Metro
Primary from page A13
part of that increase is attributed to a pre-
vious investment firm.
As liaison to the Planning Commission,
Brickner helped develop the township's
master plan, proposed downtown district
and bike paths. "Our great new road sys-
tem, especially the roundabouts, is coming
to fruition;' he says.
A lawyer and financial adviser, he is
married, has two children and belongs
to the Temple Israel Brotherhood in West
Bloomfield.
Jason Feld, Republican
"The main priority
in the treasurer's office
is to protect our invest-
ments while maintain-
ing an even cash flow
and adhering to the
laws:' says Feld, 38, who
Jason Feld
has a master's degree
in accounting from
Oakland County-based Walsh College. He
is the corporate controller for the Farbman
Group, a Southfield-based real estate firm.
He wants to expand electronic banking for
all treasurer's office functions.
A five-year resident, Feld is married
with three children and belongs to the
Shul-Chabad Lubavitch, West Bloomfield.
Teri Adelberg
Weingarden, Democrat
Adelberg Weingarden,
38, grew up in West
Bloomfield, attending
West Bloomfield High
School, and now lives
with her husband and
Teri Adelberg
two children a half mile
Weingarden
from her original home.
Her business experience
includes executive positions with Unisys,
EDS and Andersen Consulting/Accenture,
using a master's degree in industrial rela-
tions from Wayne State University, Detroit.
"The current board is too negative and
fragmented and doesn't share ideas:' she
said, "and we must change it into a team.
The treasurer's office needs improvements
in processes and efficiency"
A volunteer in many community orga-
nizations, Adelberg Weingarden is affili-
ated with Congregation Shaarey Zedek
of Oakland County and Temple Shir
Shalom in West Bloomfield. She has been
endorsed by the Metropolitan Detroit
AFL-CIO.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES ($125
per meeting) — four to be elected
Larry Brown, Democrat
Active on the township Planning
Commission, Parks and Recreation
A14
July 3 • 2008
JN
Commission and public
safety issues as a 22-
year resident, Brown, 63,
wants to bring "profes-
sionalism and respect to
the board and make the
public feel comfortable
in bringing their issues
Larry Brown
and comments to the
meetings without fear of being attacked or
ignored."
A retired CPA, Brown envisions a "3-to-
5-year financial plan to assure we have the
money to continue an [enjoyable] quality
of life." He favors a downtown develop-
ment, updating the master plan, and is
concerned about how the roundabouts are
affecting Orthodox Jews trying to cross
there. In 2000, he helped preserve the eruv
around a new housing development at
Orchard Lake and Walnut Lake roads.
Married with two children, Brown
belongs to Temple Israel, West Bloomfield.
Gene Farber, Democrat
Chairman of the
Planning Commission,
1 Farber, 61, is married
with three children
and has lived in West
Bloomfield for 33 years.
He's an attorney in
Gene Farber
Bingham Farms and
a member of the State
Oil and Gas Advisory Committee. He's
chairman of the Temple Kol Ami Building
Committee, West Bloomfield.
"I want to establish a downtown devel-
opment authority ... so we can enhance
economic growth by contributing to
our own economic health:' he says. "I
also want to reverse the 25 percent pay
increase the board voted for itself last
year. We ought to serve as an example to
all employees, whom we ask to share the
burden of tough economic times."
1
-
Steven Kaplan,
Democrat
Kaplan, 54, has won
57 out of 60 cases he has
prosecuted as assistant
Macomb County pros-
ecuting attorney for 21
years, but he has lost
Steven Kaplan
previous election tries,
for Oakland County
prosecutor (by .5 percent) and Oakland
County Circuit judge (by 1 percent). He's
an adjunct professor at two state law
schools. He's a former West Bloomfield
board member for four years, and con-
siders himself to be the unofficial town-
ship ombudsman and "ambassador" to
employees.
"I enjoy public service and want to
contribute to the community:' said Kaplan.
"We should have resurfaced and wid-
ened the major roads first before getting
involved with roundabouts. Also, we must
return to treating all residents courteously
and respectfully!'
He's married with two children, has
lived in West Bloomfield since 1995 and is
active locally in B'nai B'rith and the Jewish
Parents Institute.
John Cyrus Mohyi,
Republican
The youngest primary
candidate, Mohyi, 19,
lives with his parents in
the township, is a gradu-
ate of Bloomfield Hills
Andover High School,
John Cyrus
where he was class presi-
Mohyi
dent, and is studying
political science and pre-
law at Wayne State University, Detroit. He
doesn't see his age as a barrier to serving
on the board.
"I'm part of the younger generation that
uses high technology and analytical skills,"
he pointed out. "We must realign property
assessments to better reflect market val-
ues. With the plummeting housing mar-
ket, homes are being assessed for more
than they're worth, resulting in signifi-
cantly higher taxes. We also must reduce
spending to avoid a budget deficit. Our
roads are archaic, and the roundabouts
and widening projects could have been
handled more efficiently."
Howard Rosenberg,
Democrat
The grandson of the
founders of the Jewish
community's Rosenberg
Catering business,
Rosenberg, 56, is a West
Bloomfield chiroprac-
Howard
tor, married with two
Rosenberg
daughters and a 24-year
resident. He's a Parks
and Recreation Commission member and
advocates a "green" community, with more
gardens, more livable space, stable prop-
erty values and better road traffic flow to
help reduce carbon emissions.
"The county road commission is doing
a poor job on our roads; they're unrespon-
sive and there are too many potholes;'
said Rosenberg. "We need sound financial
leadership, and I hope to be a respectful
voice."
Robert Spector, incum-
bent Democrat
"I foresee the next
four years in West
Bloomfield as being just
as good as the past four
years of my first term:'
declared Spector, 64, a
Robert
retired businessman,
Spector
who has lived in the
township for 40 years.
He's married with two children and six
grandchildren, and his wife, Karen, is an
Oakland County commissioner.
He also feels the loss of experienced,
incumbent board members will be a det-
riment to the township, but he hopes the
"inexperienced newcomers" will bring
new expertise to the board.
"We're moving in a positive direction,
with balanced budgets and no reductions
in services:' he adds. "The roundabouts
are successful with a 95 percent less
incidence of serious accidents at the two
intersections, just fender-benders."
Scott J. Winnick,
Democrat
Winnick, 44, is mar-
ried, a 10-year resident,
an attorney and a
patient advocate (facili-
tating health care for
families).
Scott J.
He takes the opposite
Winnick
view on the roads, say-
ing the township "road
plan is unacceptable, they're not being
maintained properly, Maple Road should
be widened first, and the roundabouts are
causing too many accidents."
Winnick supports proposed enact-
ment of a state smoking ban, as well as
downtown development, bike paths and
"appropriate decorum" at board meet-
ings.
He belongs to Adat Shalom Synagogue,
Farmington Hills.
❑
Ballot Proposals
Residents are being asked to (1) renew a tax levy of one quarter of one mil for
10 years to cover maintenance of parks and other recreation places; and to
(2) to levy a new tax of 0.1 mils (10 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation) to
support the Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak.