NORTON SHORES, MI – Seven candidates, including three incumbents, are vying for four at-large seats on the Norton Shores City Council in November.
The candidates are Crystal L. Andree, Sandy Anton, Allison Lucas and Jamie Sowa and incumbents Michael Hylland, Roger C. Morgenstern and William Moulatsiotis. Incumbent Terry Sladick is not seeking re-election.
The election for the four-year seats is Tuesday, Nov. 2. There also will be a write-in election for the Ward 1 seat, previously held by the late Kay Beecham. The deadline to file an intent to run as a write-in for that seat, or any of the other seats that are up for grabs, is Oct. 22.
Absentee ballots currently are available.
To help readers learn about the candidates for the at-large seats, MLive sent each a questionnaire asking for information about their background and candidacy.
Background information is provided here in alphabetical order:
Crystal L. Andree, 51, is a retired registered nurse for Mercy Health and is a board member for Interdyne Systems in Norton Shores, which is owned by her husband. She is married and has four children and three stepchildren.
Sandy Anton, 51, did not respond to MLive’s requests for information.
Michael Hylland, 53, is an incumbent candidate who works for Wood Trucking Company. He attended the University of Michigan and the Indiana University Law School. He has served on the Norton Shores City Council since 2014, and previously served on the city’s planning commission from 2007-14. He has been president of Mona Shores Youth Baseball from 2017-21 and baseball director for Mona Shores Youth Baseball and Softball from 2013-17. He previously served on the Roosevelt Park City Council. Hylland is married and has four children.
Allison Lucas, 42, is an attorney with Siri & Glimstad and previously worked as a public defender. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She volunteers with her church, Spring Lake Harvest, and at her children’s school. Lucas is married and has four children.
Roger C. Morgenstern, 55, is an incumbent candidate who recently retired as senior public information director for Consumers Energy. He is a graduate of Mona Shores High School and has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Central Michigan University. He is board vice chairman of Harbor Hospice, a member of Muskegon Rotary Club and a campaign cabinet member for current capital campaigns for the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts and the West Michigan Symphony. He is a widower and has three children.
William Moulatsiotis, 40, is an incumbent who owns Greek Tony’s Pizza & Sub shops. He previously served as head coach for Muskegon Community College’s men’s soccer team and the Muskegon Catholic Central boys soccer team. He’s a former member of the Muskegon County Airport Advisory Committee. He is married and has two children.
Jamie Sowa, 45, is program director at Baker College’s Culinary Institute of Michigan. She has a master’s degree in education from Calvin University and undergraduate degrees from Baker College. She previously served as an elected school board member. She serves on Baker College’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and the Norton Shores Zoning Board of Appeals. She serves on the national level for the American Culinary Federation and is the treasurer of its local chapter. She is president of the Lincoln Park Elementary PTO and serves on the education foundation for Mona Shores Public Schools. She is a Girls on the Run coach and recent co-chair of the Arts and Dash 5K race. Sowa is married and has two children.
Below is how the candidates responded to questions on their candidacy.
Candidates were asked to keep responses to 250 words and those who went over had their responses cut from the end. Otherwise, the responses have not been edited by MLive.
Why should voters elect you?
Andree: As a retired hospice RN, I am a passionate advocate for increasing the life quality of people in my community. I have moderate conservative values and believe in lower taxes and fiscal responsibility. Protection of the environment is paramount and non-negotiable. I will fully support our police and fire professionals. I will assist and promote small businesses and take care of our seniors and veterans. My desire is that everyone in our city has more access to our abundant natural resources. We need bike paths and sidewalks to increase SAFE walkability. I’ve noticed our beautiful city could use a polish, from litter to neglected areas, we can bolster community pride. I want to connect people through community involvement because I believe YOU are our city’s greatest asset! I will serve Norton Shores with integrity, dignity, and in the respectful manner you deserve.
Hylland: My priority as a member of the Norton Shores Council is to ensure that our resident’s tax dollars are wisely spent. It is a simple two-part question: 1) Is this good for our residents? And 2) Can we afford it? This approach has allowed the City to expand its police and fire departments, replace miles of roads each year, adopt a plan to eliminate all unfunded liabilities, expand our park system, modernize the city’s websites, and countless other items that enhance our resident’s experience living in Norton Shores. We have completed everything under our existing budget without increasing taxes or fees. I will also continue to promote policies that allow for robust economic growth. During my tenure on the Norton Shores Council, we have seen non-stop industrial, commercial and residential development. I will ensure we continue to assist in the redevelopment of sites like the former K-mart property and along the Seminole corridor, and ensure the Harvey Street area remains a vibrant economic zone. We will partner with developers to bring water and sewer to underserved areas of the city and add residential developments like the new Fran Lake subdivision. Finally, I will ensure the city continues to acquire land adjacent to our industrial parks so that we have the availability to attract new and diverse industries. By adopting polices that promote growth and ensuring these policies are enacted in a fiscally responsible way I believe we can ensure Norton Shores remains one of the leading communities in West Michigan.
Lucas: Voters who wish for elected officials to have conservatives and traditional Christian values should vote for me. In all that I do, I seek to honor God by following his commandments to love God first and to love others second. I do not swear my ultimate allegiance to any political party, but only to God. I will hold true to my Christian values but otherwise have no interest in playing politics or fostering political divisiveness.
Morgenstern: As a Norton Shores native and a homeowner for 30 years who has raised three children here, I love the city and want to make it an even better place to live, work and play. As a council member for more than five years, I understand how the city functions to meet the needs of its citizens. And as a former journalist and long-time community leader, I ask probing questions of city staff to make informed decisions for the betterment of all Norton Shores residents and the greater West Michigan region. With my recent retirement, I have both the dedication and time to serve our citizens. I am proud to be part of a 4-member candidate slate with my fellow councilmembers William Moulastiotis and Michael Hylland and candidate Jamie Sowa to keep moving Norton Shores forward into the future.
