City Council Candidate Profile: Mark Ritzema

This is the fourth in a series of profiles of the five candidates running for Lowell City Council in November. Check back each week for a new profile, which are being published in alphabetical order according to the candidate’s last name.

 

Mark Ritzema is a familiar face for many in Lowell. Except for an eight year hiatus in which he lived “just down the street,” the 63-year old has been a lifelong resident of the city. He and his wife raised their children here, and he says he can’t imagine being anywhere else.

“This is home,” he says. However, the turbulent last few years – punctuated by a recalled mayor and a smelly biodigester – has led Ritzema to worry about the direction his home is taking.

“I’m tired of all the negativity that’s been in Lowell the last few years,” he explains. That prompted him to throw his hat in the ring as one of five candidates vying for three positions up for grabs on Lowell City Council during the November election.

Former Lowell Police Officer with Budget Knowledge

As an undergraduate student, Ritzema studied business administration, but it was public service that ended up drawing him into a career. He spent nearly 25 years as an officer with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. That was followed by some time off to earn a master’s degree in public administration and then a 10-year stint as an officer with the Lowell Police Department. More recently, he has worked as an insurance investigator.

While his career has been largely in law enforcement, Ritzema says he has a special interest in the budgeting process. So much so that he wrote a graduate paper for his master’s degree on the City of Lowell budget.

Although travel requirements in his most recent job made it difficult to be involved in government boards, Ritzema says he has been watching city issues closely and attended many of the meetings related to the biodigester. What’s more, his previous work as a Lowell police officer gave him the opportunity to see firsthand the ups and downs of city government.

“I’ve seen it before where it’s like a war between council members,” Ritzema says. He says that’s not going to happen on his watch if he can help it. “I’m going to listen. I want civility.”

An Open Mind and a Desire to Get Things Done

If elected, Ritzema pledges to be an open mind rather than the type of official who doubles down on a preconceived notion. “There’s got to be conversation,” he says of the city council’s work.

To that end, he expresses frustration with how little conversation current council members have about issues raised during their bi-weekly meetings. He also doesn’t mince words when asked whether it is the council or city manager’s job to set the agenda for the community. “If you defer to the city manager all the time, you’re a chicken,” he says.

Ritzema, like so many others, points to the roads as an example of where the city could do a better job. “You go up Riverside Drive, and it’s been patched and patched and patched,” he says. He’s a strong opponent of any effort to reopen the biodigester and believes the city needs to be sure its ordinances are enforceable.

“We’ve got so much going for us,” he says. “We’ve got a great place to be.” If elected, Ritzema promises to be open and accessible to residents, to be proactive in addressing city issues and to be a tireless advocate for all things Lowell.

 

Below are the questions we asked each candidate and Mark’s response to each one.

Biodigester

Would you support restarting the biodigester either as an energy producing facility or a water treatment plant for Litehouse waste if you felt assured there would be no odor?

I am a firm No on restarting the biodigester in any way, shape, or manner.

If not, what do you think should be done with the facility should the property be placed back in the hands of the city?

I think that the digester should be dismantled and the property revert back to the city.

Showboat

Do you support removing the name Robert E. Lee from the Showboat? If yes, what should the boat be named?

I agree with the City Manager in regards that there will unhappiness on both sides of the issue and that we need to move away from any further bad press.  I also feel that there should be no name on the boat.  Just continue to call it the Lowell Showboat.

Should there have been a community discussion prior to removal before decommission of the current boat? Should the City Council have voted on the name change or was it an appropriate decision for the city manager to make independently?

I do feel that since the boat was a city property that there should have been citizen input or discussion but again in this political correctness day and age, this would be a no win situation.

Community Relations

How important is it for Lowell’s government to have a working relationship with Lowell Township and Vergennes Township? If so, what should that relationship look like?I

Cooperation and communication is important.  There are several shared projects with the townships and must keep in contact to work together to maintain a healthy relationship.

Economic Development

What role should the Lowell government have in fostering business development within the city?

We should be assisting anyone who wishes to do business in our city.  We should look to advertising about what we can offer to a business such as friendly people, support for the business, and a good downtown area.

Do you support allowing vacation rentals (such as those offered via websites like Airbnb) within the city limits?

I support allowing vacation rentals as long as there are some ordinances that protect the other properties in the area and that the rental doesn’t become an eyesore or a disorderly problem.

Do you support passing an ordinance allowing for the sale of medical marijuana within city limits? If so which type of facility do you support?

NA

Infrastructure

How should the City of Lowell address road maintenance and reconstruction? Would you support putting a millage proposal on the ballot to fund road repairs?

We need to look at the budget as there used to be two road funds and find out why they are not being used.  We may have to look to a mileage for road work.  There has been nothing done on the majority of the roads in town since they were redone in the early 70’s with the storm sewer projects.

Recreation

How should the city promote its recreation opportunities? Do you support creating a connector within city limits from the Fred Meijer Trail that runs from Saranac to the Lowell Area Trailway?

I think that a connector should be made between the trail but since most of the area is in Ionia and Kent counties, the City of Lowell should look to them to fund it.  We should try to find ways to fund any portion that runs through the city.

Misc

Why should people vote for you in November?

I can only say that I should receive a vote because I listen and will work towards having the citizens of Lowell have a person on the council who will not try to cause problems and will answer questions and try to find answers if the question can’t be answered right away.

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