Monday, March 20, 2023
Since 1854 — News from Montcalm County and Ionia County, Michigan
Once again, Michiganders wait for the sun to shine in Michigan. At the same time, we wait for the sun to shine on our local and state government.
Overall, the Great Lakes State has consistently maintained a failing score for integrity from the Center for Public Integrity. This is based largely on our lack of transparency in government, especially at the state level.
Power to the people.
Michigan voters have unknowingly changed the face of state government and it’s linked to a series of seemingly unrelated issues that broke the iron-clad gripe the Republicans held for decades on the legislative process.
Taking the follow-up question out of a reporter’s tool box is like swiping a scalpel away from a heart surgeon. In either case the job of cross-examining politicians or saving some poor soul’s life can not be done.
We have continued to hear that we have a childcare crisis with the focus on costs to families. Currently, there are several different solutions being enacted or discussed. While subsidizing costs for parents helps, what we have not heard is how we will help our childcare providers with their cost of doing business or having enough space to meet community needs. Childcare providers are small business owners and provide an important service in our community.
I am endorsing candidates Brian Gardner and Maureen Wolverton who are running as nonpartisan candidates for the Greenville Public School board.
I am writing today as both a citizen and candidate for supervisor in Winfield Township.
Over the past year we the people have attended board and planning commission meetings only to have our voices ignored and silenced regarding ordinances on wind and solar for the township. We have questioned an obvious conflict of interest with board/planning commission members who have signed leases with Apex Clean Energy. We have seen current supervisor stack the deck on the planning commission and enter an engagement letter with pro-wind attorney on her own without board approval.
Many of us have read letters in the Public Forum submitted by Laura Engel.
After two years of watching underhanded, behind closed doors tactics used by Douglass Township Board members to usher in their own objective is unacceptable. When we see people turning a blind eye to the corruption and continually supporting such actions by using bullying tactics themselves, such as name-calling, shaming and chastising on a regular basis.
We highly recommend Maureen Wolverton and Brian Gardner for our school board. We are so very blessed to have people of this high caliber, intelligence, caring, and expertise with youth and education, who are willing to help with our schools. Both have taken classes through the Michigan Association of School Boards in order to best prepare to serve this community and our kids.
If ever there was a time to vote for change in Montcalm County leadership positions, this is it. It is time to vote for the individual running for each office and not the political party.
Residents have had the opportunity to vote for outstanding candidates for township and county positions, often crossing party lines. It started last May in Sidney Township, when independent candidate Erik Benko defeated a Republican trustee. It continued in the August primary in Douglass Township, when many longtime Democrats cast their votes for Eric Tester, a Republican running for trustee.
A while back there was a statement in the Daily News that the Montcalm County Board of Commissioners had given themselves a raise. This got me thinking about what I do as a commissioner. More importantly, why I have chosen to campaign to keep my position as a commissioner of the newly established District 6: Cato, Maple Valley, Pine and Winfield townships.
