Zach Kaster’s efforts lead to a safer community with an illuminated crosswalk installation in Saline.

Photo: Zach Kaster and Mayor Marl use the illuminated crosswalk photo by Sue Kelch

By Sue Kelch

This story is about how one individual can make a difference and improve others’ lives.

Meet that one person, Zach Kaster.  Zach, along with other residents of the Maple Oaks community, brought their concerns about pedestrian safety to Saline City Council.  This ultimately led to the installation of an illuminated pedestrian crossing. 

But first, let me introduce you to Zach.  I recently spent time with Zach and his parents, Kim and Mike Kaster, as well as Mayor Brian Marl.  They walked me through the experience and talked about Zach’s background.

Zach and his family moved to Saline in 1999 when he was 7 years old.  Kim talks about why they moved here.  “We were in a school district that kept kicking him out of school and did not want him in any extracurricular activities.  So, we searched the state for a better district and chose Saline Area Schools (SAS).  We have always been grateful we made the change, as SAS always did the best for him.  They embraced him for who he was, not who they wanted him to be.  They recognized his behaviors were caused by his disability and worked hard with him to help him handle the world around him.  Zach attended the Young Adult Program until he was 26, and has now been in Liberty School for the last 7 years.”

While Zach said he had always wanted to live at home, about a year ago, Kim and Mike started looking for a place for Zach.  Kim asked him, “What would you think about it?  You would live across the hall from friends.”

“Zach said, ‘What about the fire department?’ because he would visit the Pittsfield fire department once a week.  I said I’m sure you could hook up in Saline.  Then he asked about going to Dan’s Tavern, and I said you could walk there.”

“It was then that he said, ‘OK, when can I move?’  and that was it.”  Zach moved into his new home in June 2023.

Kim and Mike picked Maple Oaks because “we loved it here.  It was perfect.  He walks to City Hall, the fire department, the senior center, the library, and anything downtown.”  Mayor Brian Marl joined in by saying, “That’s the great thing about this particular neighborhood; it is very walkable and accessible to so many amenities in the community.”

Now, Zach is very proud to live on his own, and he receives full-time care through Community Mental Health.  Although he grew up in Pittsfield Township, he attended Saline schools and loves being a true Saline citizen.  He also attends every Saline School Board and Saline City Council meeting because he loves knowing what is happening in his town.

Commenting on his activities, Zach exclaims, “I like being involved in Saline because I now live there.  I like talking to the Mayor.”  Speaking of the mayor, Zach can add serving as ‘Mayor of the Day’ to his list of accomplishments.  Zach proudly says “I wanted to have fun and to learn more about Saline. I was very excited about being Mayor for the Day!!!”

Saline’s ‘Mayor of the Day’ is a program that started “shortly after I took office – around early 2013,” explains Mayor Marl.  “The goal has been to allow community members and especially our young people the opportunity to experience a day as our city’s Chief Elected Official and gain a better understanding of our municipal operations.”

“It’s just a lot of fun – our young people are very inquisitive and ask great questions. They love learning about government services and, as you may expect, are always enthusiastic about the police and fire departments.  I hope many of our guests leave with a new appreciation for local government and hopefully will consider a vocation in this field in the ensuing years.”

As fate would have it, Zach put his pride of citizenship together with his civic experiences and personal savvy to make meaningful changes for the residents of Saline.  It wasn’t long after Zach moved into his new community that it was discovered there was an issue with the crosswalk.

In order to walk to any destination, Zach needed to cross Maple Street – a heavily used main artery of Saline.  And cars didn’t seem to know if they should stop. 

Kim shared a frightening story: “One day, Zach was crossing with his dad.  The first car to get to the crosswalk stopped to let them cross.  But the car behind them didn’t realize they were stopping, and they couldn’t stop in time, so they went up on the curb.  Luckily Zach was standing a little farther away because he wouldn’t have been able to get out of the way fast enough.  My husband had to run backward in order to avoid getting hit.”

“Of course, the first thing Zach did was run to the car and ask if the driver was OK.  He then said ‘I need a light at the crosswalk so people will stop for me.’  He told a few of his neighbors about what happened and that he wanted to talk to the City Council about getting a light.  And I helped him figure out how to get an opportunity to talk about it to the council.”  

Mayor Marl explains what happened next.   While some residents wrote to city hall,  “Zach and a number of the residents/property owners came to council meetings to speak out and request an enhanced pedestrian crosswalk here at Maple and Maple Oaks Court adjacent to the library.”

When I asked Zach if he was nervous about presenting to the city council, he replied quickly, “No, I wasn’t.” 

Mayor Marl recalls, “Zach was very articulate.  There were several folks in this neighborhood who were very passionate and very well-spoken in terms of their advocacy for an enhanced crosswalk.  I think it feels good when you’re up there advocating for something, and you know you’ve got people behind you.  People who share the same set of concerns, speaking and echoing remarks after you completed yours.”

So, it has been my pleasure to introduce Zach and talk about his many achievements.  While Zach has faced many challenges, he and his family have taken up each and every one head-on, clear-eyed, and with the conviction of doing what is right.   

They truly set an example for all of us; as Kim states, “Never believe that you can’t make a difference.  Everyone has a voice!!!”  We thank Zach for his voice.

If you have questions for City Hall, go to their website at www.cityofsaline.org

If you or your loved one are facing challenging obstacles, contact the Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy.  washtenawaca.org.  – Kim’s favorite organization.