HILLSDALE, Mich. — You asked the questions, and we brought them to the Hillsdale mayoral candidates: Scott Sessions and Matthew Bentley.
Several neighbors asked about Hillsdale's homeless, a focus since the Council decided to dismantle a homeless shelter behind Hillsdale Community Thrift.
"Actually, I was just at Camp Hope yesterday, and I took a tour," Sessions said. "I was asked to come there and take a tour, and what I learned is…what the director wants to do is she's getting blueprints to put together to expand the building in back of her and eventually move the homeless in there…"
Sessions said an application was submitted to convert the building to a shelter, and suggests:
"You've got to see how it's going to play out."
WATCH: Candidate for Hillsdale Mayor Scott Sessions: Reconvene task force on homelessness
Sessions said he would reconvene a community task force to go over ideas and build engagement on the issue. My conversation with Sessions was also before the yurt's demolition.
Here's what Bentley had to say:
"Firstly, we want to deal with it compassionately and within the law."
Bentley said assistance should support self-reliance.
"We must support our people and yet not creating a situation where they can't find a way forward," said Bentley. "So, to facilitate them getting their feet back under them is the job and here, Share the Warmth, is a very good model for how that's done."
Share the Warmth is a seasonal warming shelter that operates in Sozo Church.
WATCH: Candidate for Hillsdale Mayor Matthew Bentley: Lower cap on special assessments for street repair
Another question came from Ted Hodge, who was working on a Downtown Hillsdale renovation project when we met. He asked if the candidates are "here for the college or the city."
"I don't consider it the College versus the City," Sessions said. "I consider it, you know, everyone the same. I'm here to represent all the people."
"I'm a 'townie' in my DNA," Bentley said. "But I also have friends and relationships up 'on the hill'. And I, again, don't think the acrimony between the Town and the College is beneficial to anyone."
As for city streets and road maintenance, Sessions said he sees no real way to pay for it aside from special assessments, which are added onto tax bills.
He would not plan to revisit the Broad Street "road diet" decision for financial reasons. That road diet reduces the road from four lanes to one in each direction, plus a turn lane and bike lanes.
Bentley thinks special assessments should be capped at lower than $5000, and is not inclined to reopen the Broad Street "road diet" debate.
