Election 2024: Candidate Q & A – Fred Swaffer

Election season is upon us! I’ve sent out a list of questions to all the candidates running for office in Peninsula Township, and I’ll be publishing them here on the Gazette in the order they’re received. Candidates include:

Supervisor: Kelly J. Clark (R), Maura Sanders (R)
Clerk: Rebecca W. Chown (D)
Treasurer: Katie M. Clark (R)
Trustee (4 positions available): Sheila Johnson (unaffiliated), Kate Jerman (R), Mark Luea (R), J.P. Milliken (R), David K. Sanger (R), Fred Swaffer Jr. (R), Julie Alexander (D), Warner Queeny (D), Armen B. Shanafelt (D), Isaiah S. Wunsch (D)

View all candidate responses here, and read on for thoughts from Fred Swaffer, who is running for the position of Township Trustee.

About You

What is your name, party affiliation, and what Peninsula Township office are you running for?

My name is Fred Swaffer. I’m a Republican running for Township Trustee.

Why are you running for this position, and what qualifications do you bring to the role?

I feel the current Board is out of touch with and unresponsive to the views of the majority of the current Peninsula residents. I am a retired Air Force Officer, Gulf War veteran, and recently retired after 33 years as a 787 International Captain with American Airlines. I am also a small business owner.

Forty years of flying the largest, most sophisticated aircraft around the world has given me the ability to solve complicated and intricate problems in a very focused and deliberate manner. On aircraft, you must evaluate your problem, get input from all your available resources and colleagues, put your heads together and solve your problem in a timely manner. There is no kicking the can down the road.

Have you served on any Peninsula Township committees or boards, and if so, which ones?

I have not. Prior to being asked to run for Trustee, I used my spare time to engage in other community volunteer endeavors. I spent nine years coaching both YMCA and High School Lacrosse, as well as serving in various capacities at St. Joe’s Catholic church, most recently as the Grand Knight for our local Knights of Columbus council, and a member of the Parish Council.

How long have you lived on the Old Mission Peninsula?

My wife Catherine and I have lived and raised three children at the same address for 31 years.

What is your vision for Peninsula Township in 10, 20, 50 years? Do you support maintaining the rural character of the Old Mission Peninsula?

My hope is that in 10 years, we will see an increase in small farms helping to maintain the truly unique setting we are blessed to live in. I would love to see us in 20 years as an example of what communities can do to incorporate both agriculture and residential priorities.

In 50 years, I hope my grandchildren will be able to enjoy the lovely views from our porch, walk to the beach where I watched my children play in the sand, and swim in the bay to cool off on a hot summer day.

Do you support large scale developments such as “Peninsula Shores,” formerly known as “The 81 on East Bay”?

While I would prefer fewer large developments, I believe they are inevitable if agriculture isn’t profitable/sustainable. Clustering homes seems to be the best way of keeping more open space. In my view, the land will be used for either farms or homes.

How will you ensure community transparency in Township finances, meetings and decisions?

First, I would look at moving the information on the annual budget to an obvious spot on the Township website. I would advocate that meetings be held after 5 p.m. or have them recorded and minutes published.

Most Township meetings currently comply; however, the current Shoreline Regulations Study group doesn’t meet that requirement. I’ll happily take a call or personal visit to explain the rationale behind the vote that I cast.

How do you plan to make a difference on the Old Mission Peninsula? What are your top priorities?

I would like to see:

• Peninsula residents return to being neighbors not combatants.
• Common sense in our governance.
• Workable solutions for our issues, not lawsuits.

How do we get there:

• Open respectful dialog with, and between, the residents.
• Quarterly Township resident meetings to discuss their concerns.
• Factual information disseminated, not scare tactics.
• Honesty with the residents (our employers).

Citizen Engagement

How can Peninsula Township encourage citizens to become more involved in Township issues, attend meetings, etc.?

