By BRIAN McGILLIVARY
TRAVERSE CITY -- The often bitter debate over a proposed Meijer Inc. store and other development plans along M-72 continues to cast a long shadow over Acme Township and its upcoming primary election.
The growth debate still divides this mixed rural and residential community east of Traverse City on the east arm of Grand Traverse Bay. The Aug. 5 primary will help determine just how wide the divide remains, and if voters still back board members they swept into office four years ago over many of the same issues.
"There is basically two sides, one that totally hates the current board and one that is happy with the way things are progressing and how we are trying to get development into the township," trustee Paul Scott said.
Incumbents said they believe or hope exposure of Meijer's illegal involvement in a referendum vote on big box stores in 2005 and an unsuccessful recall drive against the board last year brought the community closer together.
"It's not as divided as some people think," Supervisor Wayne Kladder said. "I think there are a couple dozen people who believe it's divided and are working hard to keep it that way."
He included his opponent, former township Clerk Noelle Knopf, in that group.
Knopf said she doesn't care for the direction of the current board.
"I don't think it's to the people's advantage to have no growth, no school, no insurance," she said. "I think we can do a lot better than what's here today for the people of Acme."
Knopf is the only candidate whose name turned up in billing records from the public relations firm Seyferth, Spaulding, Tennyson Inc. that Meijer hired to run its illegal campaigns. She said Seyferth asked her how to obtain voter registration lists.
"Otherwise I had nothing to do with it," Knopf said.
Invoices, however, show the public relations firm had 13 telephone conferences with Knopf to discuss voter lists, mailing lists, computer issues, letters, mailings, election poll watching, and campaign flyers.
Knopf failed to win re-election in 2004 as part of the previous board that approved the proposed Village at Grand Traverse project, a large mixed-use commercial and residential development anchored by Meijer. Five of the board members elected fours ago and one appointed last year are seeking re-election. The treasurer's seat is open.
"They were elected to stop growth in Acme Township and they did a great job," said challenger Tyler Veliquette, a candidate for trustee. "I'm impressed with their ability to do what they were sent in there to do but I don't think it's a popular vote right now."
Incumbent trustee and planning commissioner Ron Hardin said to call the board "no growth" is "irresponsible."
"How can you approve a Meijer store and be called no growth?" said Hardin, who was appointed to the board in 2007. "There are some who say build it all, build it anywhere and our problems will be solved but I think there is a better way."
Planning commissioner and trustee candidate Doug White said the challengers don't favor rampant development but controlled growth.
He said the current board doesn't say "no" to developers but keeps putting off decisions until projects are shelved.
"In the last four years what business has come into Acme?"... I can't think of one," White said.
Clerk candidate Pam Lewis said lack of development hurts the township in other ways.
"I think if maybe we would have had a little more growth in the area it maybe would have stopped (Traverse City Area Public Schools) from closing Bertha Vos (elementary school)," Lewis said.
Incumbents bristle at being blamed for the recent school closing.
Trustee Frank Zarafonitis said even had the Village project gone forward, developers never committed to when they would build housing.
"Today all we'd have is a Meijer store in the middle of a field with maybe some roads," he said.
Kladder cited Peninsula Township as a community that's growing because they've made the Old Mission Peninsula a great place to live through land preservation efforts.
"We can't be all residential and agricultural like Old Mission Peninsula but we can create a village center like Traverse City," Kladder said. "If you create a community that people will want to move to the businesses will follow."
Clerk Dorothy Dunville and trustee Erick Takayama both cited the board's efforts to obtain grants to create a public waterfront along East Bay as a key component of how they want Acme to grow.
Dunville said the shoreline will help create a downtown Acme, spur development behind U.S. 31, and eventually increase the township's tax base by raising property values across from the waterfront.
White supports the park project but with reservations.
"It's a super thing to do but it takes away a big tax base from the township," White said. "I wouldn't support (the park) unless we have the funds to maintain it and I don't believe we have the funds."
The race for the open treasurer seat is much less contentious. The two candidates, Nancy Edwardson and Linda Lou Wikle, have been friends since grade school and live just a few houses from each other.
Both support the current board, praised each others qualifications, and said whatever happens they will remain friends.
