways that as all the directors talk about all their different budgets, there's gonna have to be some sacrifice.
Speaker 4:And I'm not gonna go in and tell any director what to do as a city council member. That would be completely out of line. And that happened quite a few years ago, four or five years ago that city council people started talking to some of the directors, and I think it's inappropriate. I think that's where the city manager's gotta lead and lead well and make sure you stop with the directors and find out where we can have some of these cuts. And they're gonna be significant, unfortunately.
Speaker 4:I give the very simplistic example that in 2008 to 2010, we had a a budget shortfall for the Whalen household. And instead of cutting gas or power, we cut the cable bill for a while. K? It wasn't very popular with teenage kids, but we did it because we had to set priorities. I think that's where the city's gonna have to set some priorities about where can things be cut.
Speaker 4:And, but, again, I'm not gonna tell the city manager what should and what should not be cut because I think that would be inappropriate, for me to come in, I'm sorry. I do I will have conversations with the city manager, but for me to go in and talk to directors and the departments, I think that's inappropriate. So it's gonna be a it's gonna be very much a big big issue, and I don't know if it's gonna be very popular because budget cuts are never popular. So where that goes and how that goes, there's gonna be some contention for that. And it would have been a lot easier for city council for that to have passed.
Speaker 4:But here we are. So, again, I've gotta learn so much. I know a lot about a lot of things. I don't know everything about everything. So I've gotta, continue to learn, continue to grow, continue to listen.
Speaker 4:And I think the real challenge is is to listen, then assess, and then make decisions that that can really benefit the whole.
Speaker 1:And I was wondering, for you specifically, if there were if there's parts of your experience or past that you feel, you know, you might bring into this role, and why is it the grit it takes? Why is the answer being a school resource officer? I'm kidding. What what is what what are things from your experience or or your life that you feel like you really bring into this role?
Speaker 4:So you asked about what does my background bring to the community and what to city council.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 4:So when I knocked on doors k. I'm not a one issue candidate, but when I knocked on doors, I'd say, hi. My name is Steve Wade, and I'm running for East Lansing City Council. I just retired from the East Lansing Police Department. A lot of people would say, thank you for your service, or they'd say something positive.
Speaker 4:And I talk about running on a platform of public safety. I never ran away from being having that as my background because it's it is who I am, and it has influenced who I am. And I think when when people talk about the core needs in someone's life, safety is a big issue. If you don't feel safe, if you're scared to walk out your door, if you are scared to walk to your car, it changes everything. You don't think about what to eat when you're scared.
Speaker 4:You don't think about the snack. So I think public safety is something we just have to make sure that that's one of the responsibilities of the city is to provide a safe environment. So I've been told that I'm a good listener. Sometimes my wife debates that. But I think making sure you listen and you take the time to find out what people are saying.
Speaker 4:I had a lot of people tell me a lot of things at those doors, and I heard them. So my law enforcement background, I think, was a negative for some, but it was also I think it was a a huge point of support that we wanna we don't wanna eliminate the police department. We don't want to eliminate laws that protect all of us. And if you are someone that is in need, will you be in a town that the town listens to you?
Speaker 1:What do you anticipate being more difficult? Your your time as a school officer or city council member?
Speaker 4:I loved being the school cop. I really loved it. I got to be colleagues with the teachers and the administration of the schools. East Sanson's got the most phenomenal teachers and the most phenomenal administration ever. So there's a few principals that are new in the last couple years that I don't know, but we would be able to dialogue about issues of how can we help these kids.
Speaker 4:So that was a blast. It was eleven years out of my twenty five. I really think that was a huge influence in me getting elected because I'd knock on the door and these people would say I would not recognize them at all. They'd say, officer Wayland, you were so good to my kids. K.
Speaker 4:I've got several kids that got in big trouble. They were some of my bigger supporters in my campaign because even if you've made some bad decisions, k, you're a kid or you're I'm sorry. You're a young person who is still learning. And and the juvenile system is designed to help correct behavior, not punish behavior. And I embrace that a 100%.
Speaker 4:So that's why all the criminal situations with the juvenile is all hidden. Because when you hit the day of 18, you start afresh. When you treat somebody that has had a bad experience with respect and you look them in the eye and you know that person's list doesn't define who they are, it makes a difference in the long run. So that was an incredible fun experience. Also, my time was a detective.
Speaker 4:I actually had to work quite a few homicides back ten years ago and just tragic, tragic situation. When you do sit with the families of someone that has been victimized and just tragic tragic situations. Myself and my partner, I was training one of our young officers the night of the MSU shooting. I was we were one of the first ones at the union. That affects how you see the world.
Speaker 4:It can be extremely negative. You can shut down and close down, or you say, I'm gonna be part of the solution. It is gonna be harder being a cop in the schools or a detective or on the road patrol where I'm up all night and I am missing holidays and missing birthdays or being on city council, I think both. I go to a lot of city council meetings, and it can be very frustrating seeing people just kind of attacking each other. But I think in the end, you've gotta come through with the best solutions.
