Don Power
Diane Goddeeris
Incumbent
Background: Appointed to council in October 2006 and elected to council in November 2007. Served as mayor pro tem for four years. Registered nurse at Sparrow Hospital, member of the Michigan Nurses Association Board of Directors and vice president of National Nurses United.
Issues:
City Center II : “(The) developer has to meet certain criteria, and until he does, the project isn’t going anywhere. He knows what he has to do.”
Party Litter Ordinance: “If people have concerns, our evaluation process will give us a chance to look at it (and) change it.”
Medical Marijuana : “I support the use of medical marijuana. … I think, with the recent court rulings, we’re okay with where we’re at.”
Hans Larsen
Challenger
Background: No prior experience with city council or other boards and commissions. Former federal programs director and treasurer of a state professional organization, clinical anesthesia provider.
Issues:
City Center II : “We have a massive long-term debt crisis because of risky speculation and overuse of general obligation bonds on failed projects that were supposed to pay for themselves.”
Party Litter Ordinance : “The party litter ordinance — where it is possible to be slapped with a $400 fine without warning — is just another example of how City Hall hates MSU students but loves their money.”
Medical Marijuana : “Medical marijuana should be prescribed in the most extreme circumstances, such as for cancer pain or glaucoma.”
Roger Peters
Incumbent
Background: Elected to city council in November 2007. Former president of East Lansing Public Library Board of Trustees, former chair of the East Lansing Planning Commission and board member on Mid-Michigan Capital Library Cooperative Board of Directors. Has worked as an administrative law specialist in the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth.
Issues:
City Center II : “I think we attempted to come up with the design that would not have negative impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods.”
Party Litter Ordinance : “I think this ordinance was an effort to address (party litter) in a way that would be fair and balanced.”
Medical Marijuana : “I feel that where we are right now with our ordinance continues to be viewed as consistent with state law.”
Don Power
Challenger
Background: Previously served on the East Lansing Planning Commission. Was active in community politics as a student. Worked in labor relations for more than 40 years.
Issues:
City Center II: “You can’t just walk away from it — we’ve got a legal obligation until April 12. … It was not a well thought out decision in a sense that we didn’t have monitoring terms of due diligence.”
Party Litter Ordinance: “These are behavioral problems. … Let’s get a definition of what we want in the community and support it.”
Medical Marijuana: “(The issue) will come back. What I suggest now is we see what the courts do about it. At some point as we test our ordinance and see what works, we’ll adjust it according to the data we gather.”
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Nathan Triplett
Incumbent
Background: Elected to city council in November 2007. Former vice chair of the Human Relations Commission, former member of the Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee, former member of the Ingham Equal Opportunity Committee. Currently an MSU law student and a legislative aide in the State House of Representatives.
Issues:
City Center II : “It’s important that East Lansing continues to be a growing community. … But you have to do it cautiously, and I think that’s what we have tried to do.”
Party Litter Ordinance: “I think we’ve developed a good approach to address the problem. … But we won’t really know until we see how the ordinance works in real life.”
Medical Marijuana: “I support the principle of compassionate care.”
