Minnie Bardenhagen
Editor-in-Chief

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On Nov. 4, two candidates for mayor of Traverse City and five candidates for the city commission will see if they successfully won over the community. The two mayoral candidates trying for a 2-year term are Amy Shamroe, the incumbent mayor, and Tim Werner, who is currently a member of the city commission. The five candidates for the three available seats on the city commission are Lance Boehmer, the leader of an automotive software company who serves on BATA’s Board of Directors; Kenneth Funk, who serves as a Traverse City firefighter; Mary Mills, a former office administrator who previously served on Traverse City’s Master Plan Leadership Team; Laura Ness, who serves as Chair of the City of Traverse City and Garfield Township Recreational Authority; and Peter Schous, who serves on Empire’s Planning Commission. The Nov. ballot will also have three city proposals on it. The first two proposals ask voters to authorize movement of funds to and from the Brown Bridge Trust Fund. The third proposal asks voters to approve the use of an ethics ordinance on all elected and appointed Traverse City officials.

 

The White Pine Press asked each of the candidates what NMC means to them, what message they have for students, and how they will address the issues facing students today. To read the full Q&A, visit our website: whitepinepresstc.com. For more information on early voting, election day voting, poll locations and hours, and voter registration information, you can visit the City of Traverse City’s website or Traverse Connect’s website.

 

White Pine Press: What does NMC mean to you, and what does it mean to Traverse City?

 

Amy Shamroe: NMC is a place of education and innovation in our community. It is a place where students exploring their possibilities, whether just out of high school or looking for a positive life change, can find a beginning or new career path. For me, it is also where I work. Being on the non-credit side helping with workforce training at Extended Education and Training has been really important in helping me understand NMC is truly a place for lifelong learning for everyone in our community, including kids in the College for Kids program and adults who might want to explore a new language or take a pottery class without a degree path. It truly is an asset for the entire region.

 

Tim Werner: To me, NMC means our community values education, young adults, and the future. Too often, Traverse City slips into thinking of NMC as buildings and land, not students who are a vital part of our community today and in the future.

 

Lance Boehmer: NMC is a cornerstone of Traverse City’s identity. It’s where our future workforce, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders are built and grow. Beyond education, it’s an economic and cultural driver, from the aviation and maritime academies to the arts programs that bring new life to downtown. When NMC thrives, Traverse City thrives.

 

Kenneth Funk: For me, NMC is an amazing asset to have right in our backyard! Community colleges are a vital component of our education system that provide opportunities to dual-enrolled high school students, non-traditional college students seeking certifications and associate degrees, and also young women and men who cannot or do not want to take on the debt of traditional colleges and universities but still desire the benefits of post-secondary education. I can personally say that I had the unique opportunity to meet with a young man from France, who traveled to Traverse City, specifically to participate in the NMC flight program and achieve his dream of becoming a pilot. How amazing it is that NMC has a world-renowned reputation for its flight program!

 

Mary Mills: NMC was the foundation of my educational journey. I started here, earned my associate degree, and that opened the door for me to go on and earn my Master’s. It gave me not just an education, but confidence, direction, and a real sense of possibility.

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For Traverse City, NMC is essential. It provides opportunities for people right here in our community—whether they’re just starting out, changing careers, or coming back to school later in life. It supports our local economy, our workforce, and our future. I’m proud to be an NMC graduate, and I know how much this college means to our community.

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Laura Ness: To me, NMC means opportunity. Through its accessible and affordable educational programs, NMC gives students of all ages the chance to learn, gain new skills, and build their futures right here in Traverse City.

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For my family, NMC has provided many meaningful opportunities, including engaging summer programs like College for Kids, the NMC Children’s Choir, high school dual enrollment credits, art and cultural experiences at the Dennos Museum, and career exploration through NMC’s robust academic programs.

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Through its many initiatives and strong partnerships, NMC enriches not only Traverse City but our entire region by training healthcare workers, culinary professionals, and Great Lakes Maritime Academy officers; advancing expertise in drone technology; and generating economic opportunity and innovative approaches to protect the Great Lakes through the new Freshwater Research & Innovation Center.

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Peter Schous: I feel NMC provides the best opportunity for in-person learning while local students earn their college degrees, which helps keep talent in our local community. In my experience, NMC is dedicated to making Traverse City and our local area a better place to live and work, offering programs that support student success and have a positive impact on the community. The offerings of career and technical training are key for our local businesses as well as new and emerging businesses entering this region.

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As a father of seven, NMC provides me the comfort that my children will not have to relocate for higher education and technical skills training. As a local business owner, the customized training and workforce development training are key to ensure this region establishes a year-round economy that can support future generations to come.

 

White Pine Press: How will you address issues that college students are facing in Traverse City, such as the cost of living?

 

Shamroe: The cost of living crisis is facing our region in really significant ways that will not be solved in the City alone. Our contract with TraverseCONNECT (and other local governments' contracts as well) has allowed us to bring local governments together to talk about this issue and use the resources of TraverseCONNECT to help make changes with wages and workforce at the local level and with state policy in Lansing. We also have to talk regionally about opportunities for students beyond traditional jobs like the trades, unions, and emerging blue and and green tech. I have also spent the last ten years as an elected official building connections with State and Federal representatives to have conversations about the real squeeze people, including students, are facing with the current economy. As a non-partisan elected, it can make a huge difference in influencing policy and amplifying the voices of people in our region who are struggling to make it work.

