Meet Charlie
A Little Background
Charlie and his wife Deanna, a local ceramics artist, live in a mid-century home in Ward 2 with their dog, Harry, and two cats, Eleanor and Peaches. After decades of executive leadership in freight transportation—including starting, turning around, and leading companies—Charlie is now semi-retired and focused on giving back.
He’s a familiar face around town:
• Former leader of the Petoskey Weight Warriors
• Active member of the Petoskey Curling Club
• Election Inspector for the City of Petoskey
• Serves on City of Petoskey Planning Commission (4 years)
• Sits on the Zoning Review and Sign committees
Charlie brings both real-world leadership and deep community.
My Top Issues
HOUSING– As councilman I will continue to prioritize 3 critical housing issues…
Availability – Petoskey is in the process of adding nearly 300 much needed new housing units, but there is more to do. Additional housing options are needed to address Petoskey’s changing demographics and to encourage young families and commuting workers to live and work in our beautiful city. I support continued efforts to encourage housing
development at all income levels.
Accessibility – Petoskey’s zoning code is out of date, out of step with current state and federal law, and desperately in need of upgrading to meet the needs of the community by protecting existing properties, reducing red tape and opening the door to new, safe and affordable possibilities. In addition to zoning reform, I support the consideration of new tools like a rental inspection program to insure quality living conditions for all residents.
Affordability – While local government cannot control the price of real estate or building materials, we can make sure to include attractive options for “missing middle” and “workforce” housing in new development. Working with Housing North and other housing focused non-profits, we should continue to seek out public and private sources like the current CHILL grant program to lower the cost of home improvement and maintenance for lower income homeowners. Tax incentives can and
should also be used to ease the burden of property cost for our restricted income neighbors.
My Top Issues
DOWNTOWN VACANCIES – The city has tolerated empty space and poor property maintenance by a couple of downtown landlords for far too long. It is bad for the city’s high quality resort image and bad for the majority of good business owners and commercial landlords. Property ownership and good citizenship are a balance of both rights and responsibilities.
I intend to work with the City and the County to make sure that errant landlords clearly understand their responsibilities to develop and maintain high quality properties, and to embrace new strategies to require compliance or leave town.
PARKS & REC – Petoskey is blessed with a gorgeous natural setting, a wonderful four-season climate, and a bounty of parks for both residents and visitors to enjoy. Petoskey’s parks and natural surroundings are the crown jewel in our reputation as a vacation destination, but the maintenance and improvement of our parks come at a steep cost. Limited tax dollars struggle more and more each year to cover that cost. I support an expanded citizen dialogue to discuss potential improvements to our amazing park system and future funding strategies for keeping them in tiptop shape.
REGIONAL COORDINATION – Increasingly, the physical and political boundaries between Petoskey/Bay Harbor, Bay View, Bear Creek and Resort Township are becoming blurred by expansive growth. To both full-time and seasonal residents we are collectively and essentially one seamless destination and community. These local jurisdictions have a long history of friendship and loose cooperation, but more can be done to coordinate future development and investment priorities while maintaining the unique character and quality of each. I support having a regional leadership council (to include both county and state representatives) to discuss issues and projects of mutual interest to help guide the future of the region.