Crowded field of candidates vie for single trustee opening

Brandon Twp.- When the 4 p.m. Wednesday deadline passed, the clerk’s office had nine applicants for appointment to the open township board trustee seat.
The candidates who will be considered by the township board at their next meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 19 at the township offices, 395 Mill St. are:
nTodd Blake, resident since 1994 and commercial journeyman carpenter;
nJane Crossman, resident since 1962 and co-owner of Crossman Farms;
nDana DePalma, resident since 2003 and certified public accountant;
nCheryl Gault, resident since 1987 and commercial lender;
nLarry Hayden, resident since 1988, a systems administrator and former Ortonville village councilmember;
nRoger Ingles, resident since 1990 and general contractor;
nNikolaus Kovasity, resident since 1972 and a retired General Motors lead design engineer;
nLora Newsom, resident since 1985 and formerly employed as a bookkeeper;
nCynthia Strehle, resident since 1980 and Clarkston Schools parapro;
‘We have an interesting mix of people,? said Clerk Jeannie McCreery. The board will interview the candidates at the Jan. 19 meeting, but will not vote on someone to fill the late Trustee Charlene Carlson’s seat until the Feb. 1 meeting.
The trustee who is appointed will serve a partial term until Nov. 20 of this year. On Nov. 2, voters will have the opportunity to elect a trustee to fill the remaining two years of the four-year term.