By Susan Bromley
Staff Writer
All positions on the three area township boards will be up for grabs this year.
If you’re interested in filling one of the available seats, the deadline is fast approaching for filing to be on the ballot. Potential candidates can obtain petition forms at their respective township board offices, Atlas, Brandon, or Groveland, and must return the petition with required signatures by 4 p.m., April 19.
In all three townships, up for election this year will be the supervisor, clerk, and treasurer seats. In Brandon Township, all four trustee seats will also be open. Atlas and Groveland each have two trustee seats open.
Supervisor, clerk and treasurer are salaried positions in all three townships.
In Groveland, the supervisor earns $62,257 annually and the clerk and treasurer are each paid $58,192. Trustees receive $208 per meeting.
In Brandon, the supervisor annually receives $58,801.33, and the clerk and treasurer each receive $51,579.91. Trustees receive $97 per meeting.
The Atlas Township supervisor, clerk, and treasurer all are paid $36,250 annually. Trustees receive $5,908 annually.
To run for office, you must be a registered voter in the township in which you wish to serve. The partisan positions will appear on the Aug. 2 primary ballot, in which Republican and Democratic candidates will be chosen and then move on to the November ballot, where the final candidate is decided. All terms will end in November 2020.
In Brandon, candidates must obtain a minimum of 20 signatures of registered township voters on their petitions and a maximum of 50. In Groveland and Atlas, a minimum of three petition signatures is required, but no more than 10 signatures or you will be disqualified.
As of Wednesday, two petitions to run for Brandon Township supervisor had already been filed, one from incumbent Kathy Thurman, and one from current trustee Jayson Rumball, both Republicans. There will also be at least two Republican candidates for treasurer, with incumbent Terri Darnall and newcomer Susan Hollingshead both having filed petitions. Bob Marshall has filed a petition for trustee and Clerk Candee Allen has announced her intention to seek reelection.
In Groveland Township, Supervisor Bob DePalma, Clerk Pam Mazich, and Treasurer David Ax have all filed to run again for their positions. No one has yet filed a petition in Atlas Township, but Clerk Tere Onica said she will run for reelection to her seat.
“I definitely want to encourage anyone who thinks they can help better the community to stop in and get a petition packet,” said Allen.
The Brandon Township office is located at 395 Mill St., Ortonville. The Groveland Township office is at 4695 Grange Hall Road, Holly. The Atlas Township office is at 7386 Gale Road, Grand Blanc.