Politics & Government

Meet the Candidates: James Foxley Living the American Dream

During the countdown to the Nov. 8 election, Patch will bring you profiles of candidates for the school board, library board and City Commission.

The Nov. 8 election is drawing closer every day, but what do you really know about those names on the ballot?

Patch will interview candidates for the , the board and the during the ramp-up to the election, bringing you the stories behind the names and the issues they think are important for Birmingham.

For the Birmingham City Commission, incumbents George Dilgard, Tom McDaniel, Scott Moore and Mayor Gordon Rinschler are running against Doug Weaver, James Foxley, Steve Knox and Vicki Walsh for four spots.

Find out what's happening in Birminghamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Oakland County League of Women Voters will hold a voters forum and meet-the-candidates night at 7:15 p.m. Oct. 12 at the for those running for City Commission.

James Foxley

Age: 39

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Family: Foxley has been married for four years now to his wife Lindsay. Together, he said they're the proud of parents of two dogs.

Occupation: Foxley is the owner of Detroit Welding and Fabricating, based in Clarkston.

Previous elected experience: If elected, this would be Foxley's first elected experience.

Why are you running?

As an admirer of all that's Birmingham done to position itself as a premier community, Foxley said he's eager to get involved and help lead Birmingham into the next decade.

Foxley said he always knew he would serve his community in some capacity growing up. After attending high school in West Bloomfield, he attended the Oakland Technical Center while many of his friends went into the military. Now as a Birmingham resident and small business owner, Foxley is looking to serve in a different capacity: doing whatever he can for his Birmingham neighbors.

"I am truly blessed to have the American dream," he said.

Though Foxley acknowledged most candidates could probably outspend him or outstripe him in civic experience, he's confident that the time is right to run for Birmingham's highest office.

"(My family is) going to stay here," he said. "I got to shoot big."

What would you bring to the city commission?

With an expertise in infrastructure and development, Foxley said he knows he can bring a lot of experience when it comes time to plan for Birmingham's future.

"I've been that person (doing the building)," Foxley said. "I've been that soldier doing this work. I can be asset to the community understanding how the process works."

What issues are important to you?

Development is important to Foxley, who noted that the city should be promoting "the heck out of" the Rail District. This plan includes the welcoming new bistros to the city, though perhaps taking a harder look at where they're located.

When it's comes to maintaining and improving Birmingham's infrastructure, Foxley said it's important that quality be emphasized above all so as to protect residents' tax dollars.

"I don't do projects twice, and I won't keep asking residents for money."

One thing the city should not be spending its money on is mass transportation, Foxley said. Any kind of rail system along Woodward is a waste, he said, and even should anything finally link Detroit to Pontiac, Birmingham residents would probably end up shouldering the majority of costs.

"Birmingham residents don't deserve that," he said.

For more

Check out Patch's profiles for all candidates running for the Birmingham City Commission:

  • George Dilgard


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