AN EDITORIAL
BY LAWRENCE SOBCZAK
PUBLISHER
The Record Newspaper endorses Meagan Poznanski for Romeo Village President.
We like Poznanski because she listens to the people of Romeo.
Her “Trustee Talks,” a forum held with residents in between council meetings over the past few years, have proven that she wants to build a dialogue with the community she has served as a trustee and she is also open and transparent about actions the council has taken.
With Poznanski, no one ever leaves a Trustee Talk feeling berated, ridiculed or attacked for expressing a concern, voicing an opinion or asking a question.
“When not enough information is put out to appease fears, that’s when the rumors fly,” she told us in an interview. “For me, transparency is key in this situation. We have to be so transparent that there is no room for gossip because everyone knows what is going on.”
She also plans on restoring the village office hours to Monday through Friday allowing more time for the public to pay bills, conduct business or make general inquiries.
Poznanski has been a trustee on the Romeo Village Council since 2016.
We also like Poznanski because she has a proactive approach to issues facing the village.
With the impending closure of the Ford Romeo Engine Plant, Poznanski plans on grabbing the bull by the horns by becoming an active member of a county task force formed to create future plans for the plant instead of the approach by the current president to react to catastrophes as they happen.
“Right now, Romeo reacts or our planning is short sighted to a single fiscal year,” she said.
Poznanski said she will have flexible five-to-seven-year plans and fiscal strategies that can be adapted as problems arise.
Most of all, Poznanski plans on taking care of Romeo’s neighborhoods which contain most of the oldest and most cherished homes in the county.
“Top of the list for me would be taking care of our infrastructure. Our roads need to take a front seat. All energies and effort need to be poured into making this happen. I have brought the importance of this issue to the forefront for the past few years at our ‘goals and objectives’ meetings. We need to use the residents’ tax dollars to make improvements right outside their front doors,” she said.
Poznanski said a love of Romeo’s history and architecture drew herself and her husband to the village.
“My husband and I moved to Romeo in May of 2010. I fell in love with Romeo at a young age. When we were engaged and dreaming of where we would like to start our life together, I introduced John to Romeo,” she said.
The couple rented a condominium on 26 Mile Road while they searched for their dream home in the village.
“11 months later we purchased our home on Benjamin Street and have been pouring love into it ever since,” she said.
Poznanski takes pride in owning a home with a long-rooted history in Romeo.
“We purchased our home from Kathryn Rowley’s estate; her parents had built it in 1910. We are only the second owners in 112 years,” she said.
She said that she wants to maintain the small-town environment to raise her three children.
“They are a large part of why I do what I do. I want Romeo and everything it embodies to be here for them when they grow up. I also try to lead by example and strive to show them how to be an honorable, ethical, and giving person and that it is more than just words,” she said. “It is something you show by your actions, even when the going gets tough.”
The one thing she will not do is turn this little village into a city.
“I have gone on record many times, and will say it again. It is not that there are no positives to us transitioning to a city. There are just not enough pros to outweigh the cons,” she said. “The likelihood of increased taxes would be inevitable. A city can levy more mills than a village.”
In a small village with only 3,906 souls like Romeo, it is sometimes hard to find someone with the time and energy to learn how small government works but that is exactly what Poznanski has done over the past six plus years.
To learn about small government, Poznanski has earned numerous certificates, attended multiple seminars and enrolled in classes at well-respected organizations such as the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan State University Cooperative Extension and the American Planning Association.
She also holds a bachelor’s degree from Rochester University and a master’s degree in counseling with a certificate concentration in school counseling from Oakland University.
Poznanski has been an active member of the community, volunteering for events at parks and rec as well as participating with Downtown Development Authority activities.
You may have seen her serving dinners at the Romeo Masonic Temple on Thanksgiving.
“Romeo has a rich, deep history. The people of Romeo have a bond unlike any other. When we see a fellow Romeo-ite in need, we lend a helping hand. It’s a community where you actually know your neighbors by name and then some! It’s a front porch community,” she said.
Absentee voting for the election in Romeo continues through 8 p.m., Election Day, Nov. 8.
You can register and vote by visiting the Washington Township clerk’s office if you live south of St. Clair Street or the Bruce Township clerk’s office if you live north of St. Clair Street.
Traditional in person voting is 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 8.
More information about registering and voting in the election is available at www.michigan.gov/vote or at your local clerk’s office.
