Issues

Emily's Platform

Leadership

Equity

Small Business

Environment

Education

Leadership

Be the voice of the people by being present through active, collaborative leadership.

Providing excellence in customer service
Spending time in our community to celebrate our special occasions and events
Implementing/offering training tools such financial seminars, bid processes, etc.
Implementing our master plan which includes a new parks and recreation building, amphitheatre, and community gathering space near city hall
Listening to neighbors to address and solve issues in a timely manner through accessible communications channels
Celebrating our wins together: highlighting our resilience and contributions to our community

Equity: Access to and for All

Be the voice of the people by advocating for equity in our community. We need to make sure we are creating a space where our neighbors see themselves — space where everyone has a voice and access to elected officials, city resources, and where everyone feels that Kentwood represents their respective communities.
Creating a non-discrimination statement

Using census data to create equitable representation on boards and commissions

Evaluating and updating zoning to create innovative, affordable housing

Implementing a supplier diversity program

Including equity in our strategic plan

Creating a community meeting space focused on the needs of our immigrant and refugee population

Ensuring transparency in our City’s decisions on issues such as budgets, policies, and the allocation of our taxpayer dollars that affect our entire community

Small Business

Be the voice of the people by actively supporting the small businesses who contribute to the vibrancy in our community so they can continue to grow and thrive. Together we can do this by:

Providing access to financial resources

Implementing/offering training tools such financial seminars, bid processes, etc.

Establishing supplier diversity program/policy

Celebrating our wins together: highlighting our resiliency and contribution to our community

Promoting Kentwood as a fertile small business environment by partnering with organizations such as Local First

Environment

Be the voice of the people by advocating for the “greening” of our city and buildings. Let’s evaluate where we are and set achievable annual goals. Together we can make Kentwood more sustainable and environmentally-friendly by:

Installing more walking paths and connecting with cities

Providing a recycling solution for residents

Installing city-wide energy efficiency measures

Supporting and funding park beautification

Shifting to sustainable lawn care methods

  • Adopting the goal of planting 10,000 trees in 10 years
  • Evaluating which neighborhoods lack trees, and implementing equitable use of city resources)

Promoting and supporting community gardens

Installing electric vehicle (EV) chargers

Installing a solar farm on the superfund site behind city hall

Education

Be the voice of the people by advocating for education and engagement in their community for all residents. Together we can make Kentwood more knowledgeable and involved by:

Implementing training for all city employees on cultural competence and effective interactions with special populations, such as domestic violence survivors, to better serve neighbors

Partnering with local financial institutions to provide financial literacy and small business seminars for aspiring entrepreneurs

Advocating and implementing voter education and registration efforts

Hosting citizenship classes

Providing training for new board and commission members on how to be an effective board member