Notes from 07-24-24 LWV Candidate Forum in Harrisville

The candidate forum was not allowed to be recorded so I had to write fast.

There were six candidates present – Craig Johnston, Bill Thompson, Carolyn Brummund, Joe Lukasiewicz, Kevin Boyat and Terry Small.

There were about twenty people in the audience but from my view, about ten looked like they were from the League of Women Voters, either as runners, timers or moderators.

That leaves about ten in the audience and from our estimation, three were conservatives. And some were family members of the candidates.

Unfortunately, I did not take notes on the opening statements. All answers were timed at 90 seconds.

Question 1: What is the main problem with our county?

The answers from the candidates follow:

Bill – Jobs, employment, small businesses, he wants a Chamber of Commerce

Carolyn – the importance of education, law enforcement, EMS and the justice system

Joe – youth leaving wants a state university, housing, economic development

Kevin – housing, housing and housing.  He thinks we need housing for over 1000 Kalitta workers.

Terry – broadband

Craig – broadband (what he has done) and the revitalization and improvement of current housing

Question 2: How would you vote on the 911 millage

Carolyn – yes, and it is a renewal, need money for equipment and technology

Joe – yes

Kevin – yes

Terry – yes

Craig – yes to be able to hire quality people

Bill – yes, he believes in an emergency system

Some of the answers reiterated what the person before them said.  There was a lot of, “I agree with what so-and-so said”.

Question 3: What are some of your ideas for fixing PFAs in water?

Joe – dear to his heart, would approach air force for routine testing

Kevin – there are 2000 test wells on the base, air force stepping up but not fast enough, educate people on not using teflon pans

Terry – Health Department recognized the problem and he sits on the board, feels this is going to be a long term problem

Craig – Also sits on the board, the county gives the health department $100,000 and he will keep the money coming and the health department well-funded

Bill – supports testing systems for tracking

Carolyn – education for toning down usage, supports the health department in their efforts (Denise is tough), she will not let it get lost

Question 4: How will you vote for the MSU Extension millage

Kevin – 120% yes, his kids are involved

Terry – yes, all kids programs are good

Craig – yes, valuable, although his kids were in sports

Bill – yes, there is soccer and baseball for kids, too

Carolyn – yes, also services adults

Joe – a qualified yes, his kids were involved but he does not like that the cost was shifted from the state to the residents under Gov Snyder. He will hold his nose and vote for it. It is double taxation when MSU has billions in their endowment

Question 5: How would you vote for the EMS millage renewal?

Terry – yes ambulance and first responders needed

Craig – yes, he voted to put it on the ballot

Bill – yes, echoes everyone else, wants to push the government to pay more

Carolyn – yes, agrees with the gentlemen, equipment important

Joe – yes, but he wants to take the time to talk more about PFAs, said you can’t educate like Carolyn said, that’s out of the county’s scope

Kevin – yes and proud of it

Question 6: Would having solar and wind be a benefit?

Craig – yes, it’s a benefit. His neighbors use it. Solar depends, not in favor of governor taking away rights of local legislators, solar works but we have to be careful about covering our county with panels

Bill – wants to revisit how townships govern their own property, solar and wind are part of our energy package

Carolyn – agrees it’s here to stay, local governments need to say, not state, she is reading about the problems with the materials under the panels when it’s time to dispose of them

Joe – state only talks of large parcels of land, wants expansion of solar throughout the state, farmers need a source of income, says eminent domain is not possible

Kevin – believes in solar panels, he and his wife put in a wind farm in the thumb, it’s a person’s right to do what you want as long as you don’t hurt your neighbor

Terry – rules were in place, the state made different rules, he is torn, farms are not growing crops, not excited about it

Question 7: What is the status of internet and what do you advocate?

Bill – EDC working hard for broadband, Craig can explain more

Carolyn – important uses like Teledoc, for business, optimistic on fiber for the majority of the county

Joe – thanks county for using funds to move it forward

Kevin – wonderful, hard to get a phone call where he is except in his barn, hopes it gets to the west side of the county instead of starting in Harrisville and moving out

Terry – he has AllBand in his area and his kids say it works, passed his time to Craig to explain

Craig – in the midst of application for BEAD grant, Cherry Capital to start the engineering, gave an update

Joe chimed in and asked everyone to send a letter of support.

