Filing deadline looms for Warren elections

WARREN — It has been said public service is among the highest callings.  Those looking to serve the community of Warren may find something that resonates with them and inspires them to act, or even run for an elected office.

The next filing deadline to do so is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25.  Candidates have until 4 p.m. on Friday, April 28, to withdraw, after which all filings are official, according to the City Clerk’s Office.

To be eligible for any elected office in Warren, the city charter states a candidate must be a registered voter in the city for at least two years immediately prior to the election. Running for mayor requires an additional year of residency.         

According to Warren City Clerk Sonja Buffa, each candidate must submit an affidavit of identity and receipt of filing. Then they can either pay a $100 filing fee (which the majority of candidates opt to do) or submit a nominating petition with the appropriate number of signatures, determined by a percentage of all the votes cast in the city, or district, for the office of Michigan secretary of state in the most recent general election.

In the last general election on Nov. 8, 2022, a total of 49,510 registered voters cast ballots for Michigan secretary of state in Warren. To submit a nominating petition for any of the at-large positions on the ballot this year — mayor, city clerk, city treasurer or the two at-large City Council seats — a candidate would need a number of signatures equal to no less than 1% of 49,510 (495 signatures) and no greater than 4% (1,980 signatures), according to the clerk.

For those running for one of the district City Council seats, the number required is based on how many people voted for Michigan secretary of state in that district, using the same 1% and 4 % thresholds. For example, in the last general election in District 3, 10,831 voters cast ballots for secretary of state, meaning no fewer than 108 signatures and no greater than 433 signatures would be needed, according to Buffa.

According to the Michigan Department of State Bureau of Elections, a candidate can be disqualified for making false statements on a signed affidavit of identity, late filing fees and unpaid fines.

 

What’s on the ballot?
In Warren’s “strong mayor” form of government, the mayor is the administrative and executive leader of the city, according to the charter. The mayor appoints officials to lead the city’s various departments and appoints members to the city’s boards and commissions. The mayor’s administration must also prepare the city budget and present it to the City Council.

Former Warren Mayor Mark Steenbergh, who served as the city’s top administrator from 1995 to 2007, offered some insight into the job of mayor.

When asked what he found most rewarding, Steenbergh said, “During my mayorship, I earned their (Warren residents’) trust with the redevelopment of the Tank Plant at first and that allowed me to have their trust to move forward and clean up the area around City Hall.  I thought right at the core of the city we did a lot of good work that is good for the citizenry for a long, long time. Those are the big things.”

Asked what the most challenging or difficult part of being mayor was, Steenbergh said, “Recognizing the needs of the city and trying to pull the project together is the thing that challenges you. You have to get City Council people on board because they control the money.  And you had to prove to them what was good, and you had to prove to the citizenry what you were doing was worthwhile and good and in their best interest.”

The salary for the mayor of Warren is $126,642, as stated in the city’s adopted budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

The Warren city clerk oversees elections and voting and is responsible for certifying the results. The clerk serves as the city’s official record keeper of documents.

The city treasurer collects, allocates and is responsible for the safekeeping of all city revenue. This includes property taxes, special assessments, fees, licenses and water revenues. The Treasurer’s Office acts as the tax collection agent for all taxing units located within Warren, including the millages of six school districts and the county.

The salary of both the city clerk and treasurer is $92,923.

The Warren City Council is a legislative body of seven members, with five members representing each of the five districts throughout Warren and two representing the city at-large. Council members must live in the district in which they represent.

The City Council elects its own officers, but the highest vote-getter in the race for the two at-large City Council seats becomes the mayor pro tem.

The council controls the money by having final approval of the city budget. They approve expenditures and ordinances and settle lawsuits by majority vote.

Council members are required to attend City Council meetings at the Warren Community Center the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.

Every council member receives the same salary of $31,412.

Many who run for the City Council do so with a mission to help the city and its residents.

Scott Stevens served three terms on the Warren City Council from 2017 to 2019.

“The most rewarding thing about being on City Council was being able to serve the residents to the best of my ability,” Stevens said.

He added, “It is disappointing when Council members are out for themselves.”

All city officers in Warren serve four-year terms.