Tuesday, October 28, 2008
News
4 battle for 3 trustee seats in New Lothrop
By MICHAEL PETERSON Argus-Press Staff Writer
NEW LOTHROP - With three trustee seats open, only one of four candidates will go home empty-handed.
The candidates are Eugene Birchmeier, John Maksimchuk Jr., Carl Seamon and George Thiel.
All candidates are incumbents except for Seamon.
n Birchmeier, 80, has been a village trustee for the past year and a half, but he has had quite a bit of experience. He served as a trustee during the 1960s and part of the '70s, and as the village president.
“I gave (local politics) all up, but I didn't like what was going on. So, I started attending the meetings,” Birchmeier said. “One of the trustees quit and I was appointed to take the place.”
He said one of his major goals if re-elected is “to get all the streets in New Lothrop in decent shape again.”
Birchmeier added the board has been doing its best in recent years to fix the streets, noting the recent repaving of about 20 blocks.
He added he doesn't want to see any major changes in the village, and he wants “things to continue the way they are going.”
He has lived in the village his entire life, but it is his years of experience that he feels make him the most qualified.
Before retiring 22 years ago, Birchmeier worked as a motor plant superintendent for Buick.
n Maksimchuk, 56, has been a village trustee for 16 years, and hopes to continue.
“I'd like to keep things pretty much the same,” Maksimchuk said. “I want to keep the tax rates as low as we can for the community - which we have been trying to do for the past 16 years that I've been on.”
Maksimchuk also serves as the sewer commissioner for the Council. He said he would like to continue the work the board has done with the recent installation of a new water-filtration system.
In addition, he also would like to continue street repairs.
“My past record of 16 years stands for itself,” Maksimchuk said. “When people do call me, I react quickly to give them the answer.”
Before Maksimchuk retired in July, he worked for General Motors Corp. for 35 years.
He is married to Karen Maksimchuk, the village clerk.
n Seamon, 42, may be the only candidate running who is currently not on the council, but he decided to run for office after attending the village meetings for about 3 1/2 years.
He said he is dissatisfied with how the village meetings are conducted.
“They do have a meeting and you can talk - but you will not get a reply no matter what you do,” Seamon said.
He added he feels the board never considers public comments in its decision-making.
Seamon also believes the council is not being held accountable for the village's budget.
“They don't know on a monthly basis what their true budget is and what they spent their money on,” Seamon said.
He added he is not happy with how the council fired former police chief Dave Pappenheimer in 2007. Pappenheimer had been the chief since 1978.
Pappenheimer was fired in a 4-2 vote after he refused to turn over information requested by the Council, citing a need for privacy to protect the lives and families of law enforcement officers. He asked the Council make all such information requests through Village Attorney Charles McKone.
Thiel and former Trustee Chara McDowell gave the two dissenting votes.
The reason given for the firing was insubordination.
Pappenheimer has filed a lawsuit against the Council for wrongful discharge.
Seamon is an assistant engineering manager for Delphi Steering, and he feels his profession would make him a good trustee.
“Being an engineer, what do I do? I work on facts,” Seamon said. “I don't work on emotion.”
n Thiel, 72, who has served as a trustee for more than 20 years, said this is the first time he has been opposed in his bids for re-election. He has been a resident of the village since 1951.
Thiel also expressed dissatisfaction with the way the Council is being run.
He is Seamon's uncle.
Thiel also was not happy about the firing of Pappenheimer.
“They just up and fired a guy who I thought was doing a lot for the community,” Thiel said.
He said his goal is to give the Council “back to the people” and increase community involvement in the village government.
“You have to represent everybody in the village and represent them equally,” Thiel said. “I've asked people to come to Council meetings and get involved.”
He is retired, and worked as the supervisor for Midland Ross for 22 years.
“You can't always just do what you think ought to be done, it is what the community thinks,” Thiel said. “They are the ones who are paying the taxes.”
- Contact Michael Peterson at 725-5136 extension 223 or mpetersonarguspress@gmail.com.
The candidates are Eugene Birchmeier, John Maksimchuk Jr., Carl Seamon and George Thiel.
All candidates are incumbents except for Seamon.
n Birchmeier, 80, has been a village trustee for the past year and a half, but he has had quite a bit of experience. He served as a trustee during the 1960s and part of the '70s, and as the village president.
“I gave (local politics) all up, but I didn't like what was going on. So, I started attending the meetings,” Birchmeier said. “One of the trustees quit and I was appointed to take the place.”
He said one of his major goals if re-elected is “to get all the streets in New Lothrop in decent shape again.”
Birchmeier added the board has been doing its best in recent years to fix the streets, noting the recent repaving of about 20 blocks.
He added he doesn't want to see any major changes in the village, and he wants “things to continue the way they are going.”
He has lived in the village his entire life, but it is his years of experience that he feels make him the most qualified.
Before retiring 22 years ago, Birchmeier worked as a motor plant superintendent for Buick.
n Maksimchuk, 56, has been a village trustee for 16 years, and hopes to continue.
“I'd like to keep things pretty much the same,” Maksimchuk said. “I want to keep the tax rates as low as we can for the community - which we have been trying to do for the past 16 years that I've been on.”
Maksimchuk also serves as the sewer commissioner for the Council. He said he would like to continue the work the board has done with the recent installation of a new water-filtration system.
In addition, he also would like to continue street repairs.
“My past record of 16 years stands for itself,” Maksimchuk said. “When people do call me, I react quickly to give them the answer.”
Before Maksimchuk retired in July, he worked for General Motors Corp. for 35 years.
He is married to Karen Maksimchuk, the village clerk.
n Seamon, 42, may be the only candidate running who is currently not on the council, but he decided to run for office after attending the village meetings for about 3 1/2 years.
He said he is dissatisfied with how the village meetings are conducted.
“They do have a meeting and you can talk - but you will not get a reply no matter what you do,” Seamon said.
He added he feels the board never considers public comments in its decision-making.
Seamon also believes the council is not being held accountable for the village's budget.
“They don't know on a monthly basis what their true budget is and what they spent their money on,” Seamon said.
He added he is not happy with how the council fired former police chief Dave Pappenheimer in 2007. Pappenheimer had been the chief since 1978.
Pappenheimer was fired in a 4-2 vote after he refused to turn over information requested by the Council, citing a need for privacy to protect the lives and families of law enforcement officers. He asked the Council make all such information requests through Village Attorney Charles McKone.
Thiel and former Trustee Chara McDowell gave the two dissenting votes.
The reason given for the firing was insubordination.
Pappenheimer has filed a lawsuit against the Council for wrongful discharge.
Seamon is an assistant engineering manager for Delphi Steering, and he feels his profession would make him a good trustee.
“Being an engineer, what do I do? I work on facts,” Seamon said. “I don't work on emotion.”
n Thiel, 72, who has served as a trustee for more than 20 years, said this is the first time he has been opposed in his bids for re-election. He has been a resident of the village since 1951.
Thiel also expressed dissatisfaction with the way the Council is being run.
He is Seamon's uncle.
Thiel also was not happy about the firing of Pappenheimer.
“They just up and fired a guy who I thought was doing a lot for the community,” Thiel said.
He said his goal is to give the Council “back to the people” and increase community involvement in the village government.
“You have to represent everybody in the village and represent them equally,” Thiel said. “I've asked people to come to Council meetings and get involved.”
He is retired, and worked as the supervisor for Midland Ross for 22 years.
“You can't always just do what you think ought to be done, it is what the community thinks,” Thiel said. “They are the ones who are paying the taxes.”
- Contact Michael Peterson at 725-5136 extension 223 or mpetersonarguspress@gmail.com.