Speaker 1:What would be now that you've been elected to to to city office, what would be the hallmarks of success from your perspective of of you as a city council member, but also things that either you and the council could do or implement or that would, in your mind, you know, mark a successful first year.
Speaker 4:Interesting. What would mark a good for successful first year? And it's it's really interesting because transitioning from running to governing is a big step. And I was careful what to promise because I'm only one vote of five, and I totally respect each and every person on this council. And I've had really good dialogue with all five as far as working on solutions together.
Speaker 4:I do think we need to adjust some ordinances that maybe have not well, maybe well intended. I don't know that they provided what people were hoping for. I think the the noise ordinance with the cars, I really think that needs to be looked at pretty quickly. I also think that there's there's a huge need for housing, and we haven't built any. Not we.
Speaker 4:I haven't built anything since I built my addition to my house. But I would like to see some progress in providing more housing close to campus. You think about every every fall or spring, you have everybody waiting up all night long, camping out, trying to get housing close to the campus. Back when I first moved to East Lansing, they started building all the North End. But a lot of students don't wanna live that far north.
Speaker 4:K? It's just inconvenient. So there's been a lot of growth in Lansing, and there's been a lot of growth in, Meridian Township. I think there's some uniquenesses to some of our our existing codes and laws that I think that we can look at. So I would like to see there's be some progress and some more providing housing close to campus.
Speaker 4:Also, the the market has changed a lot with I'll give you an example of a student bookstore. When I first got here, that place was packed all the time, everybody buying their books. Doesn't happen anymore. Right? So even though that company's got a lot of great products, it's really changed.
Speaker 4:Okay? There's a lot of different things that have changed in the market. I think the city's gotta be responsive to that and find out how we can continue to provide a variety of housing for a variety of people, including students. Because news flash, we live across the street from a huge university that has needs, and we've gotta work well with that university. I live two blocks from campus.
Speaker 4:We hear the band practicing. We walk to games. So I'm so thankful we don't have to ride the game. My wife and I walked to tailgates. And by the way, I get to go to games and watch now as compared to working then, which is actually a really great thing.
Speaker 4:We have really fun doing that. Anyway, so what do I do the first year? I would like to see some progress downtown. Also, there is a multipronged approach that needs to happen to the unhoused. Those people, men and women, are in a very, very difficult situation.
Speaker 4:So they need to be provided services. They need it public and private. There is there does need to be some kind of multipronged approach to assist that situation and assist those people. So when you get to know someone's name and their names are blank, blank, blank, all of sudden it humanizes the situation and I really think I would love to figure out how we can better take care of that. When I talk to the people that are living down there or staying down there at least during the day, they'll say, well, eSancting is great because people give us all we need.
Speaker 4:Maybe that might be a little bit of a problem. People are given different things that like alcohol and, like, some resources that aren't necessarily helping the situation. So that is something that really troubles me, and I would love to be part of that solution. Also, I think the city can also continue to making some strides in that area. Our pump our our unhoused population has grown dramatically over the last year for several reasons that I can't get into right now.
Speaker 4:So okay. So we have a bigger challenge. It's a regional challenge. Lansing's dealing with the same issues. East Lansing Police Department's got several social workers who are phenomenal.
Speaker 4:But I think it's it's gotta be a multipronged approach. It's just again, that's just one small issue, but it's an issue that does affect a lot of people.
Speaker 1:Is there anything that, you know, residents should know about you whether they voted for you or not that you would want them to know about what you feel like your responsibility is to the to the city and who you are.
Speaker 4:K. So who am I? It's interesting because it's interesting to define yourself. Mhmm. When I I think about it, I am a husband.
Speaker 4:I am a dad. I am a grandparent. I am a community member. I am a citizen of an amazing town. I am a as mentioned before, I'm a listener.
Speaker 4:I am compassionate. I'm also stern. I will defend people all day long. I will stand up for people that don't have a voice. I do appreciate the people that have supported me in this campaign, but I also appreciate those who did not support me in this campaign.
Speaker 4:We may not agree on everything, but I think we need to come to the common good of what's the best for the city. So that's kinda who I am. I think we're all known by our character. We're all known by who we are. I'm also a person of faith, and I think that's also a very part very it's a part of who I am that makes me more compassionate and makes me more kind and discerning.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining me today, Steve.
Speaker 4:Well, thank you. I appreciate Anna having me here today.
Speaker 1:This has been East Lansing Insider. I'm East Lansing info deputy editor, Anna Liz Nichols. Tune in next week for more conversations happening in the city.
Speaker 2:East Lansing Insider is brought to you by ELI on Impact eighty nine FM. We are on the web at eastlancinginfo.news and impact89fm.org. Thanks for listening.