By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Mayor Pro Tem Wayne D. Comstock is still enthused about representing Second Ward on Dowagiac City Council as he faces Edward Clark Cobb Tuesday for his fifth four-year term. His 16 years of seniority are second only to Bob B. Schuur, who has represented Second Ward since 1985.
After serving since 1987, Comstock knows that "ups and downs come with the territory."
He sees the most important issue facing the community as "jobs, industry and maintaining what we have and anticipating new businesses and employment. That's a long-range priority that holds the most thought in everyone's mind. Without that you don't have anything."
The combination of the industrial park, a pleasant downtown shopping district and, "even though it's not our jurisdiction," a new middle school under construction, gives Dowagiac a lot to offer prospects.
The medical arts building adjacent to the hospital "will make the circle complete," he said.
Comstock, 52, of 203 W. Telegraph St., defeated Frank Courtney in 1999 for his fourth four-year term in non-partisan municipal balloting.
His political career started with a brush pile. His "incident with brush pickup" influenced him to get involved with Dowagiac City Council. "I apparently didn't stack it right" and he received a warning letter from City Hall. He called council member Leon "Andy" Anderson Jr., later a Cass County commissioner, whose parents, Leon and Doris, were Comstock's neighbors. Anderson encouraged him to run for council.
Comstock filed for the seat then occupied by Larry Malsch, who is now a county commissioner from Porter Township. Malsch withdrew from the race after satisfying himself that Comstock was sincere about "getting involved and being part of something," rather than having an ax to grind.
Another election Comstock was opposed by Ed Kieta, former Daily News managing editor. Another time he was elected without opposition.
The 1969 DUHS graduate earned an associate degree from Southwestern Michigan College and is property underwriting manager for Wolverine Mutual Insurance Co., which he joined 32 years ago in 1971 while attending SMC.
Attention to the industrial park started under Karl Tomion, now managing Midland, and continued under James Palenick, who went to Bay City and then New Mexico. Current City Manager Bill Nelson began Dec. 2, 1996.
In 1999 the city named three panels, Citizens Review, Design Review and Finance, to oversee the experiment announced that June 1 to bring sagging housing stock up to par. At the time, Comstock commented, "If I were a resident and saw the city was coming out and telling me what I can or cannot do to my house, I'd be upset. I have no problem with what we're doing, but I want it to be user-friendly. It goes back to that little brush pile. I may have been wrong, but letters that are sent like that can tick you off with their attitude."
Dowagiac embarked on a two-year trial to work with residents who wanted to fix up their property, but said they could not afford renovation projects, rather than rely on maintenance code enforcement as a first response.
Comstock's tenure on the council spanned another transition, from Dowagiac's longest-serving mayor, Dr. James E. Burke, in 1997 to Mayor Donald D. Lyons. Comstock considered running for mayor himself until Lyons, who lives across the street, announced his intentions.
Four years ago Comstock predicted, "If we do the things we're talking about, we're going to see a more vibrant community, more active." He said discussions of the rental inspection code began while Burke was still mayor.
The rental inspection controversy that has engulfed the council and twice led to picketing of City Hall convinced Comstock that after Tuesday "we need to sit down with the landlords association and find out what the problems are," in the way an insurance policy is reviewed occasionally.
He described his overall goal as "continuing to make decisions based on what's best for the town, which I think we've done. There are obviously occasions where people don't always agree," and the 4-2 vote dispels the notion that the council in lockstep imposes its will on anyone. He said he is "always accessible," but receives little feedback except at council meetings.
Comstock's wife, Susie, works for Lewis Cass Intermediate School District. They have two sons, David, 24, who works for the Cassopolis ambulance service and serves as an Indian Lake volunteer firefighter. He will be attending Kalamazoo Valley Community College in January. Jon, a senior at Union High, drums in the Chieftain Marching Band and wants to study music in college in Chicago.