Stewart Nelson

Today I had the opportunity to meet with two members of the Ann Arbor Fire Department union. We had what I felt was an an excellent discussion of my background and personal philosophy and why I felt I would be the best candidate for the City Council position. As a young lieutenant in the Air Force, I quickly learned that the only real “assets” that any organization possesses are its people. I saw first hand how “good” people made up for “bad” equipment everyday. First, our enemy in Viet Nam showed that despite being outnumbered, out gunned and out supplied they could hold their own against a supposedly superior enemy by working harder and being smart. 1000’s of miles away, behind the Iron Curtain, the Communists in the Soviet Union, another “Super Power” was able to bluff us into believing that they were a “Super Power for 40 years before we were able to unmask the fraud!

These experiences convinced me that when I get to be in charge of my own organization, military or civilian, that I would conduct myself with the following inviolate priorities:

1. Put People First! Hire the best and brightest!

2. Train, Train, Train!! and then train some more.

3. Equip them with the best equipment money can buy.

This personal priority list has served me well whether running an Air Force Squadron or small business and I am sure it will work with police and fire department. I will never deviate from these priorities. Our recent discussions on spending $42M for a new municipal complex reminded me of my personal priority and it is unfortunate that certain members of City Council consider a building more important than the people that occupy it. A building cannot respond to a 911 call. Only police can. We need guaranteed “feet on the street”.