By Richard Zowie
Leader Staff Writer
His career in law enforcement coming to a close, Bruce Pearson will soon be embarking on a new one.
Pearson, who will retire this fall as a sheriff’s deputy at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department’s Oxford Substation, is set to become Addison Township supervisor in January.
Pearson will face independent candidate Sereal Gravlin in the November general election.
‘We’re extremely happy,? Pearson said. ‘We met an awful lot of nice people while campaigning. We felt very welcomed by the people and were happy to see that many supporters for me. We’d hoped results positive and extremely happy with the results of the large margin.?
In the race, Pearson earned 745 votes’almost 64 percent of the votes cast’to beat long-time incumbent Robert Koski, who earned 420 votes.
Koski had served as the township’s supervisor for 16 years.
Pearson, who said that some voters invited him into their house for coffee while others would chat with him on their porch, felt that his message of representing the people made the difference in the race.
‘We felt [the township voters] were very interested in someone to represent them,? he explained. ‘They were very interested in what I had to say and thought I was very competent to represent them, as I knew every street and most of the people in the township from working there for many years. It was an extremely pleasant experience while campaigning. We felt very comfortable when we left the houses.?
There was some speculation that Koski’s chances for re-election were greatly hindered by his publicized dispute with local farmer Chris Lattin’s time-consuming attempts to receive reimbursement for permits for a run-in shed on his property.
The Addison Township Zoning Board of Appeals ruled 5-0 that Lattin’under Michigan’s Right to Farm Act, didn’t need a variance. Lattin, therefore, was entitled to a $650 reimbursement. Two weeks ago, Lattin told The Oxford Leader that numerous phone calls to Koski the past few weeks had gone unreturned. According to Lattin, when he finally did speak to the township supervisor, Koski told him that he’d been too busy campaigning to address the issue.
Koski did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Pearson declined to directly address this issue, instead saying that he’s ready to serve the people of Addison Township.
‘We’re looking at being responsive to the people,? he said. ‘When there’s a problem, handle it or call them back immediately. We’d like to also open the park to citizens so everyone can enjoy it.?