Helzerman wins area County Commission race in GOP Primary Rife edges Dickerson in Conway Supervisor vote

All of the Articles on this Web Site were Updated on August 7, 2016

Last week’s Michigan Primary saw a number of contested races for area and local offices on the Republican side of the ballot.

   The District 4 seat on the Livingston County Board of Commissioners saw Doug Helzerman get the nod over Mary Helfmann by 1,085 votes to 980. Helzerman will now face Dennis Andryzczak, the Democratic Party nominee, in November.

    In the Conway Township supervisor vote, incumbent Mike Rife edged past Cindy Dickerson, the current clerk, by 227 votes to 224. Richard Kreeger topped a field of five candidates for the two trustee positions. He received 275 votes. Incumbent trustee Lawrence Parsons also won, garnering 190 votes. Michael Stock had 125 votes, George Pushies 113, and Eric West (the incumbent) 83.

    Todd Anderson was unopposed for the clerk position, and Debra Grubb was alone on the ballot for the treasurer’s nomination.

   In Handy Township, the three officers were unopposed: Ed Alverson, the supervisor; Laura Eisele, the clerk, and Connie Shear, the treasurer. For the two trustee positions, Dave Roddy topped a field of four candidates. He had 364 votes. Incumbent trustee Gordon Munsell will stay on the board, having received 316 ballots cast in his favor. Linda Tesch, who is the current treasurer, came in third with 286 votes, while incumbent trustee Erik Frazier received 240 votes.

    In Iosco Township, the only contested races were for the two trustee seats. Joseph Parker, the incumbent, received 263 votes, while Ronald Van Houten, the current county commissioner for District 4, finished second with 261 votes. Roy DeGroot, the other incumbent, had 226 votes.

   William ‘Pete’ Miller, the supervisor; Dan Delmerico, the clerk, and Amanda Bonnville, the treasurer; were unopposed in their re-election bids.

   In Cohoctah Township, Mark Forsdick prevailed over Aaren Currie by 263 votes to 216 for the supervisor position. Brenda Meek, running for clerk, and Tami Bock, running for treasurer, were unopposed. Of the three candidates vying for the two trustee posts, William Thurner topped the field with 317 votes, while Frederick Buckner finished second with 255 votes and David Brauer had a total of 243.

   The only contested race for the county department heads was the prosecutor position. William Vailliencourt, the incumbent, topped challenger Carolyn Henry by 11,707 votes to 8,421.  

   Elizabeth Hundley, the clerk candidate; Jennifer Gehringer Nash, the incumbent treasurer; Michael Murphy, the sheriff candidate; Brandon Denby, the register of deeds candidate; and Brian Jonckheere, the incumbent drain commissioner, were unopposed in the primary.

    In the District 6 County Commission race which covers the Howell area, Robert Bezotte, the current sheriff, prevailed over the incumbent Steve Williams by a 1,475 to 1,226 vote margin.

   Dr. Hank Vauel was unopposed on the GOP ballot for the 47^th State House seat in his bid for a second term. He faces Democratic challenger Keith Van Houten in November.

Fowlerville Area Fire Authority Proposals Approved

   The Fowlerville Area Fire Authority was successful in its two millage propositions.  The request for a 1.5 mill renewal for four years passed with 1,364 ‘yes’ votes to 371 ‘no’ votes, while the proposal to increase the levy by an additional 0.20 of a mill won with 1,218 ‘yes’ votes to 505 ‘no’ votes.

    Conway Township voters approved a renewal of a two-mill road levy for another four years by a margin of 336 to 126.

    Countywide, voters approved the levy for 0.139 of a mill to fund the veterans program by 12,957 ‘yes’ votes to 10,608 ‘no’ votes.