Treat them with respect, listen to their concerns, value their opinions. Make sure meetings are at accessible times, and are recorded with the minutes made available.

Peninsula Township relies on volunteers to help with public services, such as well-maintained parks and serving on Township committees and boards. How can the Township increase this pool of volunteers?

See above. Find a way to see that they are recognized in a very public way. Offer a picnic at a park to honor them.

Do you support holding periodic town hall meetings where citizens can have back-and-forth discussions with Township officials?

Absolutely, so long as attendees are respectful. Hard to value current opinions if you don’t have them voiced.

Do you support an open-door policy at the Township where walk-in visits are allowed?

100 percent. We work for the residents; they don’t work for us. I would also advocate for the removal of the front door buzz-in lock and plastic counter shields. It is an impediment to residents. We have never had any incident I’m aware of in my 31 years here. I was at the county building the other day and walked right in; no buzzer, no shields.

Township Administration

The Township has experienced a high level of turnover in the Planning department during the past decade. How can the Township improve staff retention?

The question is why? Is it money or is it leadership? Money is hard right now, a change in leadership is easy.

Which parts of the Township budget do you believe could be cut or eliminated?

Tough question. A few items that stood out to me in a quick perusal of the budget were:

• Enforcement Officer, almost $20K increase in budget. Why such a large increase? Which ordinances are the biggest offenders?
• Parks Fund, 20 percent increase for contractual services. Can we find other options for some of that work (Scouts, non-profits, community groups, etc.)
• Lighthouse Fund, 100 percent increase in contractual services. Can we find alternatives?

In no way would those expenditures balance our budget, but it would be a start.

Will you adhere to due process, or will you make decisions based on circumstances and relationships?

Our Constitution grants us due process, so yes, I will adhere to it.

Do you support or oppose moving to a charter township and why?

I do not support moving to a charter township. I see no real advantage to the residents currently. It would mean a full-time supervisor, which would mean a salary increase, which we can’t afford with our current unbalanced budget. It would also give the Board the ability to raise your taxes without your input. Currently, those are nonstarter issues for me.

Regarding hours at the Township office, do you support moving back to a five-day work week of seven-hour days, 9 to 5 or 8 to 4, with an hour off for lunch?

Since I’m not in the Township office daily, I’m not sure of the effect that would have on the staff. Seems like that might be something to discuss with them. Current schedule may be helping in retention.

Would you support lowering application permit fees, dropping the cash requirement for escrow funds, and allowing a bond in lieu of cash at applicant’s choosing?

Yes. Seems onerous, especially to farmers looking to make changes to their operations.

Master Plan, Ordinance and Enforcement

How will you address residents/applicants who refuse to follow the ordinance? How will enforcement take place?

In my personal experience, the first indication you have of noncompliance with an ordinance is when you receive a threatening letter. That is not the way I would envision the process beginning.

If it is believed you are in noncompliance, the first thing you should receive is a phone call or a letter asking if you are even aware of your noncompliance. You should be given a chance to become compliant without penalty. Should you choose to ignore that olive branch, then a letter of noncompliance will be issued and appropriate actions taken.

In areas where the Township’s operational budget is already strained, how can the Township address more resident complaints, allegations of non-compliance, and public nuisance issues?

First, I think we need to make sure the complaint is from an actual resident, not an anonymous letter dropped in the box. Second, I would ask if they have talked to their neighbor about the issue, ask them to try that route. If that doesn’t solve the issue, then our enforcement officer can become involved.

Public nuisance is, I believe, a police issue. I would refer the issue to them. We are paying for two officers.

Have you read the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, and do you understand the procedures for adopting a Master Plan and amending a zoning ordinance?

I have not. I do understand the framework. I have a rough idea of the Master Plan adoption procedures and zoning ordinance amendment procedures. I’m confident I could be up to speed quickly, and our legal team is there to make sure we are complying.

Will you follow the zoning ordinance as written, or will you make exceptions where convenient?