 

Werner: I will address the cost of living by ending TIF97. This will return $4.3 million per year to the local community; portions of which return to NMC (can lower tuition), BATA (can increase free service), [and] Traverse City’s general fund (can address resident needs).

 

Boehmer: The cost of living here is tough... even for people working full-time. For students, it’s nearly impossible without juggling multiple jobs. I believe the city can help by supporting more attainable housing near transit and jobs, encouraging mixed-use development, and strengthening partnerships with NMC on student housing and transportation. As a BATA board of directors member, I’m already working on ways we can expand safe, affordable transit options—something I’d continue from the City Commission seat.

 

Funk: Some of the challenges that I understand NMC students face are related to housing unavailability and increased costs of living. While I cannot personally build you more housing or make groceries cheaper, I believe that my part as a candidate for local government is to help create opportunities and provide tools that allow for the creation and availability of more housing. This is a priority for our city and a priority for me as a person who is asking to represent the citizens of Traverse City.

 

Mills: I’ve sat where you’re sitting. I never forgot how hard it was to balance classes, work, bills, and everything else life throws at you. That experience drives everything I do. If I’m elected, you’ll have someone in office who actually understands the challenges students face in Traverse City—like the cost of housing, food insecurity, access to mental health care, and getting a fair shot at a good job. I’m committed to making smart, student-centered policies and pushing for real solutions: more attainable housing, better public transit, and stronger support systems on and off campus.

Ness: There are already enough barriers to higher education, and the cost of living shouldn’t be one of them.

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To tackle the challenges NMC students face, the City must work with its regional partners to address housing, childcare, and transportation—all priorities in the City’s new strategic plan. As a Commissioner, I’ll focus on aligning our budget and decision-making to support these goals and the plan’s six pillars. At the same time, we must keep investing in what makes Traverse City a great place to live and learn, including our parks, vibrant downtown, natural areas, and opportunities for connection and recreation. 

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Schous: As city commissioner, I will encourage and support collaboration with local housing authorities and community organizations to establish year-round affordable housing options near campus. This will allow students to stay in the community to pursue off-season internships and apprenticeships while helping local employers fill seasonal skilled roles and strengthen our talent pipeline.  

 

White Pine Press: What message do you have for NMC students? Why should they take the time to vote for you?

 

Shamroe: I was born and raised in Traverse City and have always had to have two "jobs" or income sources to survive here. When I talk about understanding the struggle of making it work here, I have/am living it. For ten years, I have worked to improve Traverse City, including spearheading the first strategic plan in a generation. This is important because instead of just talking about what we think we should do or what we should prioritize, we have a road map. It stresses sustainable economic development, housing, and childcare- now we need to make sure it moves forward with actions, not just more words. I promise, as the Mayor who leads the meetings and the Commission, to hold all of us elected officials to the plan the citizens created for us.

 

Werner: I am future focused: as a city commissioner I have been the leading voice on the climate crisis and the housing crisis. I put people first, not special interest groups.

 

Boehmer: This election is about shaping the future of Traverse City - not just preserving what it is today. Students deserve a city that works for them too: one with affordable places to live, year-round job opportunities, and safe ways to get around without always needing a car. I want to make sure young people have a voice in that future. Voting is how you claim your seat at the table.

 

Funk: The message that I would like to share with NMC students is this. Follow your dreams, set goals, make plans, travel to new places, do uncomfortable things, and expose yourself to new experiences. Right now, you have the opportunity and freedom to do things that will become out of reach as you get older. Right now, somewhere, there is someone who would do anything to have the opportunities that you have at this moment. Do not waste this opportunity to explore the world and the life that you have been given. The experiences you have had in life to this point have shaped who you are and the way you see the world; don't deny yourself the opportunity to continue shaping that worldview and perspective.

 

Mills: I’m running because I believe students deserve a voice in the decisions that affect them, both on campus and in the community. Voting gives you the power to influence decisions that affect your education and future. I’ll listen. I want students to feel heard, respected, and represented. That’s how my being in office helps: I bring your voice to the table, and I won’t stop fighting for it.

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Ness: Local government decisions shape your daily life and affect your future. Choices about housing, transportation, childcare, parks, public safety, street maintenance, and environmental sustainability directly impact students living, studying, and working in Traverse City. For more than 25 years, I’ve built partnerships and delivered results, earning trust through collaboration, respect, and leading with integrity. I care deeply about creating a community where students and young professionals can afford to live and stay to build their careers. I’d be honored to earn your vote—but most importantly, I hope you’ll make your voice heard and vote in every election because civic engagement and voting are fundamental to a healthy democracy.

 

Schous: Continue your journey of knowledge and never stop pursuing your dreams!!  North West Michigan hosts a world of opportunity and I truly believe we are only in our early stages of development.  You are the generation that will see the next chapter of this region, whether it's your commitment to protecting our natural resources or bringing a new enterprise to our area.  I hope on November 4th you will find the time to vote for me as I look forward to working with you all as you pursue a vibrant future in Traverse City.