Tony Derezinski for A2 Council

Tuesday August 5th was an exciting and victorious night for our 2nd Ward campaign, and the results set the stage for more hard work to come.
I wanted to take time to share my deepest thanks and sincere appreciation for everyone who helped make this such a success. Your generous contribution in energy, effort, phone calls, door to doors, and all other tasks were invaluable to Katy and myself.
My endless commitment to making this great community even better will hopefully serve as some degree of thank you for making this campaign goal a reality.

sincerely,
Tony

Dear Neighbor and Friend,

When I announced my candidacy to be your Second Ward member on the Ann Arbor City Council, I said that Ann Arbor faces significant challenges but is also presented with amazing opportunities in the coming years. During months of going door to door in our ward, attending a great number of civic events and candidate forums, and meeting and talking with literally thousands of our second ward citizens and leaders, a lot of specifics were relayed to me. They include concerns regarding the need for sensible development with reasonable height restrictions, a sound and fair system for sidewalk repairs, improvement of customer service and delivery of city services, better collaboration with the University of Michigan and other local governments, and better parking downtown.

I strongly believe that my wide experience and civic involvement uniquely qualify me to represent you and come up with solutions to these and the other problems we face. I have served as a State Senator, an EMU Regent for many years, and am a U.S. Navy Vietnam Veteran. I am a graduate of the U. of M. Law School, and also earned a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School in Urban Legal Studies. This highly specialized training led to a long legal practice which emphasized representing and counseling cities, counties, townships, schools, and private clients on complex issues in municipal law. I have also been involved in many local organizations, such as being on the boards of Sisters of Mercy Health Corporation, Arbor Hospice, the Michigan Theatre Foundation, Honey Creek Community Schools, and the Center for the Education of Women.

This career of municipal expertise and local service is what I want to bring to the City Council as your representative on it. I am not a one-issue candidate, but one who believes strongly in good government and will take a positive approach toward making the changes we need. I have been endorsed by Congressman John Dingell, Representative Pam Byrnes, Mayor John Hieftje, Councilmen Steve Rapundalo and Leigh Greden, County Commissioners Leah Gunn and Barbara Levin Bergman, Drain Commissioner Janis Bobrin, Second Ward residents Marina and Bob Whitman, Zibby and Bob ONeal, Jan and Hack Newman, Randy Friedman, Judi and Jerry Lax, Yvonne and Joe Sesi, Martha Darling and Gil Omenn, Peter Eckstein, Rebecca McGowan, and dozens more of your fellow Ann Arbor and Second Ward residents. I ask for your support, help and vote:

LET’S MAKE OUR GREAT COMMUNITY EVEN BETTER!

VOTE AUGUST 5: TONY DEREZINSKI FOR CITY COUNCIL

Sincerely,

Tony Derezinski

Provision of Services -
The fundamental responsibility of the City is the provision of the municipal services which its residents desire, and this should be the central focus of the City Council. The City should provide the highest quality police and fire protection, streets, solid waste removal, water and waste/storm water removal as well as parks and recreation facilities with economy and efficiency to its residents.

Process -
In many ways, the processes by which decisions are made involving the City's functions, and are made in the implementation of them, are as important as the final products themselves. Those dealing with the City and the City Council should believe that the processes are open and transparent, inclusive, provide equal treatment and opportunity to be heard, and adhere to established and informed procedures.

Planning -
The City Council has the primary responsibility to implement the goals established by the community by its actions in zoning and planning decisions, ordinances, and actions on projects that come before it for approval. There should be "Smart Growth", and all residents in the City, and its neighborhoods, and all those dealing with it for development projects should believe the system is fair, open, and conclusive.

Proactive Collaboration -
Humorous references to the contrary, the City of Ann Arbor is not an island onto itself, but very much part of a larger community, and co-dependent with it. In fact, there are numerous, on going, and successful examples of collaborative efforts with other entities in the general area, but here also there can and should be more emphasis on reaching out.

“Here are issues Ann Arbor residents have asked me to pursue:”

Fiscally sound and fair systems for sidewalk repair

Improvement of customer service and delivery of City services

Reasonable development with downtown height limits

Cost savings through intergovernmental partnerships

Better parking in the downtown area

Review of proposed changes to the Farmers Market

Dear 2nd Ward Voter:

Thanks for taking the time to vote by absentee ballot in the August 5 primary elections. I am a candidate to represent you on City Council. The enclosed pamphlet summarizes why I believe I would be the best choice to protect your tax dollars and to serve you with common sense leadership.

I am a graduate of the U-M Law School. After a tour of duty in Vietnam with the U.S. Navy, I earned a Master of Laws in “Urban Legal Studies” from Harvard Law School (thanks to the G.I. Bill). I then returned to Michigan, where I counseled and represented local governments and schools in all aspects of their operations. My public and non-profit experience includes:

- Election to the Michigan State Senate (1974-1978)Appointment by Gov. Jim Blanchard to the EMU Board of Regents (1983-1996)

Board of Directors of the Sisters of Mercy Health Corporation

Director of Government Relations, Michigan Association of School Boards

Board of Directors, Michigan Theatre Foundation

School Board, Honey Creek Community School

Leadership Council of the Center for the Education of Women

Various Veterans organizations

I believe that my professional training, extensive public service, and experience with local non-profits make me the most qualified candidate to effectively serve you on City Council. I am not a single-issue candidate. Instead, I am passionate about Good Government. I would be honored to have your support. Together, we can make our great community even better!

Sincerely,

Tony Derezinski

Mayor takes sides in Ann Arbor's 2nd Ward race

In what's apparently an unprecedented move, Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje has endorsed a candidate for an open seat on the City Council, Tony Derezinski.

Although the four-term mayor has lent his support to incumbent council members before, he's stayed out of races for open seats.

Former state senator Tony Derezinski's entry into the race to succeed 2nd Ward Democrat Joan Lowenstein prompted him to break with precedent.

"I think we're very fortunate that somebody with his experience is willing and able to run, and in a position to devote time to the job," Hieftje said.

Derezinski, now associate executive director in charge of government relations for the Michigan Association of School Boards, will retire at the end of April.

A city resident for 24 years, he has a law degree from the University of Michigan and a master of laws degree in urban legal studies from Harvard. He served in the state Senate from 1975 to 1979 and was appointed as an Eastern Michigan University regent by former Gov. James Blanchard in 1983. He served on that board until 1996.

Derezinski's legal career has included a practice in municipal law and land-use planning. He said "rational land-use planning" and the protection of parks and recreation programs are among his priorities.

Derezinski was involved in writing state land-use legislation, Hieftje noted. The primary is Aug. 5.

Here are some really good and useful websites:

www.a2gov.org is the official website for the City of Ann Arbor.

If you go to "government" in it, and then to "City Council," people can get information on the dates and times of meetings, on the subjects to be covered on the agenda, and can even download materials.

All sorts of great things to learn about your own property as well by putting in your address!

The other is the website of the Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau: www.annarbor.org

Where to go, What to do, Where to eat, and everything you need to get acquainted with this great city!!

And from the Governor's office -

http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-23442_21974-195446--,00.html