By Jeremy Carroll
C & G Staff Writer

CLAWSON — Mayor Penny Luebs and challenger Kurt Hack discussed issues facing Clawson at length as the two told voters their vision for the city during the League of Women Voters candidate forum Oct. 14.

It is the second straight election in which the two will square off for the city’s top elected position. Luebs defeated Hack by just 20 votes two years ago.

Luebs said the city must continue to budget within its means, make Clawson a more walkable and bikeable community, and improve communications, while Hack said the city should develop a multi-year budget, streamline the process for businesses to open in the city and aggressively tackle blight issues.

“I ran for City Council initially to save our Police Department, keep our library open, change city administration and improve communications between citizens, businesses and council,” Luebs said. “And I’m proud to say these goals have been accomplished.”

Luebs, 55, a social worker for both Easter Seals and Common Ground, was elected mayor after spending four years on the council. Hack spent the same four years on the City Council before losing to Luebs in the 2007 election.

“I think we can do better,” Hack said. “As mayor, I would streamline the process of opening a business. I would address blight and absentee land owners. I would demand budgets that span more than one year.”

In talking about the budget, Hack said he would like to see three- to five-year budgeting. Oakland County just began multi-year budgeting.

“One year is too short-sighted to actively plan for the future,” said the 35-year-old engineering project manager for Guardian Industries Corp.

Luebs highlighted the progress in the downtown in recent years.

“Our downtown has become a destination point instead of a drive-through city,” she said. “We are looking at enhancing the downtown area with on-street parking on 14 Mile Road.”

The two agreed on many issues, including the need for better communication, the desire to bring back brush pickup and that city look to no longer be dependent on state-shared revenue.

In talking about regionalization of services, both said they wanted to protect the identity of the community.

“I’m not in favor of outsourcing the Police Department or library at this time,” Luebs said. “I don’t want to lose the identity of Clawson.”

She said she doesn’t have new ideas on regionalization that haven’t already been implemented, but is open to any ideas that are brought to the table. Currently the city contracts out dispatch services with Troy and various inspections with Royal Oak.

Hack said it was the time to be proactive on regionalization and see what the city could offer other communities.

“We might not be able to replace Troy’s motor pool, but maybe we could fix their lawnmowers,” he said.

He pushed for the city to be more aggressive against blighted properties, saying city workers must act if they see blight.

“Now isn’t the time to be ditching code enforcement,” Hack said. “Now is the time we should be ramping it up and doing more than the status quo.”

The election is Nov. 3.

You can reach Staff Writer Jeremy Carroll at jcarroll@candgnews.com or at (586) 279-1110.