I have a legal requirement to follow the ordinance. We also need to make sure we have a good ordinance.

What elements of the Master Plan do you feel are lacking most?

I’m sure looking to the future, we will need more commercial space. The question is, where do we want it?

Wineries and Winery Lawsuit

Had you been on the Township Board during the WOMP v Peninsula Township settlement discussions, how much Township money would you have given up to the wineries?

Were they asking for money? My understanding is they were asking for changes to their Special Use Permits.

If Township insurance does not cover all the damages claimed by the wineries in the winery lawsuit, how do you feel about OMP residents having to personally pay for those damages?

My understanding is that the current Supervisor has said we have the insurance to cover those damages. Those insurance documents were submitted to the court.

My conversations with winery owners confirms they have no interest in collecting monies from residents. Information published to the contrary is simply a scare tactic by certain individuals and serves no purpose but to pit us against each other, and it should stop.

Regarding the Wineries:

• Should they be allowed to have unlimited weddings? To be clear, we already have places that have unlimited weddings (our churches, Mission Table). I don’t believe they should have unlimited wedding receptions. How many do we allow at Mission Table?
• Should they be allowed to operate full-service restaurants? Not sure where they would find the staff, but I would need to see their proposals. I think economics would limit those numbers.
• Should they be allowed to be open until 2 a.m.? I believe that was already decided in court. Their State Liquor license allows that. I’ve seen no indication on their part that’s something they’re interested in.
• Should they be required to support OMP farmers via collaborations and/or using locally-grown produce? Absolutely, I believe they already do. Do I think they should use 100 percent local? I believe that’s problematic, given the nature of farming and crop predictions.

Overall, what are your thoughts on the winery lawsuit?

How did we get here? Until this lawsuit is settled, we can’t move forward. We seem stuck in a crazy circle. We want to maintain our rural beauty and farm culture, but we don’t want farmers and ag businesses to adapt and prosper.

Change is hard, but change is here and it’s not going away. Our area is too well-advertised, affordable, and an easy flight from major population centers. Our farmers and ag businesses compete on a global level and must be allowed to change also. They are our neighbors and residents of this peninsula. They have the same concerns and love of this area as you.

Don’t take my word for it, go talk to them. We’ve had a lot of off ramps we could have taken on this road; the current Board has chosen none of them. All the evidence has been presented. Hopefully the Judge will render his final decision sometime this fall. At that time, we will find out if our million dollars has been well spent or not.

OMP Farmers

Do you support ordinances that help OMP farmers thrive, such as food processing kitchens, workshops, cooking classes, farm tours, larger roadside stands and more?

Absolutely.

How will you assist young farmers looking to start their business or sustain existing farms for young farmers?

The question is how young farmers will be able to afford land to get into agriculture out here. We will need some form of mentorship with existing farmers/growers to help new individuals interested in agriculture.

I wonder if there is a way to generate funds to help these new farmers/growers to lease land at a reasonable rate. Do we have members in the community willing to take that chance?

Do you believe in the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program? Do you believe that a PDR conservation easement should place limitations on the future commercial use of a property?

I do support the PDR program. If farmers/growers don’t have some flexibility with their land, they may not want to put it in the PDR program. It depends on what type of commercial activity you’re talking about. Farming itself is a commercial activity.

One of the issues that worries me is House Bill 5120, which the Governor signed into law last November. The Bill essentially takes away the rights of our zoning regulations when dealing with fields of solar panels and wind turbines. How does that impact our PDR program?

Do you support an OMP farmer’s market and/or a local artists/artisan market?

Yes, let’s find a spot for it.

Taxes

In your view, what will Township governance look like if the AxMiTax ballot initiative passes?

That would be hard to say. I would encourage everyone to look at the Proposal. I think that eventually generating revenue based on your property value will have to be addressed. People should not be losing their homes and land due to property tax escalation.

