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Posted on Fri, May 6, 2011 : 10:36 a.m.

Political notebook: WISD administrator pulls petitions to run in 5th Ward race for Ann Arbor City Council

By Ryan J. Stanton

Neal Elyakin, special education supervisor for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, has pulled nominating petitions to run for a seat on the Ann Arbor City Council.

Elyakin, a Democrat, hasn't yet filed. He has until Tuesday to turn in at least 100 petition signatures to officially challenge 5th Ward incumbent Mike Anglin in the Aug. 2 primary.

Elyakin was appointed to the city's Human Rights Commission in December 2009 by Mayor John Hieftje. He is the former president of the Michigan Jewish Conference, a Lansing-based group that advocates on behalf of the Jewish community in Michigan.

He also is past president of the Jewish Federation of Washtenaw County, a founding member of Michigan Israel Business Bridge, and former consultant for the Israeli Ministry of Education.

Elyakin previously worked as a teacher for emotionally impaired students in Lansing Public Schools. He has a bachelor's degree in education from Michigan State University, a master's degree in special education from Eastern Michigan University and a special education director certificate from Grand Valley State University.

He could not immediately be reached for comment this morning.

Other council members up for re-election include Sabra Briere, D-1st Ward; Stephen Rapundalo, D-2nd Ward; Stephen Kunselman, D-3rd Ward, Marcia Higgins, D-4th Ward.

Tim Hull, a 25-year-old programmer at the University of Michigan, officially filed signatures this week to run as a Democrat against Rapundalo in the August primary.

Ingrid Ault, executive director of Think Local First, also filed to run as a Democrat against Kunselman, while another potential 3rd Ward challenger, Democrat Marwan Issa, has pulled petitions but hasn't filed. He's the technology director at Global Education Excellence.

The filing deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.

Comments

Tony Dearing

Fri, May 13, 2011 : 7:23 p.m.

Commenting has been closed on this story.

demistify

Mon, May 9, 2011 : 2:47 p.m.

I was disturbed by the heavy-handed identification of Elyakin as Jewish in the story. In contrast, an earlier story about another potential Council candidate, Issa, rightly did not identify him as Palestinian. Race, religion and national origin are not qualifications or disqualifications for election to the City Council. They have no bearing on the proper business of the Council, and matter only to bigots. Annarbor.com should be more circumspect in avoiding such implications. It particularly should not countenance a Comment which attacks Elyakin for his participation in Jewish community affairs, and which is completely off-topic in the extraneous issues it drags in.

justamom

Sat, May 7, 2011 : 12:28 a.m.

I'm not sure what I am going to do this election. Mr. Anglin has always supported neighborhoods and he often comes around door to door. But I live on the Old West Side and I have been told that all of the council now wants to change city law to allow marijuana dispenseries, which evidently remain illegal. In addition to the violation of law, what I'm most concerned about this is that some of the areas being considered to allow these stores must actually overlap with residential neighborhoods. Specifically, some person evidently wants to put one of these marijuana shops in the OWS Historic district at Liberty and Second in an old gas station right in the middle of this nice residential neighborhood. Yes, get rid of the blighted gas station which should never have been allowed, but why allow a marijuana shop here? This really does not reflect good judgment about the needs of the 5th ward residents and the Old West Side. I just think councilmembers should be much more careful with their decisions as they impact neighborhoods.

kittybkahn

Fri, May 6, 2011 : 11:02 p.m.

I will be continuing to support Mike Anglin. He is my representative in the truest sense of the word and always speaks up for my concerns. Thank you, Mike!!

Roadman

Sat, May 7, 2011 : 4:31 p.m.

I have met Mr. Anglin and he seems to be a concerned and intelligent representative.

a2grateful

Fri, May 6, 2011 : 8:58 p.m.

According to Washtenaw County records, Mayor Hieftje won the August mayoral primary with 83.9% of the votes. While Hieftje-ites love the stat, and are busy patting themselves on the back and self congratulating, please consider the following: Hieftje received 10,058 votes of 94,066 registered voters. In other words, 10.7% of the voters cared to show up. Apathy is indeed the greatest ally : (

a2grateful

Fri, May 6, 2011 : 7:27 p.m.

