Meet the Candidates: Steve Knox Offers 'Fresh Dose of Diverse Thinking'

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.

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.

Steve Knox

Age: 40

Family: Knox has been married to his wife, Jill, for 12 years. He has a daughter, Stella, 6, who attends ; a son, Luke, 11, who attends ; and a stepdaughter, Morgan, 17, who attends .

Occupation: Knox is an attorney and partner at the Seyburn Knox Law Group, located in Birmingham.

Previous elected experience: This would be Knox's first elected office, though he is one of the founding partners of last spring's .

Why are you running?

For Knox, the decision to run for public office began with , when and the had to answer for various criminal issues at the restaurants before their licenses were renewed.

Watching the hearing, Knox said he was frustrated with the grilling each restaurant received from the commission, noting that nobody seemed to represent his interests — a younger crowd, he said, who not only live and work in Birmingham, but play here as well.

"So I thought, why don't I run?"

What do you bring to the City Commission?

Along those lines, Knox said he hopes — if elected — to provide a fresh, young perspective on the commission, representing not only business owners but residents who are looking for more from Birmingham.

"I could add a different perspective," he said, "a fresh dose of diverse thinking."

Knox noted that he's invested in Birmingham in various ways, from his children being enrolled in to his support for the city's entertainment scene. All those perspectives, coupled with his experience as a tax and entertainment attorney, would enrich his term representing the residents of Birmingham as a city commissioner.

"Plus, I want to give back and contribute," Knox said.

What issues are important to you?

Though Knox admits that as a commissioner, he'd have a lot to learn, he has a long list of issues he feels the city should address in coming years.

One of those issues is development within the city. Knox said the dialogue shouldn't just be about bringing in "more," but improving the variety of shops and restaurants as well. Birmingham has the potential to become like the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, Knox said, particularly with its mix of high-end retail, upscale bars and restaurants and walkable streets.

"We need to promote our retail environment," he said, "and make it more vibrant." Encouraging stores to stay open later, improving street parking outside stores and restaurants and adding variety to the late-night scene — including bookstores and a jazz bar — were only a few ideas Knox threw out, pointing out that the process would have to be collaborative.

To keep Birmingham's streets safe, Knox said public safety will continue to be an issue in years to come. He said he feels the maintains the peace very well, but if there continue to be problems at certain establishments, those bars or restaurants should be made to answer by either hiring more security or installing security cameras.

But revoking their liquor license? Knox notes that though certain restaurants may be a thorn in the current commission's side, those business owners have invested a lot of money in downtown Birmingham. "I believe those business owners are trying to solve their problems," he said. "But I don't think they should lose their liquor license completely because of it."

For more

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