Primary Elections Tab 2022

PRIMARY

ELECTION

DON’T FORGET TO VOTE AUGUST 2ND!

Supplement to The Alpena News Thursday, June 16, 2022

2 seek GOP nomination for Alpena County clerk ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

By JULIE RIDDLE News Staff Writer

The Hess file

• NAME: Amber Hess • AGE: 47 • OCCUPATION: Supply chain purchaser, Standard Industrial Corp., Posen • ELECTED EXPERIENCE: Alpena Municipal Council, 2018 to 2021 • HOME: Lachine • FAMILY: Husband

ALPENA — Experience will compete with new ideas as incumbent Alpena County Clerk Keri Bertrand faces off in the Aug. 2 primary against challenger Amber Hess for the Republican nomination for county clerk.

Appointed by Chief Judge Ed Black upon the retirement of predecessor Bonnie Friedrichs earlier this year, Bertrand has worked in the county Clerk’s Office since 2018, years she calls crucial preparation to serve the county in the many-faceted

Integrity - Honesty - Commitment

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____________________________________________ 2 - Election Tab ~Thursday, June 16, 2022

role of clerk.

Hess, an Alpena city councilwoman for three-plus years before she moved out of the city in 2021, wants to bring a fresh perspective and a new standard of customer service to the office.

Though only officially county clerk for three months, Bertrand has been training for the role since she joined the Clerk’s Office in 2018, she said.

Knowing of her intended retirement, Friedrichs wanted to train someone to step into her role, and Bertrand volunteered, she said.

A county clerk needs a full set of job skills for each of many varied tasks as he or she protects the official record of important moments of people’s lives, said Bertrand, pointing to her experience handling birth, marriage, and death certificates, gun licenses, court records, and other vital documents.

Handling those documents requires knowledge of extensive legal procedures surrounding them to protect the public. A clerk must be detailed and adamant, even in the face of disgruntled customers, in following those rules to keep sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands, Bertrand said.

A county clerk must also know and follow a complicated set of rules concerning elections to ensure that the

election process is run fairly.

Bertrand would assume the office already knowing those rules, giving her a leg up on her competition, she said.

As a first contact for many residents seeking help from the county, the clerk acts as unofficial secretary for the county, fielding calls and steering residents toward the help they need.

With experience working with other county entities — treasurer, police, road commission, library, and more — as part of her tenure in the clerk’s office, Bertrand said she is prepared to provide that needed link for residents.

A truly fresh perspective, contender Hess countered, requires someone not tutored by a predecessor who filled the role for multiple decades.

With a background in administration, finance, marketing, and human services, along with elected experience as a city councilwoman, Hess said she feels capable and qualified to run an office and handle the county’s extensive recordkeeping needs.

She first considered running for the county clerk position upon hearing the news that the deadline for filing to run was approaching.

Eager to find a new way to serve the community after leaving the Alpena Munici-

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Alpena County Clerk Continued from Page 2 pal Council, she researched the clerk’s role and acquired and began studying a manual from the Michigan Association of County Clerks to learn about the job, Hess said.

She appears on the ballot as the only candidate with a totally new perspective, Hess said, pointing to Bertrand’s training under the tutelage of Friederichs, who filled the clerk position for two decades before retirement.

Should Hess win the nomination and the final election

in November, she hopes Bertrand would stay on as chief deputy clerk, combining her experience with the fresh perspective Hess hopes to bring to the clerk’s role.

Hess would like to see a new service standard for the clerk’s office. As a customer at the counter, she feels office employees have given adequate service but left room for improvement in knowledge of the office’s functions and ability to meet the public’s needs.

Anyone in the office needs to be able to handle anything that happens at the window,

Hess said, saying she would ensure proper training for the staff, including thorough preparation for elections.

She would also urge the office toward expanding service options that would allow the public to access needed documents electronically, Hess said.

The winner in the August primary will move on to the November ballot unopposed unless a third-party or independent candidate files later in the process, as no Democrat has filed for the seat.

• • • • • •

The Bertrand file

NAME: Keri Bertrand AGE: 45 OCCUPATION: County clerk ELECTED EXPERIENCE: None HOME: Lachine FAMILY: Husband, three adult children

2 contested races for PI County board ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

By JULIE RIDDLE News Staff Writer ROGERS CITY — Presque Isle County voters will decide two competitive Republican races for county Board of Commissioners seats in the Aug. 2 primary.

Incumbent Nancy Shutes will face off against contender Clifford Tollini for the District 1 seat, representing Allis, Bearinger, and North Allis townships and Onaway.

In District 4, encompassing Belknap, Bismarck, Metz, Moltke, and Posen townships, Darrin Darga and Wayne Saile will compete for the seat to be vacated by current Commissioner Carl Altman.

In District 1, the winner will face Democrat Wayne Vermilya, who is unopposed in the primary. In District 4, the winner will advance into November un-

opposed unless a third-party or independent candidate files later in the process.