Question 8: What is your involvement in recycling and composting?

Carolyn, recycles best she can, part of a 5 county agreement

Joe – family and extended family recycle, wants to see an EU model for recycling where manufacturers contribute, kudos to Bill, need to embrace what the state has

Kevin – doesn’t recycle but does with farm implements, talked about the county-wide cleanup, compliments to Bill

Terry – thanks to state mandate, county needs to be in compliance for trash, 5 county coalition

Craig – state looking at solid waste handling, doesn’t do as much as he can, wants to incentivize businesses

Bill – been recycling since 2002 at the ARA site, all volunteers and would like to expand the volunteer base as everyone is getting older, need suppliers of products

Question 9: Do you believe a MINORITY of citizens should be able to have censorship of public library books? Note: Yes, this really was a question they allowed.

Joe – this is a social question, has personal beliefs, this is not a Commissioner issue, shouldn’t do social issues

Kevin – books should be in different sections

Terry – Alpena commissioners are removing the library board. Decisions Commissioners make are sometimes hard but if you have control of a board and they refuse to do what they are supposed to, it is up to the Commissioners. Certain books should not be in children’s areas.

At this point there were yells from the crowd like, “who gets to decide?” and “who decides what’s bad?” Note: Moderator allowed this

Craig – minority doesn’t rule, not sure it was not a minority in Alpena, Commissioners do not want kids to have inappropriate material. Kids should be protected in the library.

Bill – No banning, we need history books, the good and the bad

Carolyn – would not ban them, hopes the library has a standard. Adult books should be in the adult section.

Question 10: What do you know about federal grants to curtail the opioid problem?

Kevin – anything we can do to get people off drugs is good

Terry – use the HUNT team

Craig – says Carolyn knows, knows counties are getting money, we have a committee

Bill – sits on the committee, prevention and curing departments

Carolyn – working 4 years, NOT grants but settlements from lawsuits, prevention, treatment and recovery the money is used for, all money must go there, $350,000 over 18 years, works with local agencies

Joe – “doesn’t know anything”, gets his information from Patty Thomas and Margy Kutzera, appreciates those that have stepped up

Question 11: What is your position on regulation and testing of septic systems?

Kevin – VanEtten Lake has pollution, septic tanks on the lake can’t be tested, says yes to testing

Terry – lots of discussion around this, state trying to pass law, thinks it’s a far reach to expect every tank to be inspected, better with change of ownership of the property, to enforce the Health Department would have to hire 13 people, law not passed yet

Craig – we have robust Health Department, one cookie cutter code not good for us, counties can not afford it not doable

Bill – inspections should be done, also for done during selling, agrees with Craig

Carolyn – agrees to be done with the transfer of title, against state law, should be a clause for a certain number of years before re-testing, unreasonable cost to homeowner and inspectors, Health Department is doing a fine job

Joe – one size does not fit all, agrees with things that were said, there are problems with older systems, hopes the state revisits the law

Closing statements:

Terry – everyone talked calmly without fighting, making sure the audience saw that, nice discussion, enjoyed the evening, no fighting

Kevin – called Terry when he won against him, thinks Commissioners should work together, Alcona County is home, thanked the ladies for hosting

Joe – promise to fight Line 5 because it’s gonna break, wants to be a leader for climate change and social education, he will keep businesses like Viking and steward of people’s money unlike the ACCOA, wants federal money

Carolyn – thanks to the League for putting this on, commissioners have arguments but they work through them, set an example of working together

Bill – Audience should be pleased with those stepping forward, best for county and residents, private sector is “I” and government is “WE”

Craig – thanks to everyone, encouraged by questions, excited as to where we are as a county, wants to continue to have everyone have a good life here

Lisa

Editor’s note:  Thank you Lisa for your time and effort in both attending and recording the answers.