Farmington Hills Zoning Board Member Takes Second Run at Council Seat

Even though he didn't announce it then, Erik Lindquist says he made his decision in December to take another run at Farmington Hills city council. 

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) member is one of nine candidates vying for three council seats. A candidate in 2011, Lindquist said this time around, he is even more concerned about the State of Michigan's "top down" management of municipalities and school districts.

"I will be a voice of resistance when I see our revenue sharing cut and when we're being asked to do more with less," he said. "I will make Farmington Hills' voice heard."

Lindquist would like to see the city embrace its "green model" reputation even more, by encouraging environmentally based businesses to move in. That would be a way to get "even more bang out of our previously spent bucks" on city hall, he said. 

An advocate for letting voters decide whether to support SMART (Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation) bus service, Lindquist says he's a "constant supporter" of the city and would like to see the purchasing department adopt a "buy Farmington Hills" policy. 

Why he decided to run
"I was encouraged by running the first time, 3,800 people thought enough of me to vote for me," Lindquist said. "I met lots of people, and they all encouraged me to run again." 

Community connections
Lindquist has served on the ZBA since 2006. He is on the board of the Finnish American Cultural Corporation, a non-profit that provides grants and scholarships for cultural education. He's a member of the Finnish Center (a separate organization), Farmington Elks and St. Clare of Assisi Parish. 

Employment
Lindquist has been an attorney in private practice since 2011. Prior to that, he worked as counsel for Comerica Bank and in retail management.  

Campaign information
eriklindquist.org

Editor's note: This is article is one in a series of profiles and issues-based articles featuring candidates in this year's Farmington Hills city council race.