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3 Republicans hope to move to Nov. vote in Perry Twp.
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008 9:52 AM EDT
PERRY TWP. - With two slots open for trustees on the township board, only two of three Republican candidates will move past the Aug. 5 primary.
Only two candidates from each party can move past the primary.
The three Republican candidates are Elizabeth Andrus, Patsy Force and Susan Hammond.
The only Democratic candidate is Peggy Michalek, who will automatically move to the general election.
n Incumbent Elizabeth Andrus, who has lived in the township since 1973, said she wants to run again for office because she wants to “maintain fiscal responsibility in the township.”
“We are going to be faced with questions of urban sprawl and how to grow in a rational way, as well as providing services with the least cost to our residents,” Andrus said. “Perry Township is in very good financial state and I would like to keep it that way.”
She has been a trustee on the township board for two years and also is the owner of the Meal & More Inc., a livestock feed elevator in the township.
Andrus said her business experience gives her an advantage in being organized, systematic and transparent for the public.
In addition, she said Perry Township is a rural area and most residents want to keep “the green and open space that (the township) has.”
“We are going to have to be very careful on how we spend our road money,” Andrus said. “Maintaining roads is one of the biggest expenses that we have and we're going to have to make sure that we prioritize properly.”
She also said she would like to see a warning system be set up in the township to alarm residents when there are storms, tornadoes or other hazardous weather.
“I will listen to what the residents have to say and I will do my best to make sure that we spend their money as carefully as I would spend my own,” Andrus said.
n The other incumbent, Patsy Force, has been a township board trustee for 33 years.
“I've never missed a meeting,” Force said. “I feel that if you are going to be on a board then you have to attend every meeting so you know what is going on.”
Force said she wanted to run again because she can save taxpayers money, but this will only happen if the right board members get voted into office.
“These are hard times and we need to be very careful with how we spend our money so the taxpayers won't have to pay a higher millage,” Force said.
Force also said when farmers sell their land, the people who buy it should pay for their own sewer and water.
“I am concerned about paying for sewer and water for somebody else, because I don't feel the taxpayers of Perry Township should have to pay for that,” Force said.
She also would like to ensure roads and ditches are maintained.
n Candidate Susan Hammond said she believes representing buyers and sellers in the real-estate market has allowed her to become familiar with the responsibility of representing the best interests of people.
She works as an associate broker with Paragon Real Estate in Perry, where she has been employed for 17 years.
Hammond also has served on the township Downtown Development Authority for 12 years and has been on the Shiawassee Agricultural Preservation Board for five years.
Hammond, who has lived in the area her entire life, said she is running because she would like to see change.
“I can see the township board that it is now seated is predominately against growth of business in the township,” Hammond said. “I feel it is very important for the township to be balanced in business, farming and residential growth.”
She said if more businesses are brought into the township, there would be less of a burden on the taxpayers.
“We need tax-based support for businesses and tax-based support from residents,” Hammond said. “But the support needs to be shared. There needs to be a balance. The board, as it sits right now, is out of balance and I hope I can change that.”
She added she also would like to see the township begin development of a park for families to use.
- Contact Michael Peterson at 725-5136 extension 223 or mpetersonarguspress@gmail.com.