In District 1, Shutes points to her four-year tenure on the board as evidence of how she intends to serve the county if elected.

She supported the board’s recent decision to unload the Onaway airport property, a move she called necessary to stop a drain on the county’s finances.

Shutes was instrumental, she said, in bringing to the board’s attention the efforts of some residents to adopt a resolution declaring the county a Second Amendment gun sanctuary, and considers that a success of her time on the board.

After four years of representing the board on a variety of committees, Shutes, who lives near the county line on U.S.-23,

has only recently started to fully learn the job and hopes to carry that experience into another term, she said.

Opposing Shutes on the August ballot, Allis Township resident Tollini said fellow residents asked him to run for the District 1 seat.

Residents angry about the airport’s sale feel the incumbent has not sought out or listened to their voices, Tollini said.

A farmer since his youth, Tollini feels the county has stagnated in job creation that would attract newcomers and keep young people from moving away.

With 20 years of experience as supervisor in Case and Allis townships, Tollini hopes to steer the board toward fiscal responsibility and to advocate to make sure his district gets its fair share of infrastructure improve-

ments, he said.

Posen resident Darga said his 14 years of experience working for the county would help him hit the ground running, should he win the District 4 seat.

Positions working for the county clerk, sheriff’s, and equalization offices in recent decades familiarized him with county procedures and issues and would spare him the learning curve other new commissioners face, Darga said.

That experience, plus government experience at the village, township, and city levels, have provided him an understanding of the issues the board faces that he can use to help it make decisions reflecting the history of such issues as well as current factors, he said.

The candidate would not walk

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____________________________________________ Thursday, June 16, 2022 ~Election Tab - 3

3 seek GOP nod in 106th ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

By STEVE SCHULWITZ News Staff Writer ALPENA — Three Republican candidates vying to represent the 106th state House District will compete in the August primary for the chance to represent the party in the November general election.

The winner of the Aug. 2 primary will face Democratic can-

• • • • • •

The Hull file

NAME: Larry Hull AGE: 71 OCCUPATION: Retired ELECTED EXPERIENCE: None HOME: Indian River FAMILY: Married, three children

didate Marie Fielder in the general election on Nov. 8 for the chance to replace current state Rep. Sue Allor, R-Wolverine, who cannot seek reelection because of term limits.

Fielder is unopposed in the primary.

The new 106th state House District — drawn for the first time by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission — includes all of Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency, Alcona and Cheboygan counties, and the northern half of Oscoda County.

The three Republicans — Larry Hull, of Cheboygan County’s Tuscarora Township, Geyer Balog, of Hillman, and Cam Cavitt, of Cheboygan County’s Mullett Township — each have similar stances on state issues and similar goals for their time in Lansing if they defeat Fielder.

Balog is Montmorency County commissioner, Cavitt a realtor and drain commissioner for Cheboygan County, and Hull a retired U.S. Navy veteran who

Fielder for our Future

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____________________________________________ 4 - Election Tab ~Thursday, June 16, 2022

served in Vietnam.

All three Republican candidates said they were motivated to run because of the action Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took early in the COVID-19 pandemic, when she instituted mask mandates and what they call a shutdown that they say hurt commerce. Whitmer and her supporters say her early orders that Michiganders stay home unless absolutely necessary helped prevent the spread of the virus and saved lives.

All three Republicans also believe there was some level of election fraud in Michigan during the 2020 presidential election and want stricter voting laws and election security measures instituted. No evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election has ever been presented.

Balog said the first step in making sure elections are secure is to make sure the state’s voter information is up to date and that people are who they say they are when returning a ballot by mail or in person.

“We have over 30 signed affidavits in Montmorency County alone of people who are on the voter rolls who are not living in the state, who are dead, or have moved,” Balog said. “The voter rolls are a mess and need to be cleaned up, but the can keeps getting kicked down the road and nobody is doing anything. I have a record of rolling up my

sleeves and getting things done, and I will do that in Lansing.”

All three Republicans consider themselves fiscal conservatives who are anti-abortion, but support limited exceptions if the pregnancy could lead to severe health issues or death for the mother, and each say they are ready to act if the state must update its abortion laws if Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

“I am against abortion from the moment of conception, because I’m a born-again Christian, and God has given us this gift of life,” Hull said. “And, as a Christian, I say we need to leave life and death to the will of God. I’m against the death penalty and I’m against abortion, except in the case where the life of the monther is in jeopardy.”

The trio of Republican candidates said keeping Enbridge Inc.’s Line 5 oil and gas pipeline operating safely and moving forward with a proposed tunnel project to house the twin pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac are also parts of their platforms. They believe closing the pipeline and forcing the oil to be transported by truck or ship could increase the likelihood of an oil spill in the Great Lakes, and the cost of energy in Michigan would increase and impact those on fixed incomes, especially seniors.

Cavitt said Enbridge is the

Continued on Page 5

106th Continued from Page 4 largest taxpayer in Cheboygan County and tax money funds schools in Wolverine. He said that, if the pipeline was shut down, the county would lose much-needed revenue and residents would feel the impact.

