Eric Bartkus has no qualms about the current city council. He thinks they are doing a commendable job. But when he heard that Councilmember Cliff Yankovich wouldn’t be running for reelection, he decided to throw his hat into the ring.
“I’m good with numbers,” Bartkus says as just one of the reasons why he believes he’ll be beneficial as a councilmember. “I’m good with money.”
The 58-year-old serves as the chief financial officer for both his own business and his wife’s business – Ability Weavers – and he also sits on the Downtown Development Authority which oversees a $1 million budget. According to Bartkus, that experience could prove invaluable as Lowell City Council navigates big-ticket financial issues such as paying off road repairs, upgrading water and wastewater facilities and closing the gap on pension liabilities.
Bartkus is one of five people – two incumbents and three challengers — running for three spots on Lowell City Council during this year’s general election on Nov. 7, 2023.
“Vested Interest” in Lowell
Bartkus has lived in the City of Lowell for about four years and was a township resident for 26 years before that. However, he started his life in California and then went to college in Ohio where he met his wife Beryl.
As an engineer, it was a job at Amway that eventually brought him to Michigan. He also spent several years as a contractor designing commercial furniture for firms such as Herman Miller and Steelcase. Today, he is the owner of Bartkus Engineering on E. Main Street.
“I just felt led to start my own business,” he explains.
Likewise, his wife felt led to open Ability Weavers as a way to provide meaningful employment for their daughter and others who struggle to maintain traditional jobs. The couple have two adult daughters, and their oldest child has autism spectrum disorder.
“We’ve dealt with a bunch of joys and challenges,” Bartkus says. Opening Ability Weavers was a leap of faith for the family, who now live above the business. “Beryl taught herself how to weave. We bought a loom before we even made a rug.”
Today, Ability Weavers is a success because of the support of the community, and Bartkus, although technically a co-owner, donates all his time spent working there.
Between his work with Ability Weavers, his engineering business and other activities, Bartkus says he feels a deep commitment to the City of Lowell. “I have a very vested interest in doing the right thing for all citizens,” he explains. “I want us all to succeed.”
21 Campaign Promises
When it comes to making campaign promises, Bartkus isn’t limiting himself to just a few. Instead, he has outlined “21 Promises to the People of Lowell” which cover everything from preserving parks to explaining votes to supporting public servants.
“I want to represent all the citizens and be their voice in city hall,” Bartkus says.
As far as individual issues are concerned, Bartkus points to street repairs as a major concern, or more specifically, how to pay for street repairs.
“I’m really worried about paying for roads,” he says, noting that major road work on Monroe and Washington Streets is being completed with USDA financing. “I’m proud that the council and [city manager Mike Burns] found low-cost loans, but you’ve got to pay that back.”
Raising millage rates to pay for additional services doesn’t seem realistic either. “We need to be cognizant that we have a very high tax rate,” Bartkus says. Along with high water rates, the candidate says the cost “squeezes people.”
He wants to make Lowell a desirable place to live and supports the addition of new housing options such as tiny houses and townhomes which could make it possible for more people to become residents.
Bartkus says, above all, he wants to serve on Lowell City Council to represent the will of the people. “I’m not in this for me,” he shares. He describes himself as down-to-earth, open-minded and fair. He isn’t interested in taking sides but wants to approach each issue without any preconceived notion.
“My door is always open,” Bartkus says when explaining he is accessible to residents. “I’m willing to talk to you for hours if needed.”
For more information about Eric Bartkus, you can visit his campaign website or Facebook page.
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