KCDP Podcasts

KCDP Candidate Podcast #12 - John Nieuwenhuis with host Martin Burch

"Little John" won the office of County Commissioner in Oshtemo by just 145 votes in his first bid. His accomplishments in his first term of office were to reform the discourse of the commission meetings to enhance voter participation, and oversight of the Solar Gardens project which he found was failing and wasting taxpayer money. John grew up in the county and described the down-to-earth values he learned growing up on a farm in Kalamazoo. Nieuwenhuis went on to detail his platform on his signature issue this campaign, the unbelievable low number of on-duty officers available to respond to 911 calls in Kalamazoo County at night. Nieuwenhuis completed the interview with the dramatic story of his plight to uncover the problem of health care for the homeless and impoverished in the county who were being charged for services meant to be free.

KCDP Candidate Podcast #11 - Richard Fuller with host Martin Burch

Richard Fuller talked about why he wants to be sheriff, his experience of 20 years in law enforcement and the programs he runs including the field training officers program, the meth amphetamine investigation unit, AED & CPR instruction, and Project Lifesaver. Richard focuses on the economic pressure put on the Sheriff's department in his campaign, as well as solutions to what he terms "breaking the chain of recidivism." Richard bragged on his family and his children who are taking advantage of the Kalamazoo Promise. Richard also talked about his feelings about unions and how they have had an impact on his life. In his spare time Richard pursues his passion for local history and volunteers at youth camp in northern Michigan where he tells ghost stories. "Bale! Bale! Bale!"

KCDP Candidate Podcast #10 - Jack Urban with host Martin Burch

In this podcast Commissioner Jack Urban talks about the intricacies of the recent changes to the public transportation system in Kalamazoo County, including the millage proposal and some decription of the merger and expansion of public transportation services. Urban is also very concerned about indigent defense and he reports on the commission's efforts to address indigent defense in Kalamazoo County. 

KCDP Candidate Podcast #9 - Robert Jones with host Martin Burch

This is the longest podcast of ther series. We have tried to keep them at around 12 minutes long, but at every opportunity we thought we had to trim some out, he went and said something cool. In this podcast Robert Jones primarily discusses gas price and Michigan's economic development. He doesn't pull punches and comes right out of the corner swinging. 

KCDP Candidate Podcast #8 - Michael Seals with host Katie Houston

Michael discusses with us his bid for the 13th District County Commissioner. The 13th District includes Cooper Township, Alamo Township and Parchment. He's local to the community and is involved in a long list of community service organizations including the Kalamazoo River Cleanup Coalition where he was instrumental in preventing the EPA from dumping PCB's in Parchment. Seals is in support of capitalizing on the resources provided by the Kalamazoo river area and of renovation of the former paper mill sites. The redevelopment of the brownfield sites is pivotal to economic development in the community, according to Seals. He talked about adding camping along the Kalamazoo river and a US 131 ramp project, which are part of his plan for economic development. Seals tells us when and where the County commission meetings are, and when the best time to address the Commission -- 201 West Kalamazoo Ave. in the County Building, at 4:00 pm on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday, and a 7:00 pm is the meeting of the whole. For complete information you can visit www.kalcounty.com and Seals says that's where to find out about committees. He encourages everyone with particular interests in the community to join a committee.

KCDP Special Podcast #1 - Convention 08 with Mark Miller and host Martin Burch

Mark Miller reports from the convention in Denver the day of the acceptance speech by Barack Obama.

KCDP Special Podcast #1 - Convention 08 with Ron Crowell and host Martin Burch

Martin talks by phone with Ron Crowell who is in Denver at the Democratic National Convention. Ron talks about the sights at the convention, notably the level of police presence and the protesters. Martin asked Ron if he'd heard about the men captured who are suspected of plotting to shoot the presidential candidate, and he had, but didn't think the increased police presence was related. Ron talked about the grueling schedule with breakfast at 7:00 am and every night goes past midnight. We will be seeing a post from Ron on the KCDP web site as he blogs from the convention.

KCDP Candidate Podcast #7 - Patricia Crowley with host Katie Houston

Pat talked to us about the office of Drain Commissioner, the duties and responsibilities. She said "we try to help the crops grow, keep the water clean, the wetlands wet and the basements dry." Pat has a long list of qualifications and credentials including a Ph.D. in Soil and Water Physics and 25 years of experience. Pat wants to be drain commissioner because "we haven't put the time and energy in resource management" and she feels ready to do that. Her first priorities upon taking office are to make sure we have the resources, meet reporting deadlines and do permitting for developers done in a timely matter, but then wants to position the county into a better maintenence system than is presently in effect. Crowley believes people in Kalamazoo would like more control over their water. Pat touches on the controversy with Bill French and charges of extortion and his subsequent illness. She also said the replacement appointed by the county commission does not have the requisite experience for the job while Pat is a specialist with precisely the right experience and expertise. Pat talked about her tattoo on her wrist and the story behind where and how she got it. Pat was also in the Peace Corps and feels small around Samoans.