Here's what to expect from the Hieftje gang: $1,000,000 folly fountains Unneeded $100,000-per-space underground parking Nonunion employee pension levels funded above former working salaries Unlimited nonunion employee future retirement healthcare regardless of need Retirement beneficiaries defining and underwriting their own retirement benefit packages Massive cuts to public safety and citizen services Free conveyance of parkland for commercial use Deferred infrastructure maintenance going back a decade Staff attorneys pledging to fight any and all FOI requests. You want FOI? You'll have to sue. Transparent adversarial posture instead of transparent government If somnambulist citizens think these conditions make for successful city government and good quality of life, then by all means, continue voting team Hieftje : /

logo

Fri, May 6, 2011 : 7:11 p.m.

Hmmm. I don't get the logic. A2 has a park system that is much larger than in Dearborn and depending on how far you go back almost all of it was on the tax roles until the city took it over. The issue with parks is not just that they don't pay taxes, city's have to take care of them and that costs big $$. Add in all the other government and church property, etc. and 40% of the land is non-taxable whether it is city owned or not. I don't know about the property tax millage but you have to figure city's share in A2 is 27%.

Tony Livingston

Fri, May 6, 2011 : 10:22 p.m.

Another problem with the parks is that they are used by absolutely anyone but paid for only by the property owners of the city. Very lopsided. Way too much pressure here on property owners. We need an income tax to even the burden.

trish

Fri, May 6, 2011 : 6:12 p.m.

As a long time resident who lost their job in Dearborn and is working at a new start up here. I have to agree with Fred. Ann Arbor is doing very well in the worst economy ever. Ann Arbor seems to only get better. Sure there are potholes and they have had to reduce the number of people working at the city. What city hasn't? Compared to anywhere else, this place rocks. I have to think the mayor has been a big part of this, keeping a steady hand on the tiller. I doubt Grateful is working for Elykin but saying he is aligned with the mayor will get Neal a lot of votes.

Roadman

Sat, May 7, 2011 : 12:41 a.m.

Yeah, like the support of Hieftje insiders got Scott Rosecrans about one-third of the vote last election.

Marvin Face

Fri, May 6, 2011 : 5:52 p.m.

I, for one, cannot wait to have Mr. Elyakin to represent me in the 5th. Would someone please oppose the secon- worst council member, Briere?

Roadman

Sat, May 7, 2011 : 4:25 p.m.

I do not see any serious opposition, if any, surfacing for Sabra Briere.

Fred Gilbert

Fri, May 6, 2011 : 5:25 p.m.

Grateful: Are you working for Elykin's campaign? If so, you made a very smart post creating a link between him and the mayor. I don't think the mayor has ever lost a precinct in the 5th ward, not in five election cycles, he won last August with 86% of the vote. You must not get out much to see what is going on. Ever read the Free Press or Lansing State Journal? Compared to any city in the state that has been the hardest hit by the recession, Ann Arbor is doing very well. This is despite having not having raised taxes and with 40% of the land non-taxable. Seems to me like a lot of people get appointed to a board if they are qualified, just by sending in an application, but hey if you want to draw a line linking Elykin to the Mayor, I am sure the candidate will not complain!

Roadman

Sat, May 7, 2011 : 4:35 p.m.

The fact that Hieftje appointed Elyakin for a commission post is a sort of endorsement already. Scott Rosecrans had literally multiple municipal board and commission appointments by Hieftje and appeared to be a quality candidate for City Council, but lost in a landslide.

a2grateful

Fri, May 6, 2011 : 3:17 p.m.

The following comment is made with upfront apology to Mr. Elaykin. He sounds like a fine person. However, just about any candidate espoused by Hieftje forever loses my vote. The Hieftje status quo has this city in a financial mess. The mayoral appointee system(special committees, DDA, et al) is unaccountable, totalitarian, and injurious. The folly buckets have drowned the fiduciaries. And most pitiful: citizenry apathy has become Hieftje's greatest ally. Wake up a2: No more Hieftje "Yes" men and women! Is there hope? Yes! Look to the example of the library lot dissidents!