In the hotly contested election for the position of mayor of Rochester Hills, the character of the candidates is being demonstrated. The challenger has taken the high road and is running a positive campaign. The incumbent mayor, although term limited, has undertaken a write-in campaign and has recently published false and misleading information about the challenger. Rochester Hills needs a mayor who is truthful, has integrity and does not want to make a life long career in politics, not the same old negative politics.
Tim Srock
Tim… thank you for your comments. I’m not aware of this publish “false and misleading information” by Mayor Bryan Barnett. I wish the Rochester Media would post this document so readers could post comments. Tim, Ravi did publish an op-ed that did not support an increase funding request from the Rochester Hills Fire Department … is this what the Mayor is referring to … could be a lot what he has to say may be true? note: the residents voted, and 71% supported this request from our Fire Department.
Tim… the original City Charter did not have term limits! The compromise was when this issue came up by three Council members … three Council members did not want to change our City Charter to include term limits, I made an amendment to the motion on the floor to add you could run as a write-in candidate every third term, and that passed by a four to three vote; and that was the language that our City Attorney drafted to put on the ballot to change our City Charter that at the time did not have term limits. So Tim… let’s not be hypocritical let’s say Ravi wins, and wins a second term… The City is doing extremely well and he a getting a lot of support from the residents to continue to serve them as their Mayor, do you not think for a moment that Ravi would also follow the rules in the City Charter and run as a write-in…? Do you not think Ravi if he could chose a life long career in politics. Ravi Yalamanchi made the motion and voted yes to increase the Mayor’s car allowance by 40% his last year in office. Guess he was already pre-thinking his personal political future.
“life long career in politics” Tim… when you have time research Ravi resume… It’s on his website…
“Ravi Yalamanchi (Ravi) for the past 18 years has been the CEO of Metro Community Development based in Flint. Prior to that, he was the Executive Director of Saginaw Housing Commission, Deputy Director of Lansing Housing Commission, and Finance Manager at Ypsilanti Housing Commission. Ravi has 30 years of Management, Finance, Budgeting, Planning, Community and Economic Development experience. Under his direction, Metro Community Development has obtained over $52 million in grant funds from public and private for various community and economic development initiatives, and became a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), a SBA Regional Intermediary for micro-loans, and member of the Federal Home Loan Bank to bring capital resources to help sustain small and medium size businesses in the current challenging economic environment. As a CDFI, Ravi raised $5 million in capital, helping to sustain 27 small businesses with combined revenues of $21 million and preserving over 260 jobs.” ~Ravi Yalamanchi
Tim… does this sound like a guy coming from the private sector… Looks like to me Ravi has been involved in a variety of different government agencies for years … pull his budget, a nonprofit is public record and you will find out the majority of his funding for his nonprofit comes from federal and state dollars and that money comes from taxes.
Scot Beaton
Political Experience former Rochester Hills City Council member 1988 to 1997
President, Rochester Hills City Council (2 Years)
The Mayor clearly has the legal right to run again. It’s a little disingenuous to say it’s the only job he really wanted after his failed bid to run for Congress. That said, I think he does a fairly good job running the city. It is disappointing he has chosen to run a negative campaign. He has alway been the positive Mayor and lately sounds no better than any other politician. He should read the tea leaves and see that people are sick of traditional politicians. Just look at the Presidential race.