Gerald DeMaagd - WKTV Journal

Mayor Stephen Kepley talks to supporters at Paris Cafe & Desserts, his headquarters for election night.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

“I am a man who likes to cross the t’s and dot the i’s,” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley as he watched the poll numbers roll in from the 2017 election results at his evening campaign headquaters at Kentwood’s Paris Cafe & Desserts.

By 8:30 p.m., Kepley had a secure lead of 3 to 1 to his challenger Scott Urbanowski. It was a lead that Kepley never relinquished with him winning his bid for a second term with 2,116 votes to Urbanowski’s 696.

“I am really excited about the next four years,”Kepley said. “I truly love serving the citizens. I love the city, the residents and the neighbors.”

Kepley said he believes it is a team effort of the city managers and department heads who have made the positive decisions to push the city forward and he is excited about seeing the “positive changes we can make in Kentwood” over the next four years.

“Ultimately, I did not convince enough people that Kentwood needed change in the Mayor’s Office and that I was in the best position to make that change,” Urbanowski said in a released statement. “Nevertheless, I’m grateful to everyone who voted, volunteered, or donated in support of this young person with no elected experience or establishment support.

“I am glad that I was able to spark conversations about issues that matter; to help boost interest in local government; and to get to know Kentwood and its people even better.”

1st Ward City Commission Candidate Emily Bridson takes photos with supporters.

Challenger Emily Bridson had to wait a little longer before celebrating her victory last night. Bridson held a 2-to-1 lead over incumbent Gerald DeMaagd for most of the night with her winning the 1st Ward City Commission seat with 890 votes to DeMaagd’s 451.

“I am really excited about this opportunity,” Bridson said from her campaign celebration at Peppino’s South. “I have met so many people and made a lot of new friends. I have a greater understanding of a lot of priorities from what they love about our city and what they would like to see changed. I am going to work on a strategic plan to address those changes.”

Bridson said she is very honored to have gone through this process. “I want to thank Jerry for his service,” Bridson said. “I am excited and looking forward to to working with Mayor Kepley and the commission.”

In statement released this morning, incumbent DeMaagd said:

“Emily Bridson has won the Kentwood 1^st Ward City Commission seat by substantial margins. She conducted a textbook campaign, and executed well. She is smart, capable, and deserves the win based on her efforts.

“I think there is a further story here though, given the level of outside influence on both the mayoral and commission races which are officially non-partisan. The pre-election campaign reports filed with Kent County show that 53 of Bridson’s contributors were from other cities outside Kentwood, and only 5 from Kentwood (plus herself). Post-election campaign reports aren’t due until Dec. 7. Allegedly she was endorsed by the UAW (United Auto Workers), although she did not advertise it. On the other hand, the mayoral candidate, Scott Urbanowski’s campaign literature does state that he was ‘ENDORSED by the Kent County Democratic Party’.

“Although these actions are perfectly legal, it does show the amount of outside interest in what is essentially a local race.

“As a candidate, I received several calls from voters about my position relative to national issues. They say all politics is local… but I think that for Kentwood it’s actually the reverse: All local politics is now national!“

WKTV takes seriously its role as a communications provider. We want our community to be well-informed and more involved in local matters.

In the city of Kentwood, residents will be heading to the polls on Nov. 7 to elect new city officers and city commission members. Of the six positions up for election, only two are contested, the Mayor position and a 1st Ward City Commission seat. Below are the candidates for the 1st Ward Commission seat.

Name: Emily Bridson

Challenger for the First Ward City Commission Seat

Why did you decide to run for election to this office? [After attending several city commission meetings, Bridson said] Mayor Kepley approached me after a city commission meeting and said, “You know, if you keep showing up, we’ll give you a job to do.” It was back then that I decided to part of the solution. I seized the opportunity to become a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission and also the Planning Commission. It was one of the best decisions I have made: I have learned a tremendous amount about how the city works with other municipalities, and the importance of being an effective member of a committee, of listening to my neighbor’s input, and of serving our city. I’ve learned that all of us, by getting involved with local government, can have a positive impact on our families, neighborhoods, parks and the future of our city.

As you are aware, the City of Kentwood just recently marked its 50th anniversary. What challenges/issues do you believe the city will need to address to continue to build upon its success? Based on the many conversations I have had with residents, my vision for our city includes: investing in education – so that every child has a well-funded, effective education; promoting equity and inclusion – Kentwood’s boards and commissions should reflect our community. When inclusivity connects our community, we all win; improving our public places – investing in parks and recreation enhances our residents’ lives through activities and green spaces; prioritizing public safety – for everyone…for a safer community.

Name: Gerald DeMaagd,

Incumbent for the First Ward City Commission Seat

Current position: I retired from Steelcase in 2001 after 27 years. I was a data security team leader.

Why did you decide to run for election/re-election to this office? I decided to run for re-election to continue working on improving governance at the commission level. Governance describes how the commission itself is organized.

As you are aware, the City of Kentwood just recently marked its 50th anniversary. What challenges/issues do you believe the city will need to address to continue to build upon its success? The challenge for Kentwood in the coming years will be long-term fiscal sustainability after the city is fully developed. Currently our tax base is expanding as new commercial, industrial, and housing development occurs…providing a growth dividend. When fully built out, this revenue increase will plateau.

Those seeking re-election in uncontested City of Kentwood races are Dan Kasunic for City Clerk; Laurie Sheldon for City Treasurer; and Betsy Artz for City Commissioner-at-Large. Tom McKelvy is running unopposed as well for a 2nd Ward Commission seat currently held by Erwin Haas who is not seeking re-election.