02/28/2007

Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner
George Herman and Derrek Kulpa fill out their ballots in the recall election at the Bingham Township Hall.

Bingham Township supervisor ousted

Robert Foster recalled by a 506-360 vote

By Christine Finger

cfinger@record-eagle.com

Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner
Voting official John Anderson, left, gives directions to George Herman as he gets ready to vote during the recall election in Bingham Township.

TRAVERSE CITY — Residents in Bingham Township resoundingly voted to oust Supervisor Robert Foster in a decision his critics call a turning point in township politics.

Foster lost his seat by a 506-360 vote on Tuesday in the eastern Leelanau County community. The recall election was spearheaded by a group of residents who alleged he disregarded his statutory duties as supervisor.

The ballot listed five specific examples, including Foster's alleged verbal harassment and intimidation of other elected officials and placing the township at risk by indicating he had permission from the Army Corps of Engineers to groom Hendryx Park beach.

Bingham resident Marge Johnson, chairwoman of the Committee to Recall Robert Foster, credited grassroots support for the recall effort's success.

"The committee did a lot of hard work. It paid off,” Johnson said. "We're looking forward to the future.”

About 43 percent of Bingham Township's registered voters turned out for Tuesday's election, which also featured two proposed millages for the Suttons Bay-Bingham Fire and Rescue Authority.

Foster, who was elected supervisor in 2004, said he was disappointed but had no qualms about his performance in office.

"The voters spoke,” he said. "I thought I did a good job and I know I did a good job.”

Township resident Mary Woods wouldn't say how she voted on the recall, but said she wants to see an end to personal disagreements in township politics. She said the millage requests brought her to the polls as much as the recall.

"I can't afford my taxes to go up any more,” Woods said.

Voters in both Suttons Bay and Bingham townships voted on the fire measures. They approved a 0.5 mill for three years to pay for capital expenditures by an 802-742 count, but defeated a request of 2.3 mills for three years to equip, operate and maintain fire, rescue and ambulance services.

That vote was 926 against and 627 for the millage.

The township board will have 45 days after the election results are canvassed to appoint a new supervisor, said Leelanau County Clerk Michelle Crocker. The seat will be on the ballot in May, and the winner of that election will serve for the remainder of the term that expires in 2008.