Posted on 04/19/2005 9:33:57 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
Meadows reflects on tenure as mayor
By MELISSA DOMSIC
The State News
Editor's note: This is the third in a five-part series to reintroduce the people who run East Lansing. Two council members, Bill Sharp and Vic Loomis, are up for re-election this fall.
When East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows was elected as the city's top leader in 1997, he had no idea his duties would involve marriage ceremonies.
"One of the things I get the biggest kick out of as mayor is I perform weddings," Meadows said. "After I was elected ... a friend of mine had called and asked if you can perform my wedding ceremony, and I said 'Gee, I don't know.'"
Meadows said he does about 12 civil ceremonies a year.
As mayor, Meadows leads weekly City Council meetings and addresses residents' concerns. Outside his elected position, he works as a defense attorney and finds time to exercise and golf.
In about a year and a half, Meadows said he hopes to add something else to his résumé - state representative.
"I had been thinking about it for a while," he said. "We've had a history of really tremendous state representatives from this area, people who put the interest of the communities they represent first, and I want to make sure that tradition continues."
The term limit for Rep. Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, will expire in about a year and a half.
Meadows was elected to the City Council in 1995. He became mayor in 1997 and has since been re-elected three times.
"By being able to lead the council, I've made sure that every council member has a voice in the decision-making process," he said.
The city's Youth Action Team Coordinator Kathleen Miller said the mayor has done a good job bringing MSU students and community members together.
Miller noted a time when Meadows acknowledged a group of students for their community service at a council meeting.
But there is still more work to be done, said Sarah Sherwood, a communication senior and neighborhood resource coordinator for the Community Relations Coalition.
Students need to be more active in the community and voice their opinions, and the city could work on listening, Sherwood said.
"A lot of times, (the city's) policies make students feel not welcome," she said.
He's anti-gun and fiscally irresponsible. "We're in court all the time anyway" was one of his responses to supporting an illegal anti-gun law(banning guns on all city property). Not only is it anti-2a, but it wastes tax money in court with the attorney fees. EL was in debt when this passed.
The City of EL is terrible with the 4th amendment with their building cops. Their police force are REO's and not LEO's and have idiots like Officer Quentin Martin who writes tickets to drivers who get rear-ended. I really don't want to see these policies going statewide.
Unfortunatly, the district is becoming extremely democrat with the way Meridian Twp is shifting - Went 60% for Kerry. East Lansing is the most dem city in Ingham County, and Williamstown Twp is too small.
I didn't think it could get worse than Gretchen Whitmer there......
I gave up on Michigan 20 years ago and moved to Texas. Used to live in Delta township near Lansing Mall. Beautiful state, but I don't recognize it Lansing anymore, mostly thanks to MSU and now they are building Cadillacs! Makes me puke! Come down to Texas Dan! Plenty of room and libs live in fear here!
Come down to Texas Dan! Plenty of room and libs live in fear here!
I've been tempted, but most of my connections are here at home, and it's who you know as much as what you know. I also may run for office at some point, and carpetbaggers are frowned upon.
Although Steve Stockman won......
Meadows is still Mayor? Man, he was appointed/elected when I started grad school. I tried to vote out Gretchen, but I was hopelessly outnumbered. Didn't she win Stabenow's old seat, or am I remembering someone else?
Gretchen Whitmer took the seat from Laura Baird(A great reason for term limits). Stabenow's old seat went to Mike Rogers.
Ah, OK. Was Stabenow in that seat before Baird? I just remember getting annoying campaign calls for GW on my answering machine. Just because I lived in Spartan Village didn't mean I was voting D...
The State Senate seat was Dianne Byrum's until 2002 when Virg Bernero took it. I think Stamenow had that seat before 1996.
The Congressional Seat was Bob Carr 92-94, Dick Chrysler 94-96, Stabmenow from 96-2000, and Rogers from 2000-present.
Yep. My dad was director of Public Information under that crook Richard Austin. Miss the landscape of the UP, but little else. Most of my family still lives there. Oh well
Well, Meadows now makes at least three for the 69th:
Curtis Hertel Jr.
Mary Lindemann
Mark Meadows
Unfortunately, a Republican is not going to win the 69th. I should know, I ran Angela Lindsay's campaign last year. There is few ways a Republican can win: (1) Be Pro-Choice; (2) Have a ton of money; and (3) Mail the hell out of Meridian Township; (4) Be a woman.
Also, if Bernero becomes Mayor of Lansing, Whitmer is going to run for the 23rd District.
I recall a pro-choice woman ran against Stabenow in '98. I voted Constitution Party that year...
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