Candidate questionnaire: Steven Haigh

The following is Watershed Voice’s candidate questionnaire for the November 2026 local elections. We will be running all remaining candidate questionnaires in the order received today and tomorrow — our regular publishing schedule. 

Steven Haigh, Three Rivers Second District Commissioner candidate filled out our questionnaire, below are his answers as submitted. Haigh is an incumbent running against challenger Josh Hoeppner.

Name: Steven Haigh
Age: 54
Are you an incumbent? yes  
Family (optional): The candidate chose not to answer this optional question.

Background/bio

I’ve lived in Three Rivers for over 50 years quite a lot of it have been in second ward. I graduated from Three Rivers high School and then joined the Navy where I served 4 years with an honorable discharge, and I worked in the RV industry nearly 30 years until I had an accident at home that disabled me.

Why did you decide to run for this position, and what do you hope to accomplish if elected?

the first time I ran for the position was mostly because nobody else would and I felt that second word needed a representative especially from somebody who has lived in the district as long as I have.

What professional, personal, volunteer or public-service experience has prepared you to serve in this role?

I feel that the military and some roles of supervision that I had in the Rv industry help me.

How will you engage with and remain accessible to constituents outside of regular commission meetings?

I’m home 90% of the time.

What do you believe is the most significant issue facing the city right now, and what specifically should the commission do about it?

mainly the infrastructure which would include water pipes and roads we should continue looking for grants.

What do you do for work, and how do you spend your time outside of work and public service?

I am disabled.

Serving on the commission requires attending meetings, reviewing agenda materials and communicating with residents outside of meetings. How will you make sure you have enough time to fulfill those responsibilities?

being disabled I have quite a lot of time and mostly communicate with people on Facebook and emails.

What do you believe are the most important responsibilities of city government, and what should its role be in the everyday lives of residents?

I personally don’t believe that government should play too much of a role and people’s everyday lives they to provide services that are necessary for the city infrastructure police ,fire ,and such 

Commissioners will inevitably disagree with one another. How would you approach disagreements with fellow commissioners while still working effectively as a governing body? 

it is always best if you try and keep a cool head and be civil and listen to all sides of the discussion sometimes people may have a better idea than what you do.

What is your position on the development of data centers and related infrastructure in the city? What factors should the commission consider when deciding whether to approve or support such development?

as a representative I am supposed to do what the people want not what I want and if their position is to not have them then that is mine as well.

Describe a personal experience you’ve had with local government—positive or negative—that shaped how you think government should serve residents.

my experience and serving on the commission has been positive in their is still a lot that I am learning I believe that government should have certain rules and people’s lives police fire ambulance infrastructure, but there are other things and people’s lives that government does not belong in and should be limited. Government should be your last line of defense not here first.