“A lot of people don’t talk about the impact it would have on our local schools,” Cavitt said. “If Enbridge were to close the pumping station in the township, Wolverine schools would probably have to consolidate or maybe even close. That money also goes to roads, public safety, and other services and, without it, the county and townships could just be devastated.”

As gas prices continue to climb in the state, costing families more to travel to work, doctor appointments, and for family time, Balog, Hull, and Cavitt said Lansing can take action to help ease the financial burden.

They all support a temporary holiday on taxes on gas, whether that be doing away with the sales tax on fuel or suspending the gas tax.

There has been debate between the Republican-controlled Legislature and the Whitmer administration on a gas tax break, but nothing has been implemented.

All three men said that, if they win in the primary and general elections, and the matter isn’t settled by the time they take their oath of office, they will work hard to find a solution to help lower fuel costs in Michigan.

All of the candidates say they support school choice for families and that the state funds that are allocated to schools per student should follow students to a private school or homeschool if that is their choice.

They also believe that local schools should have more of a say in what their curriculum contains.

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Republican Candidate It’s time for change in the Alpena County Clerk’s Office!

On August 2nd say “YES” to HESS - the only candidate who can offer a truly fresh perspective.

• • • •

The Cavitt file

NAME: Cam Cavitt AGE: 53 OCCUPATION: Realtor ELECTED EXPERIENCE: Cheboygan County drain commissioner, 2011 to current • HOME: Mullett Township • FAMILY: Three children

• • • •

The Balog file

NAME: Geyer Balog AGE: 22 OCCUPATION: Farmer ELECTED EXPERIENCE: Montmorency County commissioner elected, 2021 to current • HOME: Hillman • FAMILY: Single

 Dedicated to serving the citizens of Alpena County with accuracy, transparency, efficiency & honesty Committed to Election Integrity Ready to Raise the Bar on Service Standards Relevant Experience:

• Alpena City Councilmember : 4 yrs (2018-2021) • Wedding Officiant : 9 yrs & 50 ceremonies to date • Notary Public : Commission 2-4-2020 to 8-4-2026 • Administrative Experience : 12+ yrs in finance, advertising & manufacturing • Customer / Client Services : 20+ yrs in retail, restaurant, advertising & finance • Human Services : 8 yrs – worked with hundreds of families in NE MI

Paid for by Amber Hess for Alpena County Clerk, 5995 M-65 S., Lachine MI 49753

____________________________________________ Thursday, June 16, 2022 ~Election Tab - 5

2 seek District 6 seat on Alpena County board ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

By STEVE SCHULWITZ News Staff Writer

District 6 on the Alpena County Board of Commissioners will win ALPENA — Whoever wins the the seat unless an independent Republican primary battle be- or third-party candidate files lattween the two candidates for er in the process, as no Democrat has filed for the seat.

The primary happens Aug. 2 and, as of right now, the winner will advance unopposed in November.

The District 6 candidates — Kevin Osbourne, who is the incumbent commissioner and also chairs the Alpena County Republican Party, and fellow Republican Burt Francisco, who is the former Alpena County emergency services coordinator — are familiar faces in local government.

The Osbourne file Both men say they are capable • NAME: Kevin Osbourne of helping the county overcome • AGE: 66 financial difficulties while ensur• OCCUPATION: Retired • ELECTED EXPERIENCE: ing residents continue to get the Alpena County commissioner, services they expect and deserve.

2021 to current Francisco, who retired from the • HOME: Maple Ridge Township U.S. Army as a major general, re• FAMILY: Married, three children tired from his job with the county three years ago and said he’s ready for a new role. He said he remains current and informed on county issues and has the time to research and consider possible solutions to address them.

He said balancing revenues and expenses needs to be priority number one and getting the county budget in line is impera-

tive, but he also thinks investing in employees, training, and maintaining quality staff is also a high priority.

“We need to look at, what are our mandatory services and what are discretionary services, and, of those discretionary services, we need to see if there are areas we can eliminate or reduce the capacity,” Francisco said. “That, or we have to go to the taxpayers and tell them that, if they want everything, this is what it is going to cost them.”

Osbourne is a retired firefighter who is wrapping up his first term on the county Board of Commissioners. He said the county’s yearly budget shortfall could balloon to as much as $1.7 million, and, if the county continues to go further in the hole, it will be more difficult to address down the road.

“The bottom line is we need to sharpen our pencil and see where we can save money,” Osbourne said. “We need to find new and different ways to finance things and get our department budgets where they need to be.”

