Why do I want to serve. I am sure that is a question many are asking as our public schools nation wide continue to come under fire from a number of corners. But our hometown is rich with the heritage of public education, having built a hometown attracting young families as a result of our quality schools.

 These are not all my original thoughts but they define reasons that I am anxious to serve. They embellish to a degree on comments made by and about Jim Flaherty, the former Conservative Canadian Minister of Finance who died last week. It was his belief that public service is good for you. "It will give perspective to your life by expanding your horizons, your thoughts, and your view of the world."

My most favorite experienced was speaking in over 200 cities in Michigan as an after dinner speaker,providing training seminars in community communication and community organizing, this concluded in 1978 with my selection as Young Man of the Year, City of Livonia.

My first love centers around my community experience: Executive Vice President of the Michigan Jaycees, Lt.

Bill chairing the Livonia Optimist Club Hole-in-One Contest 1974

Governor, Michigan District Optimist International, President, Livonia Optimist Club, Vice President, Livonia Jaycees, Founding Director, Friends of the Wilson Barn, Grant writer for original program grant to establish the Livonia Community Resources Office (co-written with Livonia Franklin Principal David Amerman), and grant writer for successful grant for the first Livonia EMS program (co-written with Alden Sawyer), Chair, Livonia 175th Anniversary Celebration,Chair, Livonia 50th LSO Celebration at Laurel Park. 

1. an understanding of our hometown, both within the borders of the school community and those who are outside the school community, and the need for a synergy in pulling together for a community larger than the whole

2. an awareness of people, their love of involvement and desire to be engaged and the recognition that the leader has a responsibility to listen to all sides of a debate, seek consensus and develop a path forward

3. a belief that the historical perspective allows for a path to the future without belaboring the past but rather helping to carve out a direction that builds on the heritage of a hometown

To be alive today without an awareness of social issues and the transformation of our society into a "you" "me" classification, and a "you" v "me" antagonism is to bury your head in the sand. 

My major area of community interest and involvement is developing networks and bridges to pull people together for the good of the entire community, to make my plot of grass a little greener when my time is passed over.

The latter was during a time in which Wayne County was more divided between Detroit and suburbs then today. I worked and was one of the first two, along with Alex Pilch of Dearborn, in supporting the creation of a Wayne County Executive, of which only three, including Mary Dumas of Livonia supported.

As a college student I entered and finished in the final round, top five, of national competition for Small Group Discussion, being judged on leadership and drawing consensus among those from diverse national backgrounds.

I value and respect those who disagree with me and enjoy working to find common ground in order to move forward. 

I have always held the belief that members of the board of education provide a feedback system from the community back to his/her colleagues and that once a decision has been reached on an issue or policy to provide that information back to the community.

No board member operates in a vacuum. We all come with our friends and supporters. It would make sense that as individuals we collect information, funnel it back to those we serve with and then in turn take the decisions back to our friends and supporters as a decision made by a Board of Education. 

1. 15,000 students and approximately 25,000 parents leaving the need to reach out to 60,000 residents, young and old without a connection with our schools--reach out with a message of inclusion, engagement, and most importantly the role our schools play in maintaining and increasing property values

2. Vacant school property and the future of the land and the quality of life issues that it will play in continuing to maintain a hometown with open space, quality development and educational opportunities

3. The introduction of the Livonia Public Schools to new families moving into Livonia and the need to have a bridge built so that there is a desire to enroll in the public schools and not to take the tax dollars to alternative programs such as charter schools. We need and must have an acceptance that Livonia and Westland and Livonia Public Schools are synonymous.   

4. The creation of alternative funding sources and sponsorships and working with the retired executive community in Livonia to seek out  and develop new lines of funding sponsorships for programs, athletics and scholarship.

5. The development of youth programs throughout the summer that open up our schools for year round athletic and academic use through corporate, community and fee based support.

Do I have a chance? If you know anything about Bill Joyner it is that the dialogue and discussion is often the goal and that the winner is the one who presents their ideas in a cogent manner, easily understood while raising levels of consciousness. I hope that I am considered but equally important is that a community dialogue is open and that the entire community participates. 

 
It would be kind of cool to be the third generation of my family to serve on a Board of Education. My grandfather Bill Wood was on the Patterson School Board, my mother, Geraldine Jo Wood Joyner, on the Livonia Board. 

See you in May. Or better yet, see you at the Bake Sale on April 26th.