Anderson Candidate Q&A

Milford Times sent the same set of questions to all candidates who are running for the Ward 2 City Council seat currently held by Councilwoman Lori Connor who did not register to run for another term. These are answers provided by Desiray Anderson. The responses are in the candidate’s own words in response to questions gathered from members of the community. The election is Saturday, April 25 from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Public Works Office, 180 Vickers Drive, Milford. Only residents registered to vote in Ward 2 will be able to vote as all other seats are unopposed.

Personal Commitment and Background

Do you as a prospective city council member have the time to commit to carrying out your duties, considering your occupation, business involvement, family and social commitments?

Yes, now that my kids are grown and out of the house, I have extra time that I would like to use to focus on what I enjoy doing. 

What experience do you have in working cooperatively with people you don’t agree with or dislike to resolve difficult issues?

As the Political Liaison for my Union (National Association of Letter Carriers) I must work in a bipartisan capacity. I have learned that the best way to handle these issues is to be respectful with each other, give each other the opportunity to explain why they think/feel the way they do, and most importantly have an open mind to understand why the other person thinks/feels the way they do. 

As a Shop Steward for my union, I must represent all types of personalities. I also must maintain a professional relationship with management as I represent these carriers. 

Can you share with the public your history of involvement in the Milford Community and how it has prepared you to serve on City Council? How does this involvement qualify you to serve on council. Will you vote for or against something that you feel is the right thing for Milford even though you may be pressured to vote otherwise?

I am one of the assistant coordinators for the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive for my Union NALC Branch 906 out of Milford. Being the assistant coordinator has given me the opportunity to get to know a lot of people in Milford. As I go around talking about the food drive it gives me the opportunity to talk to my neighbors, business owners, and the community to understand the needs of the people of Milford. I have listened to personal stories, their struggles, and their achievements. I have built relationships within my community. This will help me to serve the residents of Ward 2. I will listen to their needs and address them. 

Growth and Development

As Milford continues to grow, how do you plan to manage future development while maintaining the city’s character and quality of life?

As our city continues to grow, we need to listen to the issues that are being raised by the residents about the new development. One of the issues I have heard as I was door knocking was the fact that the new neighborhoods do not have even a small park for the kids to play or a fence around the retention pond. We need to think about our families and the needs of our residents. 

Do you believe current zoning regulations are adequate, or do they require changes?

Additionally, what is your stance on high-density housing versus single-family development, and where should each be prioritized within the city?

Milford needs to look at the zoning regulations and listen to the residents in the new developments about issues that they are concerned with. Milford has issued several variances which can be good but can also be harmful. 

The housing issues in Milford needs to be addressed. I do understand that there is a need for high density housing, but we also need single family housing. I feel that we shouldn’t prioritize where the different types of housing should be built but I do feel that when new developments are being built that the developers should make everyone aware of the types of housing that is being constructed in that neighborhood. 

Economic Development

What strategies would you prioritize to attract new businesses to Milford while still supporting existing businesses?

I believe Milford should be promoted more than it is right now. By promoting the events using social media and advertising in local businesses that we have in Milford will bring in more people to spend more money for the existing businesses, and it would attract new businesses to our area. In order to be successful we need to support the existing ones and make other businesses want to be here. By promoting Milford as a whole, we would be promoting every business here. Have more festivals, holiday strolls, First Fridays, a winter farmers market, and many other ideas that would bring more people here to have fun and support our small businesses. 

How do you feel the city can encourage diverse economic growth beyond retail?

One thing that we can do to encourage diverse economic growth is improve our infrastructure. Focusing on poorly lit roads, road/bridge repairs, upgrading the internet / power lines, and adequate parking. A business needs to know that they have good internet access and adequate parking for staff, properly lit roads, and affordable housing for staff. The apartments in Milford have a waiting list that is almost 6 month long and the rent prices have increased significantly. 

What role should incentives play in economic development and how would you ensure they benefit residences as well as new businesses?

I would take the time to look at incentives being offered by other cities and compare them to what Milford is offering. This would give us the opportunity to see what is working and what could be improved on.

I would take my role on city council very seriously and make sure that I did research to find what has worked in other areas. I would also listen to any ideas that our residents might have. The residents of Milford are diverse and come from many work backgrounds that may be helpful.   

In what ways would you support downtown vitality and small businesses as an economic driver in Milford?

Milford holds festivals, holiday strolls, and activities that involve downtown. We also need to advertise them more! Advertising the events is essential to ensure more people know about them.  While I was door knocking, I was talking about the Bug & Bud festival and I had so many people say that they had no idea there was a festival on Saturday. 

Retail Marijuana

Milford currently prohibits marijuana sales within city limits; however, there are vape shops operating that sell unregulated THC products, and the city may be facing legal challenges from a dispensary that believes it was previously grandfathered under earlier regulations. Given these factors, do you support revisiting or modifying the city’s current ban on marijuana sales?

If so, what specific changes would you consider, and how would you address concerns related to regulation, fairness, public safety, and consistency in enforcement?

I am open to revisiting this issue. I feel that the residents of Milford deserve the opportunity to speak out on these matters and possibly vote. We have seen in other areas how the revenue from marijuana sales has generated enough money to pay for needed infrastructure improvements and improvements to schools. This is something that could benefit Milford and I feel that the residents should have a say. 

Parks and Recreation

As Milford continues to grow, what is your vision for expanding parks, recreational spaces, and family-friendly amenities?

Park expansion, recreational spaces, and family friendly amenities are essential for our growing town. Families in the newer developments were asking why the developments didn’t have playgrounds for the kids. Maybe we should look at having the developers build at least a small park in developments for our families. 

And we need to advertise them more. While door knocking, I was talking about the

Pickleball courts downtown and I had some people who didn’t know that Milford had a Pickleball court downtown. Our residents would utilize them more if they knew about them. 

Are there specific types of facilities—such as playgrounds, walking trails, bike lanes, or community recreation areas—that you believe are currently lacking and should be prioritized?

With the growing population of Milford being very diverse we should look at adding more playgrounds and fitness parks. I have also heard that residents would like to see a public pool or water park. 

How would you approach planning and funding these improvements, and how would you ensure they are accessible, safe, and beneficial for residents of all ages?

Planning would first come from looking at where the parks are needed. One way to fund parks would be requiring developers to add one to their building plans for new construction of developments. When it comes to safety, new parks would be required to have fencing around them. 

Additionally, how do you see investments in parks and recreation contributing to Milford’s overall quality of life and long-term growth?

Investing in the parks and recreation gives everyone something to do. The fitness parks help to encourage fitness and parks in general give kids the chance to exercise, develop skills such as hand eye coordination, corporation, and social skills, allows them to burn off energy and deal with stress.