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July 23, 2010

3 Leelanau commissioners face challengers

BY LINDSAY VANHULLE lvanhulle@record-eagle.com

SUTTONS BAY — All seven incumbents seek re-election to the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners, but only three face challengers in next month's primary election.

Contested Republican races will be in the 1st, 2nd and 4th districts. No Democratic races will be on the Aug. 3 ballot.

The winners of the three primary races will be unopposed in November.

Incumbent Jean Watkoski will take on challenger Stan Kouchnerkavich in District 1, representing parts of Elmwood Township.

In District 2, Mark Walter will challenge incumbent James Schaub Sr. for the open seat representing parts of Elmwood and Bingham townships.

And incumbent Chairwoman Mary Tonneberger will face Tom Van Pelt in District 4, representing parts of Suttons Bay Township and all of Leelanau Township.

Commissioners serve two-year terms.

All six primary candidates said the related issues of a sluggish economy and budget planning are the most significant challenges on the horizon.

All six also said they oppose raising taxes, but the three incumbents voted in May to put a tax increase for 911 dispatch services on the August ballot. If approved, the county could levy up to 0.425 mills for four years.

How the races break down:

• District 1

Watkoski, first elected in 1997, believes her history with county government and finances will provide continuity in leadership.

Current commissioners will have to adopt next year's budget before the November general election, which Watkoski, 68, said puts more pressure to be fiscally responsible on incumbents seeking re-election.

The county's taxable values decreased 0.63 percent since 2009, leading to $52,000 in less revenue, said Pam Zientek, of the equalization department.

Without raising taxes, "what you do is start cutting expenses," Watkoski said. "We're going to be looking at every line item."

She also believes county taxpayers should not fund revitalization of the long-closed Sugar Loaf Resort in Cedar, believing it would best be handled by private interests.

Her challenger, Stan Kouchnerkavich, was on the Elmwood Township board from 1972-79 and township supervisor from 1979-84.

Kouchnerkavich, 64, said he decided to re-enter elected politics to improve financial accountability, particularly since tax income is declining.

He cited the "overbuilt" Leelanau County jail and courthouse complex as an example, calling it too large for its population.

"The era of ever-increasing revenue is over," he said. "We'll have to learn to work with what we get."

• District 2

Walter, 46, was a county commissioner from 2002 until 2008, when he ran for Leelanau County sheriff.

He said he asked his friend Schaub, 52, to run in his place.

"We had basically the same political ideas, and I thought he'd be a good fit," Walter said. "I probably shouldn't have left. But at the time, I thought it was the right thing to do."

High on his list of issues are exploring consolidation of services and resolving four pending lawsuits against the county, mostly from terminated employees. Walter believes legal fees are too high.

"There's too many egos involved, and the board is not stepping in and saying, 'No, we're not going to waste the taxpayers' money on this,'" he said.

Since January, monthly bills above the $65,000 flat rate paid to the county's attorneys ranged from $1,256 to $27,528, depending on how many actions were needed, county Administrator Eric Cline said.

Commissioners didn't initiate the lawsuits, Schaub said.

Costs would be higher if the county settled every case, he said, and that could prompt more people to sue if they knew they'd be likely to receive a payout.

He is more focused on paring budgets.

Taxes should stay low, leaving the county with two options — "cut back services, or try to stretch your funds," Schaub said.

Schaub said his support of an increased 911 millage request doesn't mean he advocates higher taxes across the board. He likens it to an "insurance policy" in the event the state cuts dispatch funding.

"It's not that I want to raise taxes. It's not that I would raise taxes. But I definitely think that 911 is important enough that it has to stay funded," Schaub said. "The chances of us levying that whole 0.425, hopefully, are slim."

• District 4

Tonneberger, 73, wants to retain the seat she has held on the commission since 2002. This is her second year as chairwoman.

"We have a very well-run county, and I'd like to see it continue," she said. "I've seen a lot of progress."

But recently, she's also watched taxable values decline, and she said commissioners will have to find ways to maintain critical services for residents — namely, public safety and criminal justice.

She supports tax increases, like the 911 proposal, when they are for "essential services," Tonneberger said.

"It's an essential service in the minds of most residents," she said. "If we were going to take monies out of the general fund to make up for running 911, you'd have to cut services elsewhere."

Her challenger, Van Pelt, 59, is a cherry grower on a family farm in Northport. He wants to bring a greater agricultural interest to the board.

Van Pelt also has been the Cherryland Electric Cooperative board president since 2007 and has 22 total years on that board.

He believes no item should be removed from consideration when cutting the budget, but thinks it's too early for him to propose anything specific.

As a farmer, "I've had the experience of having to stretch my dollars," Van Pelt said. "Right now, it's just a matter of looking at the financing and finding out how budgets can be cut."

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