Both Osbourne and Francisco say the county should use the $5.5 million it received from the American Rescue Plan Act to complete projects and not use it

Vote for

• • • • • •

The Francisco file

NAME: Burt Francisco AGE: 62 OCCUPATION: Retired ELECTED EXPERIENCE: None HOME: Alpena Township FAMILY: Married, two children

KERI BERTRAND Alpena County Clerk

As your current Alpena County Clerk, I have the opportunity to serve the citizens of Alpena County by providing valuable services with a fresh outlook developed by years of knowledge, training, and experience. I was honored to take the Oath of Office, and I truly believe in it. Please consider me for your Alpena County Clerk on August 2, 2022, in the primary election so that I may continue to serve the citizens of this county.

Paid for by Keri Bertrand Candidate for Alpena County Clerk

____________________________________________ 6 - Election Tab ~Thursday, June 16, 2022

to plug budget holes and reduce deficits.

Last year, the county board voted to use $800,000 in ARPA funds to shrink its budget shortfall, and there is some consideration currently from several commissioners that that could be done again for the next three years.

“I was pushing to have money spent on water and sewer projects and broadband,” Osbourne said.

Francisco said that, if the county uses the ARPA funds in ways that create more expenses down the road, that could do more harm than good once the federal stimulus money runs dry.

“What will happen in the future? We won’t have that revenue to fall back on,” he said. “That money is a short-term solution, and we need to have a long-term plan.”

The county’s budget allocates funds to many county-owned buildings, many of which need improvements.

The county intends to have a facility study done that will help it prioritize investment into the buildings, such as the Plaza Pool, Northern Lights Arena, the county fairgrounds, and the former Michigan Department of Health and Human Services building that is now vacant.

“I don’t believe the county should be in the real estate business, and we don’t need to own all of the facilities we do,” Osbourne said. “I think, for some of the buildings we have, we did things that were thoughtful and appropriate to help others, but the legacy costs are coming back upon us now 20 years after the fact and we don’t have the

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2 seek GOP nomination for Alpena County District 7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

By STEVE SCHULWITZ News Staff Writer ALPENA — District 7 in Alpena County should have a new county commissioner after the first of the year.

Before that, though, voters will have to choose between a pair of Republican candidates during the Aug. 2 primary to determine who wins the seat.

Eric Smith — who is not to be confused with the Alpena County sheriff who has the same name — and Travis Konarzewski seek the seat currently held by Marty Thomson, who is not seeking reelection.

With no Democrat filed for the seat, the winner in August will go unopposed in the November general election unless a thirdparty or independent candidate files later in the process, which means the race this summer could be a winner-take-all contest.

Smith, who has been the Green Township supervisor for 16 years, said that, when he learned Thomson wasn’t going to seek another term, he felt it was important that the district and county had someone with experience to step into his shoes.

“I have a lot of experience, and think I can do a lot of good things for the county,” Smith said. “I know quite a bit about how things work and many of the people in the county. I think I have a good experience set that will be a good fit.”

Konarzewski owns a trucking company in Alpena and is running because of his love for the people and community as a whole. He said that, because of his experience running a business and working with others, he has traits that would be beneficial to conducting government business and moving the county forward.

“I think I have a lot of value that I can add to the Board of Commissioners and for the community,” Konarzewski said.

Both Konarzewski and Smith said the number-one challenge facing the county is its finances.

The county is staring at a yearly budget shortfall that could balloon to about $1.7 million, and the two men believe that, if action isn’t taken to get out of the red soon, the county could be in deep financial trouble.

“There are issues with the budget, how the money is spent and justified, and where the money seems to be going,” Konarzewski said. “Things need to be looked over in depth better than they

are now, and things need to be considered and discussed better.

I have gone to a few meetings, and it just seems the money seems to flow out pretty freely, possibly without adequate due diligence. You have to run the county like a business, because, when it comes down to it, it really is.”

Smith said big challenges await the county financially in the years ahead, and he has a goal of helping to craft balanced budgets so the county doesn’t have to run a budget deficit. He said increasing revenues or decreasing expenses are the only ways to accomplish that goal.

Continued on Page 8

• Alpena County Probate Court and District Court Judge

The Konarzewski file

• NAME: Travis Konarzewski • AGE: 44 • OCCUPATION: Co-owner, C&S Carriers • ELECTED EXPERIENCE: None • HOME: Wilson Township • FAMILY: Married, three children

The Smith file

• NAME: Eric Smith • AGE: 68 • OCCUPATION: President of Panel Processing • ELECTED EXPERIENCE: Green Township trustee, 1997 to 2006, Green Township supervisor, 2007 to current • HOME: Lachine • FAMILY: Married, two children

• Represented individuals, corporations and governmental entities in civil and criminal matters • Former Prosecutor with 18th Judicial District in Colorado • In 2017, returned to Alpena with my wife to raise our son in our hometown Paid for by: Committee to Retain Alan Curtis as Probate Judge, 1229 W. Washington Ave., Alpena MI, 49707

____________________________________________ Thursday, June 16, 2022 ~Election Tab - 7

District 7 Continued from Page 7 “There are really no other alternatives,” he said.

As the president of Panel Processing, Smith said he works with budgets that are much larger than the county’s.

