Independence Township has its share of questions, concerns, and, yes, problems with its government. Making it less democratic is not the solution.
This election year, six candidates, Dan Travis, Shelagh VanderVeen, Jeff McGee, Bart Clark, David Lohmeier, and Neil Wallace, teamed up, forming a ‘slate,? promising to change township government.
Their idea: hire a professional manager to take on many administrative duties of the township board, reducing officials? salaries to pay for it. They say a manager, hired for technical expertise in day-to-day operations and budgeting, would save money and improve service to residents.
Opponents say costs would rise, and residents would lose ballot-box influence ? managers would be hired by and answer to the board.
Team candidates could have run a stealth campaign, implementing their professional manager idea immediately upon election. Doing so would be perfectly legal.
Making the issue their central point allows voters to choose one way or another, a referendum of sorts, although perhaps with a lower turnout of an August primary.
We believe the will of the people must be protected, even above efficiency and cost savings of a professional manager. The township needs elected, full-time administration ? supervisor, clerk, and treasurer. We also believe in looking into the future. As time marches on, with a manager-system each new board loses a little more control — therefore we, the people lose little control.
How can this be? As time goes by, it is only the manager who has the history of how the local government ought to be run; future elected officials will turn towards this person for leadership (how they should vote). Don’t believe us, look how any school board is run — the board of the people abdicates its responsibility and is run by an appointed superintendent.
Travis has decades of service on the township board as trustee and provides a strong challenge to incumbent Supervisor David Wagner. His campaign pledge to turn over much of his responsibilities to an unelected employee takes him out of the running. Same with Clerk VanderVeen, who has done a fine job running township elections, and her teammates running for trustee.
Mr. Wagner therefore has our endorsement. We expect him to continue working and advocating for the township, and learn from budget missteps in his first term.
Joseph Lawrence, with his experience on the planning commission, on the frontline defending the township from inappropriate development, has our nod for clerk. His willingness to serve full-time puts him over the top. His support for consolidating school elections with November general elections is a bonus.
For treasurer, we are impressed with both Curt Carson and Cheryl Karrick’s service on the township Planning Commission. Their in-depth experience with development issues facing the township, such as Beaumont, would serve them well on the board. However, Carson’s business-finance experience gives him enough of an edge for our endorsement.
For trustee, we support Charles Dunn and Larry Rosso’s reelection. Mr. Dunn has done a fine job bringing his environmental-law experience to the board in defense of the township Master Plan, and Mr. Rosso has done double duty on the Township Board and Planning Commission. Their reelection would provide needed continuity.
For the two remaining seats, we support Sam Moraco, another Planning Commission veteran, and Mark Petterson.
Mr. Moraco’s building experience in the township as well as his community involvement puts him over the top.
Mr. Petterson is a lifelong resident and as such provides a historic perspective the board needs. He is passionate and will not be a rubber-stamper. He is not a professional political type, rather somebody who is willing to roll up his sleeves, get dirty and get the job done. We will expect a lot from him.
We commend all 17 candidates for Independence Township office for stepping forward in a sometimes-contentious campaign. They all have excellent records of serving the township in many ways, defending it from inappropriate development, and improving business and community.
We regret the race has come down to a single issue, when the township faces so many. But when it comes to professional or elected management, we come down on the side of representative democracy, warts and all.