Traverse City Record-Eagle

Election 2009

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  • Jan-Michael Stump

    Jody Bergman
October 14, 2009

Bergman seeking another city council term

She wants to finish projects

By Sheri McWhirter

Editor's Note

This story is first in a series of profiles of Traverse City Commission candidates.

Read the entire series as it is published in our election section at record-eagle.com/election »

TRAVERSE CITY -- Traverse City Commissioner Jody Bergman wants to keep working on what she's started.

Voters elected Bergman, 55, in 2005. She's completing her first term as commissioner and seeks another four years in office.

Bergman wants to follow through on several city projects, including a new infrastructure maintenance plan and construction of a new $10 million public parking deck in the Old Town neighborhood.

"Obviously, we want to make sure Hagerty (Insurance Agency) comes through on their side of the agreement, which I have no doubt they will," Bergman said.

City leaders agreed to build a new parking deck to help foster Hagerty's growth. The insurance company in turn pledged to build a $7.7 million office building, maintain 350 current jobs and create as many as 226 new jobs.

Also, it won't be a simple undertaking to remove long-standing dams on the Boardman River, including one city-owned dam and upgrades to another, Bergman said.

Bergman also wants to continue plugging away on city financial concerns.

Bergman said it's important to work toward city employee benefit packages that are sustainable over time, and growing the number of city businesses to increase tax revenues without raising taxes.

"If we can work on the revenue side of things, that could even mean a tax decrease," Bergman said.

But attracting new business is "pretty tricky" in the current economic climate, she said.

Bergman suggests establishing "corridor authorities," for parts of the city, such as areas along Garfield Avenue, Eighth and 14th streets. Those spots could use attention -- such as infrastructure improvements and beautification efforts -- like downtown has seen. Such authorities could operate similarly to the city's Downtown Development Authority, she said.

"Corridor authorities, I think, have some potential," Bergman said.

Bergman is a fifth-generation Traverse City native who has been married for 28 years to Tom Bergman and has two daughters.

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