Candidates at Two Rivers forum prioritize jobs, downtown marketing and small-business supports

At a candidate forum hosted by TRBA in Two Rivers, three candidates for city council focused their answers on ways to attract businesses and higher‑paying jobs, shore up downtown commerce and market the city to remote and visiting workers.

The candidates said the city should pursue employers that deliver “good jobs” with benefits, tie development incentives to hiring outcomes, improve marketing of existing businesses, and create low‑cost supports for small startups such as co‑working space and tourism‑related excursion businesses along the rivers and Lake Michigan.

Why it matters: Candidates framed economic development as tied to housing, resident retention and the city’s downtown vitality. All three said attracting businesses that offer health insurance, retirement and year‑round work is necessary to keep people in their 20s and 30s from leaving. Several recommended targeted, low‑cost steps the city could take immediately to make Two Rivers more attractive to business investment.

Tim (candidate) said the priority should be durable jobs rather than seasonal or purely service positions, stressing compensation and benefits: “When I say kind of good jobs, I’m saying things with a decent wage and benefits. Does it have retirement? Does it have health insurance? Does it have those sorts of things,” he said. Tim told the forum the city should target double‑ and triple‑digit job opportunities and pursue industrial park development tied to those hires.

Candidate Andre Robitag emphasized resident engagement alongside economic goals, saying the city needs both businesses and housing so younger people can live and build futures in Two Rivers. Robitag said efforts such as town halls and clearer weekly communications would close a perceived gap between city leaders and residents: “I would like to see the city take over the weekly sort of emails … so that people know what’s going on in city government in a way that they understand,” Robitag said.

Scott Sechmister framed his remarks around working with others on council and defending the city’s interests. “I will defend the city to my dying breath,” Sechmister said, adding that council members and staff must keep residents in mind when making decisions.

Specific proposals and details discussed

- Incentives tied to hiring: Candidates said tax increment financing (TIF) and other incentives should be tied to clear job‑creation metrics rather than given without measurable hiring commitments.

- Fill industrial parks: Several candidates urged active solicitation of businesses that can occupy industrial land and produce substantial numbers of jobs, including machine‑shop or mechanical roles.

- Downtown marketing: Multiple candidates said the city has not done enough to market existing businesses and recommended more coordinated promotion so visitors spend money at shops and restaurants rather than only visiting parks or trails.

- Co‑working and office space: Candidates suggested year‑round shared office spaces for residents who work remotely but want a professional place to work during the day.

- Tourism and river/lake businesses: Ideas included businesses offering excursions, canoeing or lake‑related tours and year‑round outdoor activities (snowshoeing in winter) to broaden the tourism season.

- Property inventory and business listing site: One candidate proposed an indexed inventory of vacant commercial buildings and industrial parcels—“almost like a Zillow for doing business”—to speed relocations and investments.

- Use of a hypothetical $1 million grant: Candidates said $1 million would be modest but useful for targeted programs: downtown improvements, building rehab grants, tax or utility breaks for businesses that commit to hiring, and marketing efforts.

What candidates did not decide: The forum recorded ideas and priorities but no formal commitments or council votes; candidates repeatedly framed many suggestions as proposals needing further study or partnership with local organizations such as Main Street and TRBA.

Public engagement and governance context

Robitag noted past town halls brought more residents than expected and urged the council to broaden recruitment for boards and committees to avoid relying on the same volunteers. Candidates repeatedly distinguished between what the city can do directly (marketing, incentives, permitting support) and what should remain the purview of private business organizations.

The forum concluded after closing remarks from each candidate. No formal city action or votes occurred during the event.