“I think I can be a big help in making the choices that are necessary,” Smith said. “I run a budget at work that is about four times the size of the county’s, so I’m no stranger to them.

We have a small window to fix the budget and we need to get it done.”

Both candidates said the county should be responsible when utilizing the $5.5 million it received from the federal government via the American Rescue Plan Act. Smith said he understands why the commissioners have

chosen to use some of the funds to cut into the budget shortfall, but he added that, if the budget was in line, using the money to plug budget holes wouldn’t be necessary.

“Once again, it comes down to the budget and revenues and expenses and getting things in order,” Smith said. “It would be a tragedy if we weren’t able to balance the budget.”

Konarzewski said he opposes using the ARPA funds for budget corrections and instead would rather see it used for what the federal government’s plan was designed for.

“Using it for your budget deficit is certainly not the best use for it, and it should be used for what it was intended for,” Konarzewski said. “That money can be used to make our community a better place. To expand our internet out to those

more rural areas. There are other improvements that money can be used for. “ Both candidates believe part of the county’s financial woes are caused by the number of buildings the county owns and needs to pay for.

Konarzewski said that, as a way to bring in revenue and cut expenses, maybe the county should get rid of those buildings.

“They don’t need to own as much as they do, and maybe we should sell some of them,” he said. “Maybe that is one way to generate revenue to help get us out of the hole we are in.”

Smith said that, often, the county helped other entities to add facilities that would add to the recreational options and services for residents. He said facilities such as the Alpena Boys and Girls Club, Northern Lights

Arena, Plaza Pool, the District Health Department No. 4 building, and the now-vacant Michigan Department of Health and Human Services building all are facilities that it had helped either establish or save. He said that, ultimately, the county was left holding the bag on them.

“The county kind of backed into the real estate business, because, in the past, it was used as a holding company for real estate for various entities,” Smith said. “The arena is the perfect example. The county wasn’t involved in building it, but became the owner of the building in the end. With that came the responsibility of managing it. I think, if there aren’t good reasons to use the buildings they have, they need to go back on the market and get rid of them.”

3 seek GOP nomination in Alpena County’s District 5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

By STEVE SCHULWITZ News Staff Writer

Fournier served as an Alpena Township trustee before being ALPENA — A pair of longtime elected to represent District 5 on Alpena County officials and a the county board.

King was the undersheriff for political newcomer will square off in the Aug. 2 primary election many years, before being forced for the chance to represent the to resign by then-sheriff Steve county’s District 5 on the Alpena Kieliszewski over alleged improCounty Board of Commission- prieties. King sued the county over an alleged whistleblower viers.

Former county undersheriff olation and reached a $125,000 Terry King, incumbent Com- settlement with the county in missioner Brenda Fournier, and which he agreed to never work newcomer Tammy Thomson will for the county again.

King said that agreement run as Republicans in the pridoesn’t bar him from seeking mary. The winner will be unopposed in November unless a election, however, and he said third-party or independent can- he wanted to run because of his didate files later in the process. love for the community and to Thomson didn’t return calls help the county board address and messages seeking an inter- issues.

Around the same time he review for the story. ____________________________________________ 8 - Election Tab ~Thursday, June 16, 2022

signed from the Sheriff’s Office, several insensitive texts sent by King years ago were made public. King said that, during his time away from being a police officer, he has grown as a person, prayed, and examined himself.

He pledged to never participate in potentially hurtful conduct and said he has grown as a person in the many years since the texts were sent.

King said he is ready to move beyond the controversy and help get the county, which is struggling financially, back on the right path. He said that, if the budget ills aren’t addressed, the state could send in an emergency manager to take over to help right the ship.

“I’m (running) because I care

and I want to do the right thing, help out as much as I can, continue to be a public servant for the citizens of this county, and I’m actually looking forward to it,” King said. “The county is facing a large challenge with its budget. It is always the budget.

We can just never seem to get a balanced budget, and I just don’t understand that. We have to do something now, before the state takes us over.”

King said balancing the budget isn’t going to happen overnight, but added that he is prepared to make difficult decisions on potential cuts if it means it will help improve the budget. King said he has experience in man-

Continued on Page 10

Presque Isle County Board Continued from Page 3 into the position with an agenda but would provide a voice for the people of the district and weigh each issue before deciding how it should be addressed, Darga pledged.

The other Republican on the District 4 ballot, Wayne Saile, wants to see the county promote itself more vigorously to visitors and prospective newcomers.

As commissioner, Saile would continue the regional advocacy he embraces as harbormaster in Rogers City and expand

it to help promote the county’s natural beauty, outdoor activity options, businesses, and other amenities to regions outside the area, he said.

Saile suggested a county investment in a rescue boat as an outside-the-box step commissioners could take to improve

the county.

Commissioners must look out for the county’s finances and infrastructure, but, the Hawks resident said, the board could expand its thinking to find ways to make the county vibrant and appealing and help it grow.