My taxes are up 60 percent over the last 20 years and 13.7 percent since 2021. That also means the 1 percent administrative fee add-on is up 13.7 percent. Has the cost to administer the collection and dispersion off your taxes gone up that much?

Do you support a Parks Millage to maintain and improve Township parks?

At this time, I would say no. Perhaps there are other avenues to explore, i.e. local sports teams looking to earn some money for operations, volunteers, Eagle Scout projects, non-profits, and programs like Adopt-a-Road.

What are your thoughts on the Headlee Rollback?

I am opposed to the Headlee Rollback. We don’t have information back from the study that the current Board has finally commissioned. Without that information, we don’t know how much of an increase, if any, we would need. I’m also opposed to the current ballot language which would create a 20-year rollback.

Other Township Issues

Should there be a public vetting of candidates as to whether they are each in compliance with the Township?

Seems like we currently have that.

Do you think Bluff Road should be fixed and re-opened? How would you go about making that happen?

I’ve talked to a few residents, as well as the County Road Commissioner and the Deputy Road Commissioner. The residents I talked to feel the road is a little nicer, and less through-traffic made the road calmer.

The Commissioner told me a few years ago that it would take their entire yearly budget to fix Bluff Road, so they had little interest in fixing it. In my conversation with the Deputy Commissioner a month or so ago, he explained that due to the underlying clay layer and an improperly constructed retention pond, they would have little interest in the project until the retention pond issue was remediated.

At this point, I feel there is little interest on the part of the major players in repairing that portion of the road.

What is your opinion of short-term rentals on the OMP? Should they be allowed? Do you operate a short-term rental on the OMP?

I do not own an STR, but my family and I have used them extensively around the world with great results. I understand people’s hesitancy and fears, maybe we can try a small pilot program. Not sure many people would participate. This is the time of year that we live for. I certainly wouldn’t want to leave.

What is your opinion on additional residential buildout on the OMP?

Sooner or later, it will be here. How much and where are the questions. That’s what the Master Plan is for. Once again, we can have farms or we can have houses.

How would you address the desire for more commercial activity by some residents and the lack of commercially-zoned property?

Let’s figure out where it makes sense. The change at Seven Hills appears to be working just fine.

Do you support a non-motorized pathway similar to the TART Trail throughout the Old Mission Peninsula? How would you make that happen when a trail cannot cross farmland due to farming rules and regulations?

I would love to see something like the Tart Trail out here. I’m an avid biker but would never ride my road bike on these roads. I’m not sure where you find the right of way to expand our existing roads, and not sure you could obtain enough easements to make a pathway off the main roads.

Should Peninsula Township seek collaboration with our regional partners such as the Michigan Department of Transportation, Grand Traverse County Road Commission, and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE)?

Absolutely, relationships with other partners is essential to getting things accomplished out here.

Do you support the proposal of a new fire station to replace Fire Station #1 in Mapleton?

I’ve never been in the current station, so I’m unaware of its condition. I’m not sure how another increase in our millage would be accepted. Perhaps we’re better off waiting until we have the new Station #3 paid off.

Would you support a new community center?

At this time, I would not. The current churches have served us very well in this regard. With the seasonal mobility of our current residents (snowbird travel), I’m not sure how much use it would get.

Final Thoughts

Any other comments you’d like to add?

Well, if you read this far, God bless ya. The reason I decided to run for Trustee was to change the attitude and mindset of our current Township. I believe we are headed in the wrong direction. People residing in their own bubble and unwilling to value input from opposing views have led us to the point where we have become combatants and no longer neighbors.

If we are to move forward that must change. The peninsula you love will not survive the fragmentation. We must learn that civil discourse, not online arguments, will bring out the best in us. We can agree to disagree.

We have challenges in front of us, but with common sense, openness, fiscal restraint, and integrity, we will leave this unique and treasured place as a legacy for future generations to enjoy.

I would respectfully ask for your vote on August 6th.

I can be reached at [email protected].

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