Saginaw Valley State University student Greg Dietrich is running for a seat on the Buena Vista township Board of Trustees.

by P. Thomas O'Hara Jr.

Buena Vista Township is one of those areas whose name contrasts sharply with its true nature. The name of the township alone might conjure up images of a beach town littered with summer cottages, gift shops, and ice cream stands. The reality, however, is that Buena Vista is far from this.

Traveling down M-46 might draw out the dichotomy of what the township itself represents. On one side of I-75 you have the Delphi plant followed by rural residencies and local businesses such as florists and farmland. On the other side exist fast food restaurants, gas stations, small machine shops, and the depleted Fort Saginaw Mall. The township is strongly opposed to itself in many ways, leading some to wonder why an individual would strive to sit on the township’s board of trustees.

This is where Greg Dietrich, a Saginaw Valley State University student and Buena Vista resident, comes into play. Dietrich has decided to throw his hat into the ring for a spot on the Buena Vista Township Board of Trustees.

Dietrich, who served in the United States Air Force before becoming a college student, has taken it upon himself to do most of his own campaigning, first walking door to door asking for signatures for the petition to put him on the ballot. Later, Dietrich invited me to go on a “ride along” as he went to thank those that signed his petition.

As we drove around Buena Vista in Dietrich’s car he openly discussed his campaign policies and ways he wants to improve the area. Dietrich said that the Fort Saginaw Mall, a business plaza that suffered when the Fashion Square Mall on Bay Rd opened during the 80’s, is one object he is eager to tackle. He also wants to bring new businesses to the township, in particular professionals such as doctors and dentists. As it stands now, residents of Buena Vista have to travel quite a distance to receive care from either.

Dietrich also spoke about the racial divide that exists in Buena Vista. The rural residents, many of them white, tend to shy away from community events such as township politics, while those that live in the urban area, mostly blacks, are more likely to be involved. The fact that Dietrich, a white male from the rural part of town, is involved in the township community is a break from the paradigm.

This article, which is the first of a series, ought not be read as mere local news about Greg Dietrich’s campaign. This is because Buena Vista mirrors surrounding cities and areas such as Saginaw and Flint. Buena Vista is, of course, just another area in which segments of economy have lagged behind and caused certain elements of a community to rupture into segregation and crime. The story is becoming all too common across mid-Michigan.