By BRIAN McGILLIVARY
TRAVERSE CITY -- The challengers in Garfield Township preach for change while incumbents staunchly defend their records, some of which have been decades in the making.
It's a historic moment for Garfield voters, who haven't had this many choices at the ballot box in almost half a century. Fifteen Republicans, including six incumbents, will be on the Aug. 5 primary ballot looking to fill seven seats on the township board.
"We need a change," trustee candidate Denise Schmuckal said. "Some of the trustees have been on there for 30-plus years and I strongly believe we need to have some new, fresh ideas."
Trustee Leo R. Strait has held office for more than 42 years and said it's natural for challengers to call for change.
"If that's all they got to say about me I think I've done a pretty good job if they can't come up with something better than that," Strait said.
But it's more than that, some challengers said, as they're upset with rising property taxes, cronyism and questionable contracts under the present board.
The board's decision to hire trustee Joe McManus into a newly created $63,000-a-year deputy supervisor position smacks of both cronyism and wasteful spending, challengers said.
Supervisor Lee Wilson defended the post as necessary in a growing township.
"(McManus) does a lot of the leg work and meeting with people I just don't have time to meet with," Wilson said.
Challenger Chuck Korn said he'll keep an open mind about the deputy position, but a lot of people feel it's unnecessary.
Korn said he's more concerned about township spending on attorney and engineering bills and wants the board to consider other alternatives and other firms.
"We've been with (attorneys) Running, Wise and Ford since before I came to the township (in 1973)," Wilson said. "We've used other engineering firms through the years but we've always come back to Gourdie-Fraser Inc."
Current board members said they've held the line on property taxes. Incumbent trustee Brad Barnes noted the township's millage rate hasn't changed since the early 1990s.
"Our millage is similar to East Bay Township and about 25 percent of the millage for the city of Traverse City," said incumbent Clerk Kay Schumacher.
No challengers have promised to reduce the millage rate, but most said it's time to cut spending.
"Everybody else is tightening their belts but it doesn't appear Garfield is doing the same," said treasurer candidate Jeane Blood.
Treasurer candidate Tom Ward said if elected his focus would be on trimming the township budget.
Blood said she'll look at measures to cut spending and will consider eliminating a newly hired part-time person in the treasurer's office.
Current Treasurer Dennis Habedank said the part-time person was added to bring in about $400,000 in personal property taxes that went uncollected in previous years. In six months the township collected about $180,000.
Challenger Eric Grebe stressed keeping the budget under control and bringing more transparency to the township. Grebe owns rental property with township attorney Kent Gerberding, but said that relationship would not be a conflict.
In the race for township clerk, challenger Jodie Brady said she wants to make the township more user-friendly for the public and make more information available online.
Schumacher said she wants to maintain the present tax rate and existing services. She also wants to see the township bid out trash pick-up for homeowners to limit trucks on streets.
In the trustee race, challenger Molly Agostinelli said her goals are preserving water quality of inland lakes and streams and having the township take over trash service.
Barnes wants to keep taxes to a minimum, provide the best services possible and continue developing the township's park system. Incumbent Jim Harvey wants to keep the township improving and said he's proud of the parks, while Strait said the board is frugal and in good financial shape.
Challenger Schmuckal countered that the board makes a lot of hasty decisions, and that she'll listen to residents and make sure their questions are answered.
Trustee candidate Kathryn Wilson was out of the country and candidate Robert Featherstone could not be reached for comment.
