Township races to dominate election

Political activity in Roscommon County this year will be more intense in townships than at the county level.

As the deadline for partisan candidates to file for county and township offices approached early this week, races had developed for a number of township offices. But by Tuesday's filing deadline, only five county positions were in contention.

COUNTY

At the county level, only sheriff, two of five board of commissioners seats and two of three road commission positions will have competition on this year's ballots.

Board of commissioners

Ken Melvin this week filed to make a third attempt to unseat Dist. 2 (Gerrish and Higgins Townships) Roscommon County Commissioner Larry Mead. This time, Melvin is challenging Mead in the Republican primary. Melvin, running as an independent candidate, lost to Mead in the 2006 general election. He failed in a GOP nomination challenge in the 2002 primary. No Democrats are running for the Dist. 2 seat this year. Pam Stephan previously filed to challenge Dist. 5 (most of Denton Township) Commissioner Lowell Souder in his bid for the Democratic nomination for another term. Stephan lost to Souder in 2006, when she ran as a Republican. Unopposed for reelection are Commissioners Ed Nellist of Dist. 1 (Lyon, Lake and Markey Townships); Bob Schneider of Dist. 3 (Richfield, Au Sable and Backus Townships); and Marc Milburn of Dist. 4 (Roscommon, Nester and part of Denton Township). Milburn is a Republican. Nellist and Schneider are Democrats.

Road commission

Rex Wolfsen this week filed for the Republican nomination for a four-year term on the Roscommon County Road Commission. Appointed incumbent Jackie Bertsch previously filed for the Democratic nomination for that seat. They will face off in the November general election.

Earlier, former Road Commissioner R. Bill Ancel, a Republican, and incumbent Larry Paxton, a Democrat, filed for a six-year term. Their contest also will be in Novemnber.

Appointed incument Kim Akin this week filed for the Democratic nomination for a two-year term. She has no opposition from either party.

Other county offices

Candidates for other county positions are unopposed for party nominations, and most lack competition in the general election:

Randy Stevenson, who retired as undersheriff last month, is a shoo-in for the Republican nomination for sheriff. Mike Cooley is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Incumbent Francis "Fran" Staley is retiring at the end of the year.

Gerrish Township Treasurer Rebecca Ragan, a Republican, has no opposition from either party in her bid to succeed retiring county Treasurer Julie Dowrzynski Peters.

District Judge Daniel Sutton, Prosecutor Mark Jernigan, Drain Commissioner Sheridan Cole and Clerk Ann Bonk also have attracted no opponents.

TOWNSHIPS

Things are more lively at the township level, where the Resorter checked on candidate filings Monday. A complete list of township candidates will be published in next week's Resorter.

Denton

Supervisor-Fred Chidester, incumbent Republican; Craig Cotterman, Democrat.

Clerk-Carol Asher (R, incumbent).

Treasurer-Carolyn Pietachak (R, incumbent) faces a challenge from Deputy Treasurer Trudy Roberts (D).

Trustees-Robert Smith and Paula Fuller (both R, incumbent) are being challenged by Gary Williams (D).

Gerrish

Supervisor-Greg Gaylor (R, incumbent); Frank Homola (D).

Clerk-Norma Boyle (R, incumbent).

Treasurer-Former Trustee and Superivosr Kenneth Carlson, Deputy Treasurer Judith Olari and Leasa Tulgetske are all vying for the Republican nomination to replace Treasurer Rebecca Ragan, who is leaving that position to run for county treasurer.

Trustees-Wally Chwan, Gary Long, Mary Link and Joan Cyman, all Republicans. Chwan is an incumbent.

Higgins

Supervisor-June Karjalainen (R, incumbent).

Clerk-Terry Morley, Mary Krauss and Francis Allen-Dawson, all Republicans. Krauss is an incumbent trustee.

Treasurer-Janae Ostling (R).

Trustees-Ron Peters (R).

Constable-Robert Waterman (R).

Lyon

Supervisor-Paul Tatro (R, incumbent); Fred Koenigbauer (D). Koenigbauer is an incumbent trustee.

Clerk-Anna Reno (R, incumbent).

Treasurer-Craig Williams (D, incumbent); Steve Collini (R).

Trustees-Don Kirkpatrick (R); Ron Byelich (D); Pat Decenso (D); Bill DeHaan (D).

Markey

Supervisor-Martin Kortge (R); Larry Haggerty and Alfred Bell (both D).

Clerk-Esther Rons (R, incumbent); Sheryl Tussey (R).

Treasurer-Wendy Moceri (R, incumbent), Linda Crenshaw (R); Christa Willoughby (D).

Trustees-Sherry Ciaramitaro (D), Joe Van Ostenbridge and Kelly Van-Y (incumbent Democrats); Tom Burge (R).

Richfield

Supervisor-Jeremy Hickmott and Jerry Campbell, Democrats; James Van Wormer (R). Van Wormer is an incumbent trustee.

Clerk-Pamela Scott (R).

Treasurer-Judy Scroggin (D, incumbent); Kitty Jakubos (D)

Roscommon

Supervisor-Diane Randall (R, incumbent).

Clerk-Barbara Stevenson (R, incumbent).

Treasurer-Mary Ann Hose, Dick Pastula and Sarah Oster, all Republicans. Hose is the incumbent. Pastula is an incumbent trustee.

Trustees-Tom Akin, William Burger, Tammie Muckenthaler and Wilbert M. Hines Jr., all Republicans. Akin is an incumbent.