Voters in Ypsilanti’s Ward 1 will choose between three contenders vying to replace Mayor Pro-Tem Trudy Swanson-Winston, who decided not to run for re-election this year.

Tyrone Bridges, Juanita House and Ricky Jefferson, all Democrats, are facing off in the Aug. 3 primary election.

Bridges, 40, a computer repair technician, said a primary concern of Ward 1 residents is adequate representation of their interests on the City Council. He says he would make himself accessible to all his constituents in the predominantly African-American ward.

“I would be more of a proactive advocate here,” Bridges said. “They have needed that for the last 14 years, so I’ll be making contact with those who have concerns, those who have questions and letting them know what’s going on in the city.”

Jefferson, 51, a retired General Motors’ Willow Run plant employee, said he wants to focus on follow through with the rehabilitation of the Parkview apartment complex. He called for the speedy appointment of one of three names - Steve Pierce, Carmelita Mullins and Bob Hunter - mentioned to fill a vacancy on the Ypsilanti Housing Commission.

“We really need to get the right people in there to make sure that it’s well taken care of,” he said. “We don’t want to have the same problem that was there before.”

Bridges, who has served on the city’s Human Relations Committee, expressed similar feelings on Parkview Apartments.

“That’s something that’s like a jewel that could be shined up and polished,” he said. “It could make Ward 1 look good, as well as the image of the city.”

House, a social worker for Holy Cross Children Services, brought more of a business perspective to helping her neighborhood and all of Ypsilanti. She said the city has a wealth of individuals with ideas who could make contributions.

“We need to come to the table, be able to talk about ourselves and listen to new, invigorating ideas,” she said. “We need to sit down and hear others out on some of their ideas. Ypsilanti is a great place, and everybody needs to know that.”

Bridges said he's upset his ward doesn’t have any representation on the Water Street Sub-Committee, despite the fact that Water Street is located in Ward 1.

The sub-committee was formed to receive information on possible land purchases from city staff and the city's marketing agency.

Council Member Brian Robb put forth a resolution for himself, Council Member Pete Murdock and Council Member Mike Bodary to serve on the sub-committee. He said neither of Ward 1's council members wanted to take part.

Bridges called for the property’s zoning to be updated, but suggested turning the area into a fairground to generate revenue until developers begin building. He said any funds generated could go toward efforts like Rutherford Pool or the Parkridge Community Center.

“The right people on the board is the essential step forward to make any kind of plan work, and shame on our council we don’t have any representatives from Ward 1,” he said.

House, who has served on the Heritage Park Neighborhood Association and Washtenaw Community Action Board, said the city must re-evaluate what it wants to see on the Water Street property.

“We can’t keep saying we're going to open it up and then saying 'No' when someone comes with a proposal,” she said. “We don’t know what our vision is. It seems like we have lost sight of that.”

Jefferson said the planning commission needs to be “mindful that they’re trusted to serve the citizens more so than any political agenda when they determine how to zone.” He called the planning commission’s recommended zoning updates too restrictive. But the city can still provide an idea for what it wants while not limiting development “to just one business or condominiums,” he added.

Jefferson said he attended some of the budget meetings and commended the City Council for making cuts while saving some public safety positions. Be he raised concern over the loss of state revenue and economic forces beyond the city’s control.

“It has to be dealt with - we have to work with our legislatures and lobby so that we can have funds allocated to us,” he said.

House suggested a stronger marketing campaign to improve the city’s financial picture by attracting businesses that will stay long-term. She also suggested tapping talent from local universities and developing an environment where they would want to stay and grow after graduation.

“It’s a waste to have that kind of talent that leaves here and is not consistently involved,” she said.

Bridges said the city must continue working to secure grants, and must work with the state on funding issues and look into partnerships with other municipalities. But he added the city needs to continue managing its own budget.

“We have to be a leader first at being able to show that we can govern the money we have,” he said.

On the Thompson Block issue, none of the candidates said they had a clear idea what developer Stewart Beal's plans are for the Depot Town building, but said they weren’t fully in support of litigation.

“I need to know what Beal is doing,” House said. “We don’t need to be tied up in any litigation. That’s part of Ypsi - there are a lot of things that don’t move forward and stall out, and we need to move forward with that.”

“I’m all for allowing that historical landmark to continue to exist, but we need a quick plan to make sure that it’s safe," Jefferson said. "They need to come up with a viable and timely plan and show that they have the resources and ability to rebuild it."

Bridges said litigation should be a last ditch effort.

“From hearing from other council members, they have tried every avenue possible to negotiate to no avail,” he said. "But I think by it being in court, it doesn’t do anything for the city of Ypsilanti or the Thompson Block. It looks real bad, it looks real messy and if there’s no short term plan in sight, it needs to be demolished.”

Bridges said he's heard crime and security are one of the top concerns among Ward 1 residents. He suggested creating an effective neighborhood watch program, but said that would require various neighborhood groups and others to be involved. 

“Crime is a two-way street,” he said. “It’s the resident’s responsibility, and it’s law enforcement’s - as a team crime can go down.” 

Bridges himself is a convicted felon. He served time in jail for possession and intent to deliver cocaine in the early 1990s. He said he was taking the fall for a friend, and says he has spent the last 17 years turning his life around. He has sought clemency from Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s office.

As part of the process, he asked Mike Radzik, who arrested him as a member of the county's undercover narcotics team, to write a letter on his behalf attesting that he has made efforts to turn his life around. Radzik, the current director of the Office for Community Standards in Ypsilanti Township, said he agreed to write the letter because, on a professional level, he had seen Bridges’ positive contributions to the community.

Jefferson commended Ypsilanti Police Chief Amy Walker for stepping up patrols in the ward and said she has regularly attended meetings of the Heritage Park Men’s Club to keep members updated on police activity in the area.

He contends continued patrol of the neighborhoods, enforcement of curfews and a regular police presence to deter transients will reduce many of the neighborhood's crime issues.

House underscored the importance of the public transportation issue. Residents will vote in November on a budget amendment to provide a dedicated source of funding to sustain current Ann Arbor Transportation Authority busing in the city. (The ballot question will actually first be on the Aug. 3 primary, but won't count due to a technicality.)

“Most major cities that are thriving and bustling have that mass transit aspect as part of their infrastructure,” House said. “We don’t want to be a cut off point in Ypsilanti, we want to be a hub of what’s going on.”

Note: No photo of Juanita House was available.

Tom Perkins is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.