Traverse City Record-Eagle - A look at the area's election issues

Fri, Nov 20 2009

Election 2009 | Business | Michigan | Obituaries |

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Published: November 02, 2009 11:31 am

A look at the area's election issues

By Sheri McWhirter
smcwhirter@record-eagle.com

WELLSTON -- There's a hot button issue in Manistee County's Norman Township.

Three board members face recall on Nov. 3 because they voted against an ordinance to authorize off-road vehicle use on township roads. Township Clerk Mary Soule, Treasurer Mary Kay St. John and Trustee Daniel Gosack are up for recall after Wellston resident Richard Stapley filed petitions to remove the trio from office.

"It's surprising because such a small amount of people wanted the ORV ordinance," Soule said. "For them to want the board to bow to mob rule is unacceptable."

Soule said the board voted in the township's best interest and called the recall effort a "frivolous use of taxpayer dollars to pursue a personal agenda."

Stapley's phone number is not publicly listed and he could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, incumbents and candidates for city, village and school district offices are on ballots across northwestern Lower Michigan. Numerous millage requests and bond proposals for school and township projects dot the ballot, from building construction plans to street improvements and a proposal to change a city charter.

Polls open at 7 a.m and close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 across the region and state.

The following ballot issues are set for the Nov. 3 election in the Record-Eagle's 13-county circulation region.

ANTRIM COUNTY

No elections

Benzie County

Animal Control Services

Benzie County voters will decide whether to approve a 1-mill levy renewal for four years to pay for Animal Control Services. If approved, the tax will raise an estimated $109,289 in the first year.

Benzie County Central Schools

School Board member, two, four-year terms
Katherine Ross
Douglas Taylor

Voters will decide whether to approve an operating millage renewal request for five years at 18 mills on non-homestead properties. If approved, the tax will raise an estimated $6,864,300 in 2010. The proposed millage renewal will replace a levy set to expire this year.

Voters also will choose whether to support an additional operating millage request for a Headlee override at 2.5 mills for five years.

Related Story: Schools seek funds

City of Frankfort

Council member, two, four-year terms and one, two-year term
Jim Campbell
Norma Elias
Susanne Glynn
William Higman
JoAnn Holwerda
Robert Johnson
Ken Lake

Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools

School Board member, two, four-year terms
Teresa Mensching
William Allin Storrer
Troy Terwilliger

Voters will decide whether to support an operating millage renewal request for five years at 18 mills on non-homestead properties. If approved, the levy will generate an estimated $3,923,076 in 2010. The proposed millage renewal will replace a levy set to expire this year.

Voters also will choose whether to approve an additional operating millage request for a Headlee override at 2.5 mills for five years.

Related Story: Schools seek funds

Homestead and Inland townships

Voters in Homestead and Inland townships will decide whether to approve rezoning of property owned by Presidium Antrim West LC, at 18708 Honor Highway, from rural residential district to general commercial district.

Also, some in Benzie County will vote in elections for Traverse City Area Public Schools.

CHARLEVOIX COUNTY

City of Boyne City

City commissioner, three, four-year terms
Daniel Adkinson
Joe Gerant
Ron Grunch
Robert MacKenzie
Lynn Murray
Laura Sansom
Delbert Gene Towne

City of Charlevoix

Clerk, two-year term
Carol Ochs

Council member, three, two-year terms

Jill Picha
Bryan Vollmer
Dennis Kusina
City of East Jordan

City commissioner, three, four-year terms
Jane Booze
Thomas Breakey
Russell Peck
Mark Postma
Carron Rogers
Lee Symonds

Norwood Township

Voters will decide whether to approve a millage request for additional funds for fire and emergency responder services at a rate of 0.3 mills for two years. If approved, the levy would raise an estimated $14,825 in 2009.

Voters also will decide whether to approve a road millage proposal for 1 mill for five years. The levy would raise an estimated $49,419 in 2009, if approved.

CHEBOYGAN COUNTY

No elections

CRAWFORD COUNTY

City of Grayling

Council member, two, four-year terms
Dan Bonamie II
Karl DeVries
Karl Schreiner
Thomas Wellman

Council member, one partial term ending in November 2011
Dee Maybury

EMMET COUNTY

City of Petoskey

Mayor, one-year term
Herbert Carlson
Ted Pall

City Council, Ward 1, two-year term
Bill Atkins
James Dittmar

City Council, Ward 3, two-year term
Robert Johnson
Ryan Nelson

City of Harbor Springs

Council members, two, two-year terms
Dennis Bila
Frederick Holdorph
Pringle Pfeifer

GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY

Acme Township

Township voters will decide whether to approve a 1-mill levy for five years for road improvements. If approved, the tax will raise an estimated $317,535 in the first year.

East Bay Township

Township voters will choose whether to support a 1-mill levy for five years for road improvements. The tax will raise an estimated $501,002 in the first year, if approved.

Kingsley Area Public Schools

School Board, two, four-year terms
Jack Ocobock

City of Traverse City

Mayor, two-year term
Chris Bzdok

Related Story: Bzdok: Public input is key

City Commission, three, four-year terms
Jody Bergman
Michael Gillman
MaryAnn Moore
Denise Scrudato

Traverse City Area Public Schools

School Board, two, four-year terms
Suzann Brooke
Julie Davis
Kelly Hall
Mary Ufford Manner
Julie Puckett

School Board, one partial term ending in December 2012
Gary Appel
Diane Viskochil

Whitewater Township

Township voters will decide whether to approve a 0.25-mill levy for 10 years for ambulance services. If approved, the levy would raise an estimated $45,186 in the first year.