4 seek GOP nod for 2 Alcona County seats ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

By DARBY HINKLEY News Lifestyles Editor

HARRISVILLE — Four Republicans are vying for two seats on the Alcona County Board of Commissioners in the Aug. 2 primary.

In the District 5 race, incumbent John Terry Small will face returning candidate Gary Wnuk.

In the District 2 race, Craig Johnston and Dr. Robert Turek will face off. The winner will face incumbent independent William Thompson in the November general election.

District 5 includes Curtis, Mikado, Millen and Mitchell townships. No Democrat has filed in that race, so the winner will advance to the general election unopposed unless a third party or independent candidate files later in the process.

Small, of Curran, is in his first two-year term as commissioner.

He has been a township supervisor, worked in a fire department, and he has been a deputy sheriff in two counties.

“I have some things I want to continue to work on with the county,” Small said. “I’m excited and look forward to continuing that work.

“I think the main one is trying to keep the revenues and the expenditures of the county balanced,” Small, 68, said. “A budget is always a very important thing, making sure that you are paying

the people as best you can, while still not overspending.”

He said most of the county sheriffs are having problems recruiting people, and Alcona County is no different. He said other departments within the county are trying to retain employees, as well.

“It’s hard to find qualified, good people,” Small said. “It’s a constant battle of trying to give your employees a fair wage and still keep the county financially sound.”

He noted that the federal payment in lieu of taxes is being addressed to get money back to the townships for the federally owned property that is not being taxed.

“If you have federal ground in your township, the federal government pays you an amount of money for that,” Small explained.

“And that goes through the county. The county has both kept that money and has funneled it down to the townships. As of right now, they are funneling some of it down to the townships … It’s going to be an ongoing issue.”

Small added that he hopes “we can continue to get that money down to the townships that need it.”

He said all four townships in District 5 have “large tracts of federal ground.”

Wnuk, 65, lives in Barton City.

He served on the Alcona County

board for four years prior to this term. Before that, he was the vice chairman of the Republican Party in Alcona County.

He said the payment in lieu of taxes funding needs to be addressed more aggressively, making sure that money goes back to the townships.

Wnuk takes running for office very seriously.

“When you swear an oath for your public office, your oath is to the Constitution of the United States,” Wnuk said. “I’ve been teaching Constitution classes for the last year now.”

He’s been teaching the classes at Family Heritage Baptist Church in Harrisville.

Wnuk started a group called Alcona County Grassroots Conservatives.

“We presented the Board of Commissioners with quite a few resolutions last year concerning

ELECT

Burt Francisco Republican

these vaccine mandates,” Wnuk noted. “I am currently going to be working on something about the Secretary of State, because that’s getting absolutely ridiculous.”

He said there are no Secretary of State kiosks in the area, and the closest one is Gaylord.

As for issues facing Alcona County in particular, Wnuk said retaining deputies is a huge concern, in addition to returning the payment in lieu of taxes monies down to the townships.

“We’re having trouble retaining our deputies,” Wnuk said. “So, we need to figure out how to resolve that situation.”

He looks forward to the opportunity to serve on the board again.

“I’m hoping to be as active and engaged as I used to be,” Wnuk said.

Continued on Page 12

for District 6 Alpena County Commissioner

Career/Experience: • US Army/Army National Guard, (Retired) Major General with 40 years of Service.

• Special Assistant to the Commander, NORAD & US NORTHCOM • Commanding General, Task Force 46 • Commanding General, Michigan Army National Guard

As your District 6 Commissioner I will strive to ensure the policies and plans for Alpena County are developed and implemented with transparency and in the best interests of our Citizens.

Education: • Masters Degree in Strategic Studies- US Army War College • Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Ferris State University • High School Diploma - Alpena High School

Please vote for me on August 2nd Paid for by Burt Francisco Candidate for Alpena County Commissioner

____________________________________________ Thursday, June 16, 2022 ~Election Tab -9

District 5 Continued from Page 8 aging revenues and expenses while serving as undersheriff and that will help with the budgeting process.

Fournier, who has been on the board for six years, agrees with King’s assessment of the county’s finances. She said that, over her time on the Board of Commissioners, she has pushed for less spending and making cuts when needed. She said that, instead, the can always seems to be kicked down the road and the county continues to fall further and further in the hole.

• • • •

The Fournier File

NAME: Brenda Founier AGE: 76 OCCUPATION: Retired ELECTED EXPERIENCE: Alpena County commissioner, 2017 to current, Alpena Township trustee, 2006 to 2008, 2013 to 2016 • HOME: Alpena Township • FAMILY: Married, three children

Alpena County is facing a budget shortfall of as much as $1.7 million for the next budget year, which begins Jan. 1.

“We need to go over each and every department to see if there is some way to cut down on spending in them,” she said. “I hate to say it, but, if need be, if we have to let go of one or two people in an office that has too many, then we have to do what we have to do. There are going to be some very hard decisions to make.”

