A Global View Rooted in Michigan

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I was born and raised in Michigan and some of my earliest memories are of Lake Michigan’s beaches. 

After graduating from the University of Michigan, I spent the next 30 years working as a journalist and executive in the energy industry.  During this time, I traveled the globe and saw first-hand the growing threat of climate change and the vulnerability of the planet’s water resources.  Oval Beach and Kalamazoo Lake are the drivers of Saugatuck's economy and vulnerable in this rapidly changing world.

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I spent much of my career leading emergency response teams dispatched to Alaskan pipeline leaks, Gulf Coast hurricanes and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. I know what it takes to repair habitat, rebuild communities, and restore the public’s trust. It takes discipline, teamwork and endurance – skills I learned while serving in Army National Guard.

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I retired from the energy sector in 2017 and put down roots in Saugatuck with my wife and school-age children. I found a way to serve my community with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).

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At EGLE I’m part of the team responsible for making sure Michiganders have access to clean water and are protected from contaminants like lead and PFAS. My mission at EGLE is rooted in four key principals:

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• Gather facts and data

• Make timely decisions based on the data

• Keep the public informed

• Constantly seek the public’s feedback
   

As your City Council representative and former mayor, I have applied the same disciplined, data-driven approach to city government. I have also made collaboration, transparency and accountability core values of City Council.

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I’m proud to be part of the team protecting our Great Lakes and look forward to helping Saugatuck navigate issues like short-term rentals, telecommunications infrastructure, historic preservation and protection of our critical dune habitat.  With roots here in Saugatuck and children in Saugatuck schools I’m proud to be an advocate for our community’s long-standing values and traditions: treasuring nature; celebrating arts, culture and diversity, and respecting all people.

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Platform
 

Residents and visitors alike chose Saugatuck because it is a safe and welcoming community.  As a City Council member, I have made the following issues top priorities:
 

• Created a professional and energized city staff capable of delivering on resident priorities

• Worked with the Friends of the Blue Star Trail to complete the bike path in Saugatuck through a $1.6 million state grant and to make Saugatuck more bike-friendly

• Bringing reliable cellular service to Saugatuck and Oval Beach

• Highlighting and preserving Saugatuck's historic character

• Collaborating with Douglas and the township on protecting Kalamazoo River watershed

• Regulating short-term rentals in our residential neighborhoods and voting for a 20 percent cap on these rentals

• Leveraging technology to increase transparency and improve city government’s communication with residents, businesses, and visitors

• Building on and actively promoting Saugatuck’s position as leader in environmental stewardship, arts and culture, and diversity  

 

Contribute

 

If my vision for Saugatuck sounds like the Saugatuck you want to call home, please consider casting your vote for me in the upcoming election.

Although my campaign is mostly self-financed, contributions for yard signs, postcards and other campaign literature are always appreciated.  Contribution checks can be sent to The Committee to Elect Scott Dean, PO Box 495, Saugatuck, MI 49453