Chelsea Mayoral Candidates Speak at Forum

By Doug Marrin, STN Reporter

The Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a public forum via Zoom Thursday, September 16, for residents to hear from the two candidates running for Chelsea Mayor—Cheri Albertson and Jane Pacheco. Both candidates are members of the City Council. Mayor Johnson is not seeking reelection.

The forum was moderated by Chelsea businessman Paul Schissler, who opened the meeting by saying that the Mayor's job “is not for the faint of heart or the casual volunteer.”

Schissler explained that questions for the candidates were submitted anonymously through the Chamber website. Questions that were most relevant to Chelsea today were selected.

What, specifically, do you believe is the role of the Mayor of Chelsea?

Cheri Albertson: “In the City Charter, the fundamental and most primary role is to facilitate Council proceedings, and that is not an easy task to accomplish. But importantly, I think that there could be a misunderstanding within our community in believing that the mayor has some sort of an elevated role. The mayor does not have an elevated role. The mayor is one voice. We have a seven-person council. The mayor has one vote and is equal to all of the other votes on City Council.”

Jane Pacheco agreed with Albertson, adding, “The City of Chelsea has what’s called a ‘council manager’ form of government. The council and mayor work in tandem with a city manager.” She also stated, “The Mayor facilitates meetings and has the responsibility of representing the City on certain occasions but has no additional power per se.” And, “The Council and the Mayor together have the responsibility to make policy, and the policy is the part where we hear and respond to the citizens.”

Describe a situation or issue in Chelsea that you feel is a top priority to address.

Jane Pacheco stated her top priority as “something that I know is on a lot of people’s minds right now, and that is the issue of civility and civil discourse. I would like to let folks know that civil discourse, civic engagement, community input, these things to me are related and are very important.” She added, “To reintroduce respectability, civility, a tone where we can listen and affirm that we have some understanding, that’s a top priority to me, and I think to many in the community.”

Cheri Albertson concurred with Pacheco, stating, “Ms. Pacheco is absolutely spot on, on that issue.” Based on her 25 years of experience in behavioral health, she added, “This begins with all of us making an agreement with ourselves that we are going to be respectful and have respectful interactions regardless of what our beliefs, our differences may be. An that includes face-to-face as well as on social media.”

How will you lead a very divided community forward, knowing that some won’t like your leadership? And, what have you to say to those who don’t agree with the decisions you make?

Cheri Albertson: “Let me first say that the Mayor may not make a unilateral decision. It is the Council as a whole that will make the decision.” She emphasized that the Mayor can facilitate discussion, but the idea that the Mayor has more power than the others on the Council is mistaken.

Jane Pacheco: “First and foremost, I think it’s important to listen to your community, to engage with the community. The Mayor, the council members, we are just representatives. We are the lucky ones that get to engage at coffee shops, soccer fields, congregations and take in the stories, the good, the bad, the suggestions, and the criticisms.”

Affordable housing is a concern for many individuals and families in Chelsea. How could our community increase the number of affordable homes so people who work in Chelsea could also afford to live in Chelsea?

Jane Pacheco noted that the term “affordable housing” means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. “As a city council, through the master planning process, through the revised zoning ordinance, we’re touching on those things by, again, listening to the community and responding with thoughtful solutions.”

Cheri Albertson: “We have just completed an update of our Master Plan, our comprehensive plan, and we have added a lot of new elements to it.” She specifically listed new zoning for ancillary dwellings and tiny houses and the new Heritage Farms development that will be building smaller, more affordable homes.

What do you think can be done about traffic congestion on M52/Main Street?

Jane Pacheco noted the issue had been around for decades. “We have somewhat of our hands are tied to a degree because M52 is a state highway. And though it runs through our community, the City of Chelsea does not have jurisdiction over that. So, anything that we're able to do, we work collaboratively with the State of Michigan.”

Cheri Albertson recounted efforts in the past to construct bypasses around downtown but were stalled by the cost of land ownership. She also noted that the Village of Chelsea missed an opportunity to have the road decommissioned as a haul route in the past. She pointed out that MDOT has disregarded input from Chelsea about its streets. “I don’t think there’s much that we can do.”

What are the three most important issues going forward for the City, in your opinion?

Jane Pacheco listed 1) a return to civility, 2) working through the operational audit of the police department, and 3) affordable housing.

Cheri Albertson named 1) a return to civil discourse, 2) partnering with the schools to address existing cultural challenges, and 3) continuing the City’s redevelopment projects.

Other questions asked:

The Chelsea City Council is a nonpartisan election. What will you do to make sure the council keeps its nonpartisan representation, keeping the best interest of the city and citizens first and foremost?

How will you ensure that the City is collaborating with other large organizations like the schools, the hospital, and other employers that directly impact the desirability of Chelsea?

Council members take an oath to follow the law. If you are elected, what steps will you take to ensure that anything you propose or vote for complies with state law, the city's charter and ordinances, and council rules?

What is your philosophy about the growth, economically and residentially, of Chelsea?

What organizations do you belong to that are engaged in activities other than the City Council business? And, have you disclosed what those organizations are?

What do you see as viable options to develop the Federal Screw Works property?

What experience do you have with reading, formulating, and working with a complex budget?

A link to the forum is posted on the City’s website. All community members are encouraged to listen to the approximately one-hour mayoral forum to hear the candidates’ complete responses, introductions, and closing statements.

Photo: Doug Marrin