Candidate Profile: Chris Roosen Vies For Northville Township Supervisor Seat

Here's the third in our series of our Northville Township .

Today we feature Chris Roosen, who is running for Northville Township supervisor. He is one of three Republican candidates for supervisor who will be on the ballot for township voters. They seek to replace Mark Abbo,. The winner of the primary will also win the November general election, as there is no Democratic challenger.

The candidate's replies to Northville Patch's questions are listed below.

Q: Name and profession

Chris Roosen, Automotive Supplier Account Manager

Q: Number of years a resident of Northville Township

12 Year Resident

Q: Educational and/or military background

Bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Engineering Mathematics from the University of Michigan-Dearborn

Masters Degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from the Rackham School of Graduate Studies, University of Michigan

Q: Why are you running for office?

I am running for Supervisor to keep Northville a great place to live, work, and play.  I will continue our tradition of fiscal responsibility and partnerships with our neighbors, in order to provide the best services for the least cost.  With over twenty years of real-world problem solving experience in the auto industry, I believe I have the best mix of private sector and public sector experience of any candidate for Supervisor, and I am the only candidate with experience on the Board of Trustees.  I will hit the ground running on day one.  I would appreciate your vote on election day. 

Q: What are the biggest issues facing the township that you hope to address? What are its biggest successes that you hope to continue?

1. The Township has come through the recession remarkably well due to the early and ongoing budget actions we took over the past four years.  We must continue to hold the line on spending, and continue to focus on long term financial forecasts, in order to continue our fiscal success.  Now is not the time to go on a spending spree of special projects for special interest groups. We need to keep our belt tight and focus on core services, especially Police and Fire.
2. The Township needs to embrace more transparency and competitive bids, in order to assure the taxpayers that we are wise stewards over their money.  This can be done with more use of the Township Web site and social media platforms at little to no cost.
3. The Township needs to embrace the opportunity to increase collaboration and shared services with our neighbors and partner communities.  We can continue our historic leadership position in this area, while finding new ways to provide high quality service to our neighbors as a source of new revenue. Dispatch, police, fire, and recreation are prime examples.  As other communities have been forced to cut back services due to reductions in property values, state shared revenue, and possible future reductions in personal property (i.e., business) taxes, Northville Township is prepared to create new partnerships to assist them.

Q: We've reported quite a bit on developments at the Seven Mile property, the former psychiatric hospital, and at the Robert Scott Correctional Facility. What do you hope to see done with the Seven Mile Property and Robert Scott Correctional Facility?

The former mental hospital buildings on the Seven Mile Property should be torn down, the site cleaned up, and the land used for passive recreation, as I believe we promised the voters when they agreed to buy the land.  Later this summer, the Township will tear down the first two buildings on the site - the Power House and Maintenance Building.  This work is being done at no cost to the taxpayers, using a combination of grant money and the value of the re-claimed steel in the buildings.  The main buildings on the site will be torn down once there is a revenue stream of new property taxes from the UM Hospital and retail development at the corner of Seven Mile and Haggerty. No tax dollars from existing taxpayers will be used for this much needed activity.

No one in the community wants the Scott Prison to re-open in any way under private or public ownership.  The Township has clearly communicated that we want to see it demolished and redeveloped for private, taxable, job creating use. The question is whether the Township needs to ensure this outcome by purchasing the site ourselves, and then re-selling the land for a use deemed acceptable to the community. I am undecided as to whether the Township government is the entity best equipped to handle this, despite our good intentions and our obvious public interest. I support the due diligence that we are presently conducting in this matter, as we presently have no idea what the site is worth, what it will cost to demolish the prison, what new use may emerge, or how long it will take until an ultimate buyer comes along

Q: Anything else you would like to briefly add?

Northville is a unique community that people aspire to more to, rather than move from.  Our great location, natural beauty, and historic downtown make us special.  The strong partnership between the City and Township, and the outstanding school district that binds us together has allowed us to enjoy a brand identity that is different from all others.  Many people don’t even know where the physical boundaries between the City and Township are, because they are just invisible lines on a map.  As Supervisor, I will re-dedicate and re-commit us to this full partnership in all aspects of service delivery.  This will ensure that property values will continue to recover faster in Northville than in any other part of Wayne County, while we continue to enjoy high service levels at low cost. I hope that you will vote for me on Tuesday, August 7, or by absentee ballot.

For more election coverage details, see our

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