Published: November 05, 2008 12:30 am      

12:30 am: GT incumbents running strong

TRAVERSE CITY — Incumbents led in all races for the Grand Traverse County board, but large turnouts slowed ballot counts and left several county commission races unresolved.

Republican incumbents Larry Inman, Bruce Hooper, Addison Wheelock, and Christine Maxbauer had comfortable leads as of midnight Tuesday over their challengers.

There were no vote counts available from Traverse City in Commission District 5, where Democrat Ross Richardson and Republican Dave Barr battled for the one open seat on the board.

“It’s frustrating, but they’ll count them when the count them,” Richardson said. “There’s nothing anybody can do about it but wait.”

The winner of District 5 will join Republicans Beth Friend of East Bay Township in District 3 and Michael Stepka of Garfield Township in District 4 as new faces on the township board. All four have called for more accountability and action on issues that for years have simmered without resolution.

Inman, who was re-elected to his ninth term, said the board during the past two years has had more discussion and split votes than the previous 14 years. He expects even more regardless of who voters choose in District 5.

“With three new commissioners I think you’ll see more split votes and you might see some new direction from the board on certain issues,” Inman said.

Inman said new direction might come on roads and the county road commission, the troubled septage treatment plant, health insurance benefits for commissioners, and the overall county budget.

In District 1, Hooper, a Peninsula Township appeared to hold off Democrat Bernol Soutar, a retired wine consultant, 2,766 to 1,795.

Inman, 54, a retired banker from Whitewater Township, captured over 75 percent of the vote and crushed challenger James Schmidt 2,593 to 847, with all but one precinct reporting.

In District 7, Green Party candidate Tom Mair, 53, was 800 votes behind first-term Republican Christine Maxbauer, 55, of Traverse City, with several precincts left to report.

In District 8, Republican Larry Fleis, 61, of Blair Township, led Democrat Phil Scott, 63, of Mayfield Township 844 to 555 with no votes from Paradise or Mayfield townships counted.

In District 9, retired teacher and Democrat Don Dierkes, 69, came up short, to current county board Chairman Wheelock, trailing 2,062 to 1,740 with just a couple precincts failing to report.

Commissioner Dick Thomas of Grawn in District 6 was unopposed.