Eric Bartkus Lowell City Council

Question from Dawn R: Hi Eric!! Love the way you’ve detailed what you feel needs your continued attention. So helpful to see this! Please take a minute to answer the following question I’ve posed to all candidates. Although this may be outside your direct scope as a member of city council, it’s very important for area voters to hear your thoughts on and the efforts you personally would make to serve our developmentally disabled/neuro-divergent/special needs students as well as our LGBTQ kids and our students of different races and ethnicity. These kids and their families as well as school staff members that work with them are currently under attack from members of area communities. Where do you stand on this issue?

Reply from Eric: Asking about my efforts to serve people, I have volunteered thousands of hours since 2016 to help my wife Beryl start and maintain Ability Weavers, a social enterprise that trains and employs adults with special needs. The joy on the faces of our employees as they succeed and earn a good paycheck (the first ever for most) is enough pay for me. I have lived 33 years raising a daughter with autism, including the challenges and stigma that brings. AW exemplifies the way we relate to ALL people. Our people include a wide variety of special needs, economic status, religion, ethnicity and members of the LGBTQ community. Every person who walks through our door as an employee, volunteer or visitor is treated equally. My Promise #2- “Treat all Citizens Equally; No Bias” is at the top of the list for a reason. I do not like bias, prejudice or discrimination in government, school or anywhere. I commit to demonstrating this promise regardless of the election outcome. I will represent all citizens of Lowell regardless of differences. Thank you, Eric B

Dawn: Thanks so very much for taking the time to answer this for me – such an important topic for so many of us! Good luck to you and your campaign and I HAVE to check out your shop. It sounds amazing!

Heidi: As an LGBTQ person employed by AW, I can verify his statement is true. Eric and Beryl are good people who are already serving our community, and I think he would be an asset in this new role as council member. He certainly has the votes of all in my household!

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Question from Robert S: What’s your position on the percentage of the Lowell budget spent on police compared to neighboring cities like Ada?

From Eric: 25% of the general fund is spent on police safety in Lowell which is exactly the same as Allegan, a similar city with a lot more money (see attached). I know that Chief Hurst is very careful with his budget, including buying used vehicles when new was an option. I really appreciate having a dedicated, well-trained police force on call. I lived in the township for 23 years and my 911 calls to the Sheriff sometimes took 20 to 30 minutes. My calls to Lowell took less than 4 minutes. I fully support the Lowell PD !

Percent of general fund spent on police: Lowell 25%, Allegan 25%, St. Joseph 33%, Portland 32%, Ionia 45% (police and fire). The Kent County Sheriff average response time for Cascade township in the fall 2022 was 22 min 50 seconds. (source Cascade twp website). Ada township would I think be higher coming from the Ball street HQ. I do not support contracting police services to the county. I will carefully study all city spending as if it were my own money.