Moulatsiotis: I am forever grateful to Norton Shores, I could not imagine a better place to grow up, to raise my family, and God willing, to grow old with my wife. I will always strive to serve my community to the best of my abilities. I will always have the best interest of Norton Shores, and it’s amazing citizenry guide me.
Sowa: I have a unique perspective and vested interest as a working mother to young children. Representation and words matter, while navigating the world with young children. I have a long-standing history of leadership capacity roles, and would like to become more engaged in the community. I believe in service above self, and will give due diligence to matters prior to reacting. I am hardworking, dedicated, and pragmatic. Decisions I have made in current and past positions are always with families and children in mind. I am an advocate for those that are the most vulnerable. I have genuine regard for others, and model for my children, and young college student’s civic engagement. I care deeply and passionately about civil discourse, and respecting all community members. I am currently being supported by, and I am in support of the three current incumbents; Bill Moulatsiotis, Mike Hylland, and Roger Morgenstern. While we are somewhat divergent in our way of thinking and approaching matters, we have a mutual goal of service to our community. I think it is important to listen to our community at large and our constituents and work together for the common good. As a family, we moved to Norton Shores nearly four years ago. The people we have met have been helpful, kind, hospitable. We regularly utilize the many great resources we have accessibility to such as our wonderful library, our abundant recreational activities, and of course the top-notch school where we have with the most supportive teachers, administrators.
If elected, what will be your top three priorities?
Andree: Protection of the Environment, Low Taxes, Sidewalks.
Hylland: 1) Construction of a biking/walking path connecting the various parks located in Norton Shores. The city is eligible to receive federal dollars to enhance recreational opportunities under the recently enacted COVID legislation. My priority is to use this money to link the 4 major parks located in the city—Black Lake, Hoffmaster, Lake Harbor, and the newly created county park at Nugent Sand. A new pathway will help ensure the safety of bikers, joggers and especially children while allowing people easier access and connectivity between these wonderful facilities. 2) Continue police positions dedicated to Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse. While I have been on the Council, we have added additional police positions dedicated to crimes that are traditionally under served by departments—Domestic and Elder Abuse. These positions have been funded by a mixture of grants and proceeds from the County Senior Millage. I believe these positions are essential to our residents and I will ensure that they continue to be funded.
3) Promote Norton Shore’s brand and continue to improve its communication. We recently launched a new brand for the city—It’s in our Nature. This emphasizes not only the wonderful parks and recreation opportunities, but also the nature of the people and businesses located here. We created new websites to inform our residents of City services and promote Norton Shores to the world. These new sites must be grown and maintained as they will be a vital resource to attract new business and residents to our community.
Lucas: 1. Objective: To educate the public about traffic laws and safety regarding bicyclists and pedestrians and to create bike paths, bike lanes, and pedestrian bridges throughout the community. Means: Creating a campaign that involves school presentations, community engagement, signs, and social media platforms to educate the public regarding traffic laws and rights-of-way for bicyclists and pedestrians and raises awareness and enforcement of speed limits in neighborhoods. Securing funding to create a community where members can safely walk or bike in lieu of using motorized transportation. 2. Objective: To educate the public regarding the roles and importance of first responders (paramedics, firefighters, police officers) and to show appreciation and community support for this vital group of professionals. Means: Creating a social media campaign that highlights first responder job duties and weekly showcases individuals who serve in these demanding roles, along with the community members impacted by their service. To develop other ways that our community can support and encourage first responders. 3. Objective: To ensure that school officials and government agencies are transparent and establish policies that are safe for the community and supported by all available science and research, free from political or monetary influence. Means: Being aware and involved regarding decisions that affect the community, keeping the public informed and engaged, and using social awareness and legal means to hold decision-makers accountable.
Morgenstern: 1. Continued implementation of the city’s Seminole Place Plan, which has already resulted in the demolition of the long-vacant Kmart building and streetscape improvements now underway along Seminole Road. This is a gateway to our city and must be a welcoming and inviting corridor to both residents and visitors. 2. Continued stewardship of our citizen’s tax dollars, especially our dedicated millage levies to maintain and improve our city’s streets and our police and fire departments. I will continue to work with city staff and my fellow council members to ensure informed decisions are made when investing these resources. 3. Work closely with Muskegon County officials on the development of Dune Harbor Park on the former Nugent Sand property in the city’s northwest corner. Also initiate other projects to improve barrier-free access to our city’s outdoor beauty, including a dedicated non-motorized pathway from Lake Harbor Park south to P.J. Hoffmaster State Park and, eventually, east along Pontaluna Road to link to nearby Fruitport and Spring Lake area trails.
Moulatsiotis: 1. Managed continued growth of residential, commercial, and industrial tax base. 2. Improving services such as pedestrian paths/ways, fire, police, city parks, etc. by means that do not raise taxes (grants, offsets, fundraising, etc). 3. Maintaining what makes Norton Shores such a great place to live, work. and play, for future generations.
Sowa: Through my professional career, I have taken many skills and abilities assessments. I am often rated as a connector and provider. I feel successful when I’ve helped others feel successful. I leverage insights to help others find their place where they can put the best of themselves to work. I am devoted to all members of my team. I listen to concerns of people, and help find solutions daily. I am transparent, honest, and pragmatic in my approach. I am an advocate for all. Since community is so important to me, I think there are opportunities to engage more with our younger citizens to be more reflective of our entire population. Civic engagement is a hallmark of a successful community.
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