While most of the members on the Clarkston City Council will remain the same, Carol Eberhardt is new to the council. In the general election, Eberhardt won 305 votes. Peggy Roth secured 237 votes, and Mike Sabol garnered 290 votes. All council members serve two-year terms.
‘I’m looking forward to Carol joining the team,? said Mayor Joe Luginski, who ran unopposed in the general election, but still got 355 votes. ‘She’s coming in with a lot of knowledge and history,? he said.
Eberhardt was once president of the city board, owned a business downtown, and has been active in the community for thirty years. ‘I think I’m going to be a good addition,? said Eberhardt. ‘I’m very open to suggestions and concerns,? she added.
‘I trust she’ll come in and do a great job,? said Sabol. ‘It’s too bad we can’t have eight people on the council. Richard Bisio will be missed,? he added. Bisio lost his seat by only 17 votes.
Roth agreed. ‘Richard was a real numbers guy,? she said. ‘I’m sorry to have lost him.? On the other hand, Roth said, ‘I’m looking forward to having another female on the council.?
Now that the votes have been tallied, members of the city council are ready to work.
Eberhardt intends to offer her organizational skills to the ordinance-codifying project the council will tackle in the coming year. ‘The budget is a high priority,? Eberhardt said. She plans to sit down with Bisio to get up to speed on the city’s budget.
Sabol is interested in tackling the city’s finances too.
‘I hope to get the budget process straightened out and make sure we’re not wasting the money we have,? he said. He also intends to continue participating as a liaison in the Planning Commission.
Roth has begun serving on a subcommittee devoted to eliminating Phragmites, an invasive plant, in the area. She also hopes to get involved in Main Street Oakland County (MSOC), an economic development program to help develop downtowns.
When it comes to Mayor Luginski’s goals, he hopes to ‘continue to preserve, protect, and progress,? he said. He intends to preserve the unique characteristic of the downtown while protect its historic nature. Luginski said he also wants to see Clarkston progress by drawing more service and retail business to downtown. ‘The more you can offer, the better,? he said.
The next city council meeting will take place on November 26 at 7 p.m. at Village Hall on Depot Road.