KCDP Candidate Podcast #6 - Michael Liepman with host Katie Houston

Dr Mike Liepman told us about the 14th district (the northeast corner). He was born in Kalamazoo county and lives in Richland. He's a doctor, a psychiatrist, and treats area drug addicts. He is married to Dr. Marcia Liepman, a popular cancer doctor in the community, and has three grown children, including one son who is a professor at EMU, another who is a chef in Ann Arbor and a strongman contestant, and a student at MSU. He has 400 orchids and lives on a farm with horses. You may recognize him from some local media reports about a recent tragedy in the area with a young person who died of a drug overdose. He cares a lot about drug addiction in Kalamazoo county, especially drug addiction in young people, and is running for the couny commission in order to address the issues of drug treatment, public health, and mental health. There aren't any commissioners who bring that experience and expertise to the county commission board at this time. Dr. Liepman is a very big supporter of the Kalamazoo drug court system and recognizes it as a program leading the nation in drug crime resolution and rehabilitation, and articulates in this podcast why a drug court approach is an important option for judges and prosecutors in our community.

KCDP Candidate Podcast #5 - E. Dorphine Payne with host Kevin Wixson

We discussed the office of County Commissioner and why she would make a good person for that office, her family, her work as a lawyer in private practice and experience in the prosecutor's office and as a public defender, her work and activism at Mount Zion Baptist Church, indigent defense, her passion for helping youth and communities and her love of spicy food, all while biplanes performed acrobatics over the party headquarters.

KCDP Candidate Podcast #4 - Sheriff Primary Special with host Martin Burch

This podcast is a candidate primary double feature - Ray Roberts and Richard Fuller, running for Sheriff. These two candidates are running against each other in the August 5th primary. Only one will represent the Democratic ticket on the November general election ballot.

In the first half we talked to Richard Fuller who talked about why he wants to be sheriff, his experience of 20 years in law enforcement and the programs he runs including the field training officers program, the meth amphetamine investigation unit, AED & CPR instruction, and Project Lifesaver. Richard focuses on the economic pressure put on the Sheriff's department in his campaign, as well as solutions to what he terms "breaking the chain of recidivism." Richard bragged on his family and his children who are taking advantage of the Kalamazoo Promise. Richard also talked about his feelings about unions and how they have had an impact on his life.  In his spare time Richard pursues his passion for local history and volunteers at youth camp in northern Michigan where he tells ghost stories. "Bale! Bale! Bale!"

Ray Roberts lives in Comstock Township and brings a "principals over politics" philosophy to his campaign. He is very concerned about "machine politics." He feels strongly that a candidate for sheriff should be willing to complete their elected terms before retiring. He told us about his experience in safety, survival training and law enforcement experience in the US Air Force, his work as a volunteer reserve police officer, his 12 years experience as a dispatcher at the Kalamazoo Township police department and his road side clean up program in Cooper Township, which he says is a program he would bring to the sheriff's department. A main issue in Ray's campaign is fiscal responsibility, and argues for procurement and use of fuel-efficient vehicles as an example of responsible practice. Ray brags on his family, including his adult son who owns a home in the county. Ray's personal passion is for motorcycles and owns a variety which he enjoys riding to Michigan's Upper Peninsula where he can appreciate Michigan's natural beauty.

KCDP Candidate Podcast #3: Phyllis Smith with host Katie Houston

We discussed Kalamazoo's 63rd district, where it is; her previous run for public office; United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951 (where Phyllis worked for 24 years); her motivation for running; fixed income and pension issues; her passion for health care and how lack of health insurance has affected people in her own life; action the state legislature can take to affect high gas prices; her bipartisan approach to the office of State Representative and her priorities for her first term of service, plus a Where's Waldo of strange environmental noises that are a biproduct of recording in the KCDP offices on Westnedge.

KCDP Candidate Podcast #2: Thomas Post with host Martin Burch

We discussed Disctrict 16 (it's the largest district by land, a quarter of the land area in Kalamazoo county,) Post's previous close race for the seat, Scott's Mill Park, Climax Crecent, Pride of Scotts, and how the corn steamed in an antique vertical boiler is a taste not to be missed.

KCDP Podcast Audio #1: Martin Burch with host Kevin Wixson

This week's guest: Martin Burch, Campiagn Coordinator for the Kalamazoo County Democratic Party

Discussed Martin's position as a support person for county Democratic candidates; important local races such as Don Cooney,  Julie Rogers, Phyllis Smith, Robert Jones, and others; the web site to use to find out if and where you are registered to vote, www.michigan.gov/vote; Martin's favorite voluteer opportunity, canvasing, and how walkers are hardly ever eaten by dogs anymore.