Kathy Erlich
For Village Council
Fighting For Franklin's Future
Thank you so much for taking the time to consider these issues.
I have lived in Franklin essentially my entire life and am truly invested in our wonderful village.
I want to ensure Franklin is a thriving, well-maintained, safely accessible destination for people to enjoy and connect with one another and, simultaneously, protect the authentic, historic, rural nature.
I am running for council because I don’t like the way that the current council is being run. I don’t agree with the decisions being made or how they are making them, disregarding the rules laid out in our Charter. I first became aware of this with the Streetscape. Altering the authentic, rural appearance of our historic downtown, putting sidewalks in front of peoples’ homes and on our green spaces just didn’t sit well with me. As I learned more, it became clear that the majority 4 council members were making all the decisions, disregarding the minority 3 members' concerns and suggestions. The job of the council is to represent all the people, which means listening, learning, respecting and compromising. I do not feel that this is what the current council majority is doing.
Why I Am Running
We have a Village Charter for a reason: “to preserve our rural-like environment and the identity of historic Franklin."
We, the residents of Franklin, by virtue of the rights granted us by the Constitution and
laws of the State of Michigan, wishing to preserve our rural-like environment and the identity of
historic Franklin, do hereby ordain and establish this Village of Franklin Charter.
Created in 1954, our Charter is what has preserved Franklin and made it the “Town that Time Forgot,” setting it apart from all other Michigan cities. The character of Franklin is one of the main reasons that people choose to live here and others to visit. The Charter states that a majority vote of the residents is required in order to put in any new sidewalks in any residential area. However our current council completely ignored the Charter by not first letting villagers first vote on the issue. This is unacceptable and one of the main reasons that I am running for council.
I grew up in Franklin, attended Franklin school starting in Kindergarten. I moved back to town when our now 21 yr old daughter was just learning to walk and we have lived here ever since. I knew this town back then, from a child’s perspective, and I know this town now as an adult. I walk with my dog daily, talking to other residents and observing the homes, trees, streets and buildings. Additionally I have been FCA vice-president for over a decade. My parents and brother also live here, so I basically have 3 generations of knowledge, understanding and awareness of our town. As such, I feel that I am aware and sensitive to the needs of the villagers.
Why I Am Qualified
I am also a business owner - my family purchased and renovated the Slade House a few years back and I moved
1. Adherence to our Village Charter, our laws
2. Assurance of transparency, integrity, and giving residents a voice
3. Preservation of the unique rural nature of our Village and our Historic District
4. Fiscal responsibility and oversight of taxpayers’ money
5. Creating means for safe connectivity throughout the Village
6. Protecting environmental health and safety
7. Cultivating a culture of respect, kindness and civility within Council and toward residents.
Additionally, I believe that council members should be held to a high level of commitment - 90% attendance rate at meetings.
The dynamics on the current Council must change from that of the majority running the show, without care or concern for the opposing views, to one of compromise and respect. While people may disagree on issues, it is of utmost importance to listen and learn from each other, treating all with civility and kindness.
As such, in addition to voting for me for Council Trustee, I support and encourage you to also vote for the following candidates:
★ Trustee Bill Lamott for Council President, a kind man, long standing council member and treasurer of the Franklin Historical Society.
★ Incumbent Fred Gallasch for Council Trustee, a gentle man with long standing record of excellent fiscal responsibility and a PhD in economics.
★ Josh Lawton for Council Trustee, a level-headed, fact-oriented electrical engineer, married dad with young kids.
State of the Current Council
What I Stand For
The best support you can give is to share this information with others.
For questions, updates, encouragement,
and/or if you want a lawn sign,
please email me at kathyerlich2020@yahoo.com
For more information
Please visit FightForFranklin.com by clicking HERE
my pediatric practice into it. As it is one of the oldest homes in Franklin, I feel a new connection to the past and a true stewardship of this historic home and the historic district. I can see many of the issues within the business district, and I also have a sense as to what the Village specifically needs from the businesses.
We need destinations to go to bring people together - food/ice cream, a market, coffee shop, book store, and a place to play games. Even though in the era of COVID, these may seem more like a fantasy, there will be a time in the near future where bringing people together will again be acceptable and even encouraged. We need to prepare and look forward to this.
Additionally, as a doctor, I understand and prioritize safety and health issues within our community - which are issues that are more important than ever before. Environmental health is critical to address inside both our homes and businesses. Outside, people need to be able to walk and ride bikes safely throughout our Village. As such, the Village needs to focus on improving safe travels by adding footpaths and bike lanes along specific areas of our major roadways. In some areas, sidewalks may be the best option, while others may just need brush cut back and more simple pathways created. I support working with the Planning Commission to allow people to connect to each other and to the downtown more safely.
Full Article at:
Oakland County Times interview