The county has already utilized $800,000 from the $5.5 million it received from the American Rescue Act Plan to

The King File

• NAME: Terry King • AGE: 58 • OCCUPATION: Sales, Dean Arbour Ford • ELECTED EXPERIENCE: None • HOME: Alpena Township • FAMILY: Married, two children

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10 - Election Tab ~Thursday, June 16, 2022

help trim the budget shortfall last fiscal year, and doing so three more times has been discussed. That would leave the county limited funds to use on other needed projects.

Both King and Fournier said they are not in favor of utilizing the federal stimulus cash to plug budget holes. They said continuing to use the money to shrink the deficit could actually make things worse when the federal money is depleted and expenses remain the same or higher.

“I want to see that money used for helping people, doing projects, even if they are in the city of Alpena or the townships that also really need the money,” Fournier said. “There are so many things out there we could be doing and investing in.”

The commissioners are also considering seeking a tax increase from voters to make up for revenue lost because of a state law that limits the tax rates local governments can charge in certain circumstances.

Both King and Founier said they oppose tax increases when the money the county receives now isn’t handled responsibility.

“Right now, the people in our county are having a tough go of it, trying to pay for gas, groceries, and everything else,” she said. “We’re going to help them by raising their taxes? I don’t think so. I can tell you, if this comes up for a vote, my answer will be no.”

The county’s general fund and savings often help to pay for county-owned property, including Northern Lights Arena, the Plaza Pool, the Alpena County Fairgrounds, the now-vacant former county jail, the District Health Department No. 4 building, and the now-vacant former

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services building.

King said the county’s property portfolio is too large and an effort to get out from under some of those properties is needed. He said the sale of the old jail should be the first move, because voters were promised it would be sold when they were asked to support a property tax increase to build the new jail on M-32.

“The county has a lot of property and buildings, and several are vacant, so we are going to have to find suitable tenants or sell those properties,” King said. “I would be more in line with possibly selling them, especially the old jail, because it was promised to the public and it needs to happen. It should have happened already.”

Fournier said she knows there are a lot of people who enjoy the pool and the arena, but she said they have become burdens to the county’s finances.

She said that, currently, the pool is heavily supported by the county’s property tax for youth and recreation services, but, if a proposed renewal of that tax fails in August, the county would have to pony up hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep the pool open.

That, she said, is something the county can’t afford.

“The county should not be in the business of owning lots of property and real estate,” she said. “I already suggested we sell the (DHHS) building, because of what it could cost to repair and maintain. I hate to say this, because I know a lot of people love the pool, but maybe it needs to shut down to keep the county going. Maybe it can be sold and privatized so the county doesn’t have the financial responsibility for it. ”

2 competitive races for Montmorency board ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

By JULIE RIDDLE News Staff Writer

ATLANTA — Montmorency County Republican voters will select candidates in contested races for two county Board of Commissioners seats in the Aug. 2 primary.

Incumbent Don Edwards faces newcomer Melissa Ward in the race for the party nomination for the county’s District 2, which encompasses Briley Township.

In the race for the District 4 seat, representing Albert Township, incumbent James Madison faces fellow Lewiston resident Dell Bolser.

No Democrats have filed for either seat, meaning the primary winners will advance into November unopposed unless a third-party or independent candidate files to run later in the process.

Edwards hopes to use a third term as District 2 commissioner to correct board decisions he believes hurt the county financially.

He becomes boisterous during meetings out of frustration with financial decisions made by inexperienced members not around long enough to know the county’s history, he said.

Edwards’ financial concerns include the creation of new positions at the Montmorency County Sheriff’s Office, an expense he believes is not sustainable and will lead to cutting wages, benefits, or positions long-term.

With several incumbents not returning and new commissioners to be added this year, the board will need his experience and his perspective as former county sheriff to make informed decisions, Edwards said.

“You’ve got to have someone there to say, ‘We tried that,’” Edwards said. “If we don’t have that, people are just going to go hog wild and spend the money.”

Edwards’ opponent, Melissa Ward, hopes to get involved in local politics after moving to Atlanta several months ago.

Most recently hailing from Traverse City, Ward grew up in Harbor Springs and has experience as a community organizer in California and as an advocate for people with disabilities in Florida.

While Ward is running as a Republican, she said she is not partial to any party and will “vote for the people, not necessarily the party.”

Should she be elected, Ward will prioritize veteran services and local business and require proof that the board has made sound financial decisions.

While unsure of the limits of the Board of Commissioners or in what way the board can help local businesses, Ward said she will bring new businesses to Atlanta and find a way to fix water and sewage problems business owners have reported.

“This community needs a facelift,” Ward said, pledging to make sure community members’ voices are heard by the board. “If a person has an idea for something, let’s take a look at that.”

In District 4, Madison joined the board last October, finishing a term for Dawn Hubbard, who left to take a different position with the county.

His community involvement as president of a food and clothing distribution program in Lewiston and board member for a human services agency prepared him to work for the good of the community, Madison said.

