BILL CARROLL

isc

Special to the Jewish News

Tax e d

Sylvan Lake's first Jewish mayor
juggles homemaker chores at home.

e's the first Jewish
mayor in the predomi-
nately non-Jewish city
of Sylvan Lake, and he's
known for his fair, but no-nonsense
approach to tough governmental
and community issues.
But at home, Mr. Mayor is the
gentle and kind "Mr. Mom," who
takes care of three children while
his wife works full time. He does
the shopping, runs errands, pre-
pares dinners and handles do-it-
yourself chores around the house in
his spare time.
Stuart Bandalene, 41, says the
housekeeping role is a "rewarding
experience," and will stay at the job
with daughters Alissa, 9; Elana, 7;
and now son, Ryan, born eight
months ago. His wife, Cheryl
(Toby), also 41, will continue her
position as a partner in the down-
town Detroit law firm of
Honigman, Miller, Schwartz and
Cohn. She's a Wayne State
The Bandalenes: Elana, Stuart holding Ryan, Alissa and Cheryl.
University Law School graduate.
However, Bandalene will step
down from the mayor's post at the
daughters were pressed into service
and social ,events at the Oakland
end of this year, remaining on the coun-
and "they loved it," he said. "And
County Boat Club that still exists.
cil of the incorporated city of only 3,000
these families were total strangers."
Now, some Jewish families from as
residents spread over 1.5 square miles.
In November, the community's
close by as West Bloomfield,
He'll pursue a part-time real estate sales
more veteran residents banded
Farmington Hills and Southfield
career.
together to defeat a liquor-by-the-
have cottages in Sylvan Lake for the
The Bandalenes moved to the tiny
glass
proposal on the regular election
same purpose. Other young families
south Oakland County enclave 13 years
ballot, which would have brought
are permanently replacing older fam-
ago, shortly after their marriage. Theirs
liquor sales to the city's only two
ilies as the latter retire and move
is one of about 75 to 100 Jewish families
restaurants, now serving beer and
away.
out of a total of 850 families in Sylvan
wine. A millage issue•to repair roads
"All of the neighbors know each
Lake, which is largely a summer resort
also failed, but another millage issue
other and everyone in the city gets
town with 150 boat docks on a huge
to replace sewers was approved.
along real well," observed Bandalene,
lake — not exactly a bastion of Jewish
"Most of the younger population
who was appointed mayor two years
population. Value of the homes range
tried
to get the liquor plan passed,"
ago by fellow council members.
from $150,000 to $1 million, and many
Bandalene noted, "but the senior res-
"We've never experienced one iota
of them belong to parents and adult
idents fought it. They didn't want
of anti-Semitism. We close off two
children in the same family, living only a
any possible trouble in the city."
main streets in the summer so that
few doors apart — including Cheryl's
City Manager John Martin, who
transient traffic won't bother us, and
parents, Marlene and Chuck Toby, who
has held that post for nine years,
we just all get together to have a
live three houses away.
works for Bandalene and described
good time at the beach and in our
him as a "great guy and a great
park. In the winter, the lake freezes
friend" who is "very fair as a mayor
over for ice skating and cross country
Summer Cottages
and councilman and always has the
skiing."
Many of the homes served as cottages
best interests of the city at heart. But
With his power as mayor, Bandalene
for the wealthy auto company executives
he can be tough and he strictly fol-
even has performed three weddings,
of the 1930s and '40s, so they could
lows the laws and rules. He's very
one outside by the lake. \Vhen one of
escape the Detroit heat to a nearby
cool and knowledgeable about gov-
the wedding parties needed some
beach area and experience camaraderie
ernmental matters."
bridesmaids, the two Bandelene

Family Matters

Bandalene is a graduate of
Southfield High School and
WSU, with a business degree.
He worked for the EDS
Corporation for seven years.
When Cheryl, whom he met at
Camp Walden, had a tough
pregnancy with one of their
daughters, Bandalene took a
leave of absence to help her —
then just stayed home perma-
nently when she returned to her
law firm post. The children
attend the private Upland Hills
School in Oxford. He puts the
baby in day care when he has
urgent business to handle.
"I don't mind shopping and
preparing dinner, and I have
plenty of time during the day to
run errands and take care of our
investments," said Bandalene.
"I've remodeled the kitchen
and fixed many other things
around the house. I even helped
prepare a big Thanksgiving din-
ner here. When our boy was
born, the bris took place during
Passover, so we had it at the
city's community center, and our
Gentile neighbors attended. It's
a real enlightened community."
Bandalene loves the attention he gets
when he takes the children shopping at a
local supermarket. "The employees there
seem to feel sorry for me because I'm
looking for food items and trying to
keep the kids in tow," he mused. "So
they help me and usually open a new
check-out line for me so I'll get done
faster. You should see the looks on the
faces of the women shoppers."
Dr. Steven Stein, a plastic surgeon
who lives three blocks from the
Bandalenes, has known Smart since they
attended Adler Elementary School in
Southfield together.
"He's a great friend and would do
anything to help you," said Stein.
"In the annual Memorial Day Parade
on Orchard Lake Road, we piled both of
our families into my car and rode with
the mayor. I agree with him on city
issues sometimes, but not at other times.
"As mayor, he's calm, cool and
diplomatic and makes suire everyone
gets his ear . . . he's very approach-
able to the residents — and they
love him at home."

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