Lerner Files for Hills City Council Post

Though he filed his petitions Wednesday, it may be a while before resident Richard Lerner starts campaigning for a City Council post.

The father of two school-aged children, he directs the Jr. Optimist Clubs and serves as a parent leader for the and groups. He's vice president of the Dunckel and Ski Clubs and a Farmington Soccer Club assistant coach.

And that's just with the kids. Lerner is also active with the Xemplar Club of Farmington-Farmington Hills, the Inter-Agency Council, Quaker Valley Farms Association and Farmington Area Goodfellows, and is a commissioner with the Farmington Hills Parks & Recreation Department. 

With all that to do, why take on a City Council campaign?

"I like to volunteer and do community service," he said, "and this is as good a place as any."

He also has a particular interest in ensuring that the city uses its taxing authority as a last resort.

"We need to look at every possible way to increase efficiency before we go out looking for more millage," he said, adding that if the city's financial picture doesn't change, he expects residents will be facing a millage increase within the next four years.

Lerner said he'll probably start campaigning in earnest in a month, and he expects to launch a website to provide residents with more information about his position on other issues.

A candidate in the 2008 Republican primary for the 37th District House of Representatives, Lerner, 52, and his wife, Maureen McCarthy, have been taxpayers in Farmington Hills since purchasing property here in 1996. They've been residents since 1998 and are the parents of Keith, 13, and Lynn, 11.

Lerner is principal/owner of five businesses: Aresel Marketing LLC, IT Consulting & Marketing; Performance Source Company LLC, Project & Process Management Training & Consulting; PMBookstore, Project & Process Management Thoughtware Superstore; PMNews, Project Management Newsletter; and ReplyOnline, Online Survey Systems and Web Hosting.

Also in the Hills race, incumbent council members Randy Bruce and Ken Massey will seek re-election, and former council member Christopher McRae has also pulled petitions. Longtime City Council member Barry Brickner is running to replace term-limited mayor Jerry Ellis.