If reelected, he will try to do what’s best for the county, including looking for ways to save money while keeping vital services like police and fire coverage running, he said.

Mostly, Madison said, he’ll do his job fairly and earnestly and will do whatever his community needs him to do.

“That’s what I was put on this earth for, I think,” Madison said.

Madison’s competition for the Republican nomination, Bolser, only ran “because I thought the other guy wasn’t going to,” potentially leaving a vacant board seat, Bolser said.

His parents’ tenures on township boards familiarized him with the importance of political offices filled by people who care about the community, Bolser said.

His district sometimes struggles to find candidates willing to accept government positions, but, he said, “somebody’s got to do it, right?”

Should he win the election, Bolser’s goal on the Board of Commissioners would be to “get some good government,” said Bolser, who said his only campaign promise “is not to campaign.”

“If I win, good,” said Bolser, calling his fellow candidate for District 4 a good guy and a close friend. “If Jim wins, then good for him, too.”

August 2nd, 2022

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Alcona County Continued from Page 9 “I want to see the country united again, and I think the biggest problem we’re suffering with is morals,” he added. “We need to start standing up for our rights. We need to tell Lansing, ‘Enough.’”

District 2 includes Haynes and Harrisville townships and the City of Harrisville.

Johnston, 55, of Harrisville Township, has been on the Board of Commissioners before.

“I held this position for six years — four years as chairman of the board,” Johnston said.

“Before that, I served on local zoning boards, various community boards, and I still do.”

Johnston lost his seat in 2020 to current commissioner Thompson, of Harrisville.

“I lost by nine votes,” Johnston said, adding that he did a write-in campaign in the 2020 general election, but that did not prove successful. He added, “You know, 2020 was a weird year, a lot of absentee ballots.”

Johnston said the numberone issue in the county right now is trying to retain deputies.

“We’ve lost several deputies to other counties,” Johnston said, “because of compensation — retirement and pay. I think these other counties are really dipping hard on these ARPA funds — they’re going to go away.”

ARPA stands for American Rescue Plan Act, signed by President Biden on March 11, 2021.

Johnston says that funding may be available now, but it is not a sustainable way of paying employees. He noted that Alcona County deputies have not had a pension plan since 2000.

“It’s expensive,” Johnston said, adding that they need to

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Alpena County Commissioner District 5

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26 Years Law Enforcement Experience 34 Years Local Sports Official Treasurer Fraternal Order of Police WM F Keller Lodge Exchange and Optimist Club Member

____________________________________________ 12 - Election Tab ~Thursday, June 16, 2022

find a sustainable way to compensate and retain deputies.

He noted that another big issue for the county is returning the payment in lieu of taxes funding to townships.

“We’re not getting any bang for our buck when it comes to what the federal government is paying,” Johnston said. “They’re paying a fraction of what the actual tax revenue would be.”

“Our operating millage is 4.17 (mills), and it should be 5.25,” Johnston explained, noting that he had pushed for Headlee rollbacks — a way of reversing a reduction in tax rates forced by state law — multiple times to increase the county’s operating budget. “It’s such a weird thing to try to explain to people.”

He added that providing solid compensation packages to office personnel is very important, as well.

“While there is a need, it’s a hard sell,” Johnston noted.

“Revenues are not going to keep up with what costs are.”

Johnston, a farmer, added that he reappointed a new Economic Development Committee three years ago when he was on the board. He wants to refocus on that, and a broadband initiative that had been started. He also wants to reenergize some properties where development had begun a few years ago.

“I do listen to people,” he said.

“And, in difficult situations, I’m pretty patient.”

District 6 Continued from Page 6 money to rehab or repair all of them.”

Francisco said the county owns too much property and it should only have buildings that are required to perform the tasks required of the county.

“In my opinion, the county should not be landholders,” he

Johnston is a fourth-generation farmer on a Centennial Farm.

“I feel like I’ve got the experience,” he said. “I feel like I could bring a lot back to the table.”

Turek, 58, owns and operates a chiropractic practice in Harrisville, which he has had since 2000. This is his first time running for office.

“I have been on several local boards and groups, but I’ve never run for public office,” said Turek, of Harrisville. “I felt a need.

There are some things I think could be addressed here at the county level.”

Turek sees three main issues currently facing Alcona County: 1.) “We need to improve the compensation package for our sheriff’s deputies, so that we do not lose them to other counties who are able to offer better salaries and a better benefit plan.”

2.) “The second issue would be the (payment in lieu of taxes) funds … I would vote to return those funds back to the individual townships. That is how it had been done for years and years and years, before it was changed maybe four or five years ago.”

3.) “I would like to see the veterans and the Veterans Affairs Office not only get the building that they need, but rebuild the relationship between the Veterans Affairs and the county and the commissioners.”

said. “We have facilities that we need to provide the services that are necessary. Why does the county continue to hold on to places like the Northern Northern Lights Arena? The pool is about 50 years old and probably outlived its life expectancy.

I don’t think the county should be owning a pool.”