Farmington Officials Interview the Last Applicants

Farmington officials met Tuesday evening at with the three final applicants for the city council seat vacated by Mike Wiggins in September.

This was the second round of interviews; officials talked with Margaret Crane, Kristen Kuiken, Bill Galvin, Jeffrey Taylor and Mark Maniewski Monday night. Following the interviews, council members deliberated less than half an hour before appointing Galvin.

Restaurant owner Greg Cowley, attorney Sean Murphy and human resources generalist and part-time Oakland County Sheriff's deputy Greg Sako were grilled during the second round. Here are some of their responses:

Greg Cowley operates a three-generation family business, , in downtown Farmington, and is also a long-time resident of the community. He serves on the Farmington Downtown Development Authority board and has been a leader in the Main Street downtown redevelopment program.

On his background in accounting and 30-plus years of experience with corporate customers: "I understand multi-million dollar budgets. I think I understand how to make some hard decisions, I've had to make some in my lifetime. And I think I can bring some leadership that way, which I think is going to be the way to get through the process."

On economic development: "I believe Main Street is a good strategy. I do think having council marching lock-step with the DDA and the Economic Redevelopment Committee is probably something we should do more of ... If I had to implore the city to do anything, it would be solving the parking problem."

On his vision for Farmington: "I was here when Federal's (department store) was here, and this town was a destination ... My vision is we'll return to be that kind of destination for the demographic that's here." Cowley feels there's a need for more restaurants and more mixed use development.

Sean Murphy is an attorney and was class treasurer at his alma mater, .

On economic development: "I think we are smart to focus very strongly on the downtown area. It's a part of community that's unique ... other areas don't have that, and it's a valuable asset." He'd like to look at enticing unique types of businesses, like a craft brewery, that would draw people who would not ordinarily come to Farmington.

On what he would do to make the town more engaging for 20-somethings: "You guys have done a tremendous job with these events, Harvest Moon and Founders Fest and Art on the Grand ... they're just phenomenal and I'd like to see them continue to grow." He also talked about bringing in more nightlife, recreation, a better system of biking trails and more housing in the downtown area."

On his vision for Farmington: "I would love to see it look like a hybrid of Northville, Plymouth, with a little bit of Birmingham, but not too much, a little bit like Royal Oak, and some of the beach towns on the West Coast ... More realistically, I would like to see Farmington have a diverse intellectual, educated group of constituents who frequent good restaurants and enjoy a good town."

Greg Sako said he wanted to be in law enforcement, but was "too short and too blind" years ago, so he went into the world of banking and finance. After height restrictions were loosened up and he had surgery to correct his vision, he became a part-time deputy with the Oakland County Sheriff's Department.

On economic development: Sako suggested subscribing to a service that would look for grants, as well as tapping the colleges and universities located in the surrounding area. He'd also like to see a connection between Shiawassee Park and the central business district.

On sharing services with other communities: Rather than having Farmington Hills take over public safety dispatch, Sako said, "Flip it over. We've got dispatch, other communities need dispatch. We could probably look at contracting to, say, Franklin without adding staff. Now, instead of a cost center, it's a profit center."

On his vision for Farmington: "I'd like to see the stores filled. I'd like to see people walking." He suggests redeveloping the -owned Maxfield Training Center, and possibly the homes across the street to expand the size of downtown Farmington. "Now we've got a larger downtown. Now the little 'mom and pops' can survive because you've got the anchors bringing in traffic."

Cowley, Murphy and Sako are all on the Nov. 8 ballot, along with incumbent JoAnne McShane, Kevin Giannini, Galvin, Kuiken and Taylor. The two highest vote-getters will earn a four-year term; the third wins a two-year term.