Related Story: Woman says official pulled election signs

KALKASKA COUNTY

Forest Area Community School District

School Board, two, four-year terms
Nicole Gillette
Brenda Wyatt

Voters will decide whether to approve a 1-mill sinking fund millage for five years to pay for construction or repairs to school buildings. If approved, the new tax will raise an estimated $140,340 in 2009.

Related Story: Schools seek funds

Kalkaska Public Schools

Voters will choose whether to support a request for the district to borrow $18.74 million in general obligation unlimited tax bonds to pay for construction and remodeling of school buildings, along with technology improvements. The estimated millage that will be levied to pay off the bonds in 2010 is 1.89 mills, though the estimated simple average annual millage to retire the bond debt within the allowed 16 years is 1.61 mills.

Related Story: Schools seek funds

LEELANAU COUNTY

Leland Public School District

School Board, two, four-year terms
Sarah Grosvenor
Tobin Sprout

School Board, one partial term ending in December 2012
Bill Robinson

Voters will decide whether to approve an operating millage renewal request for 10.9013 mills for 2010, to replace a millage set to expire this year. If approved, the tax will raise an estimated $3,409,900 in 2010.

Voters also will choose whether to approve a 0.3-mill building and site sinking fund tax request for three years. The funds will be used to repair school buildings and grounds. The tax will raise an estimated $152,550 in 2010, if approved.

Related Story: Schools seek funds

Suttons Bay Public Schools

Voters will be asked to support a 0.25-mill sinking fund levy renewal request for five years, to replace an existing millage that is set to expire this year. Funds will be used to construct or repair school buildings. If approved, the tax would collect an estimated $105,306 in 2010.

Also, some voters in Leelanau County will vote in elections for Traverse City Area Public Schools and Traverse City.

Related Story: Schools seek funds

MANISTEE COUNTY

City of Manistee

City Council, 2nd District, one, two-year term
Kathy Fenstermacher
Cyndy Fuller

City Council, 4th District, one, two-year term
Ilona Haydon

City Council, 6th District, one, two-year term
Richard Mack

Village of Copemish

Voters will decide whether to allow village officials to sell park land commonly known as "the ball field" in either a public or private sale, with proceeds to go into the village treasury.

Onekama Township

Voters will decide whether to support a 1-mill fire and rescue levy renewal proposition for five years to pay for operating costs, capital improvements and the purchase of fire fighting and emergency response equipment. If approved, the levy will raise an estimated $140,024 in 2009. The previously approved millage expired last year.

Norman Township

Voters will decide whether to recall Township Clerk Mary Soule, Treasurer Mary Kay St. John and Trustee Daniel Gosack because they failed to vote in favor of a proposed ordinance to allow off-road vehicles to operate on roads in Norman Township.

MISSAUKEE COUNTY

City of Lake City

Mayor, two-year term
Micheal Russell

Clerk, four-year term
Daraleen Wilms

Council member, three, four-year terms
Judy Luter
Robert Luter
William Woodward

Council member, one partial term ending in November 2011
Roger Adams
Stacey Kaminski

City of McBain

Mayor, two-year term
Donald Schepers

Clerk, two-year term
Ev Lucas
Marcia Smith

Treasurer, two-year term
Rhonda Forbes
Heidi Heuker

Council member, three, four-year terms
Daniel Bronsink
Susan Heuker
Harvey Lucas
Patrick Smith

OTSEGO COUNTY

City of Gaylord

Mayor, two-year term
John Jenkins
Joe Wambold

Clerk, two-year term
Rebecca Curtis

Treasurer, two-year term
David Duffield

Council member, three, four-year terms
William Blaker
Russell Jann
Stephen Johnson
Patrick Mankowski
Vic Ouellette
Dan Yarsevich

WEXFORD COUNTY

Cadillac Area Public Schools

Board member, two, six-year terms
Eric Baker
Craig Weidner

City of Cadillac

Mayor, two-year term
William Barnett
Jay Thiebaut

Council member, Ward 2, one four-year term
Antoinette Schippers

Council member, Ward 4, one four-year term
James Dean
Douglas Mellema

City voters will decide whether to amend the city's charter to allow for two changes. First, the city's Board of Review would be reduced from seven to five members, done by removing two of three City Council member position on the board. Second, it would authorize the City Council to appoint alternates for the council and non-council positions.

City of Manton

Mayor, two-year term
Adam Hagstrom
Ruth Tiszai

Treasurer, four-year term
Debra Bever

Commissioner, three, four-year terms
Chuck Brandt
Michael MacCready
Wayne Seger Sr.
Christine Stuart
Bertha Vincent

Board of Review, two, two-year terms
No candidates

Mesick Consolidated Schools

Board member, one four-year term
Randy Brewer

Board member, one partial term ending in 2011
Michael Chandler

Some Wexford County voters will vote in Kingsley Area Public Schools and Benzie County Central Schools elections.