"Be an activist or abdicate."

That was how Dale Savage began his reply to my asking why he (a) ran for State Rep, (b) is taking the lead in the debate over the neighborhood impact of I-75 widening, and (c) is running for a seat on the Royal Oak School Board.

The 45-year-old computer programmer, a Royal Oak resident for 19 years, married 20 years, with two children, is issue-driven. So much so, that when I asked why he didn’t/doesn’t run for city commissioner, he replied, "About city matters, I am a single-issue guy and that would not be fair to the taxpayer if I ran on just one issue."

Our informal chat weaved in, out, through, and around several basic topics:

• When Savage ran for Michigan State Representative, one goal was to strengthen local control of local elections. "Big outside special interest money is flooding into our local elections and drowning out the voice of the taxpaying citizen." Tighter controls with immediate and full disclosure (preferably on-line) of contributions as they come in is called for. All too often it is exactly like the old saying goes "He who pays the fiddler, calls the tune." This must end.

• About his leading the fight against the proposed northbound I-75 MDOT exit at Lincoln, Savage was disappointed with the "weak" response to the MDOT from the City Commission. "It is up to the city commission to protect the citizens of this city, if they are not clear in their communication to the MDOT we will ultimately be the ones to pay the price. A viable and efficient proposal was put forth by commissioner Hallock that would have protected our neighborhoods but was not included in Royal Oak's response to the MDOT plan; this is very disappointing."

• Savage disagrees with the traffic study which predicts that only one-of-four cars exiting northbound I-75 at Lincoln will turn left and head westbound on Lincoln. "People will use the most direct path to their destination. For those destinations south of Eleven Mile, that means heading through our neighborhoods rather than using the Eleven Mile commercial corridor. The undeniable and indisputable fact is that the current plan will hurt our Eleven Mile businesses and degrade our neighborhoods."

• Asked if he considers the I-75 debate evidence that Royal Oak officials tend to ignore the South End, Savage was quick to reply: "This is not a north/south issue. This is a matter which is taking place in the South End. This is a more accurately a matter of the whether or not the city commission is willing to stick to the master plan and fight to defend the neighborhoods of this city."

Savage’s issue-orientation showed again when we turned to his current run for a seat on the Royal Oak School Board:

o Curriculum: Too broad, full of fluff. Overworks the teachers and under-serves the students. "Teach the fundamentals – yes, reading, writing, arithmetic – and you make it easier for the students to learn everything else."

Communication: Actually, lack of communication. "The tendency of the Board is to talk only to the PTA community, leaving other residents out of the loop." Savage, if he is elected, will work to put in place a regular distribution of considerably more detailed information about ongoing Board/Administration activities and plans.

o Bond issues: "Whether I favor or oppose a proposed millage request, I will insist on publishing line-item data. Sure, it might increase the no-vote, but it would also force us to look long and hard at each item before submitting it for public review."

o Health insurance: In all public and private financial deliberations, health insurance costs are recognized as being out of control. "Take on the MEA if we must, but openly explore other vendors."

o Maintenance: Savage shares with others with whom VersagiVoice has spoken the suspicion that building- and equipment-maintenance have been neglected, to keep from spending the estimated $3 million maintenance funds which are available.

A tantalizing coincidence emerged as Savage and I compared experiences serving on separate facilities consolidation task forces. Essentially, Savage feels, his task group was limited to exploring options which did not address the Middle School concept. "Other school systems around the state and country have come to realize that Middle Schools are not working as intended."

I then recalled that the 1997 task force on which I sat came to understand that there was no way that we could derail the already on-track decision to establish Middle Schools. The train was obviously well down the track before all the volunteers were selected.

About the SOS (Save Our Schools) imbroglio, here is a summary of what I heard Savage say: When SOS successfully defeated the 2002 bond request, membership grew, extensive bylaws were enacted, committees and subcommittees were established. "Then, the group lost focus, people became bored, it was impossible to gather a quorum. The bylaws mandated term limits, so the former officers were out, anyway. Today, the group is smaller, less formal, more dynamic, and focused on . . . saving our schools."

I wanted to talk about what some see as a developing political clique: Savage, Alex Schnaider, Carolyn Steele, Frank Tyndell.

Savage chuckled: "Alex has been my campaign manager, but not now. He and I are both activists, agree on some matters, disagree on others. Carolyn and I are containing campaign expenses by sharing some costs, but we don’t think of ourselves as a ‘slate.’ Tyndell and Debbie Wright are already on the Board, and I suspect that if I am elected, they and I will agree and disagree."

No new political entity is forming, Savage said, "just a reaffirmation that 'democracy works but it isn't easy'. One must be involved for it to work...Be an activist or abdicate." -- Frank Versagi, 22 March 2005

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