"While primary elections for local offices rarely garner much attention, the results of the August election were dramatic for one county in northern lower Michigan.
Of seven members of the current county commission, only one will be on the fall ballot.
“I did not anticipate such a dramatic and historic turnover on the Emmet County board,” said Commissioner Charlie MacInnis, who ran unopposed in the primary.
“The community clearly didn’t support the massive spending projects that were undertaken without adequate planning or voter approval.”Four of the seven incumbents lost primary contests while another two did not seek re-election.
Last year, county commissioners built a $1.7 million substation for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and planned to break ground on a $9 million “dark sky” observatory. MacInnis criticized both decisions.
Nancy Sarowski, chairperson of the Emmet County Republican Party, pointed to MacInnis’ commentaries written in local newspapers to explain the election results.
The commentaries gave details on county projects that the commissioner got through the Freedom of Information Act.
“Many people, at first, thought he was exaggerating: no contracts, except an hourly rate, no scope of project, no budget, no performance bonds and the like.
When the sitting commissioners failed to rebut Charlie, the public began to pay attention,” she said.
...Sarowski says many people have told her the election gave them hope.
“Hope that wrongs can be righted.
Hope that good people can be elected.
Hope that liberally (bent) newspapers can do good reporting.
Hope that our tax money can be allocated responsibly,” said Sarowski."
No comments:
Post a Comment