Newly Elected Officials Share Their Plans

City of Saline Mayor

, said he considers himself an open and engaging person and hopes to bring that style to his new position.

He said he would continue many of the initiatives current Mayor Gretchen Driskell pursued, but that he would also bring his own ideas like those outlined in his five-point vision:

1. Openness, accessibility and communication
2. Support for public safety
3. Responsible financial stewardship
4. Economic development
5. Investment in infrastructure

York Township Trustee

Brian Iott is one of two newly elected trustees for York Township. He said he hopes to cooperate with the elected supervisor and other board members to do work for the township.

He said the biggest project he's involved in from the last few months is work on two township parks — Sandra Richardson Park and Mary McCann Park. 

"The property was donated by Toyota 10 or 12 years ago," Iott said.

He said the parks committee hasn't been able to atrract some of the township residents who are perhaps unaware these parks exist. He said the residents should help reshape the parks.

"We'd like to rally some of the younger generation to the parks committee," he said.

The goal is to ask for community volunteerism to assist with a developing program under the name of the York Township Parks Association, according to the parks committee.

"We'd like to get a push from the residents to try to build on that," Iott said.

State Representative, 52nd District

Gretchen Driskell is the newly elected 52nd House District representative after running against incumbent Republican Ouimet of Scio Township. Driskell, who has been Saline mayor since 1999, said she wants to maintain her campaign promise and restore education funding.

"What really resonated when I went door to door and talked to people was their concern about school funding for their kids, class sizes and the education that their kids were getting," she said.

Driskell said she wants to invest in the community and improve K-12 education.

"Job growth is important but, at the end of the day, education is a part of economic growth," she said.

Newly elected officials unavailable for comment were: Diane L. Friese and Karen Delhey, elected to the Saline Area Schools Board; Barbara Giezentaner, elected as Lodi Township trustee; Alicia Ping, elected as Washtenaw County commissioner for the 3rd District; John Stanowski, elected as York Township supervisor; and Dan Pichla, elected as York Township trustee.