Poem for Carson

Dear Editor,
This is an election year and it is great to be experiencing energy moving onward and forward. For some time many of us have been holding on, holding steady, holding our breath to see the tide turn in our community, our state, our country and the world to be viable and productive for the good of all people.
Curt Carson, running for re-election for treasurer of Independence Township, is a long time friend, colleague, mentor, and fellow Optimist member, I’ve co-chaired committee projects with him on many occasions. I know him personally and professionally. He comes from hard working committed family roots. Curt carries on with these values in his own family, in Independence Township Community and beyond. Curt and his devoted wife Michelle have three children; I’m privileged to have a relationship with each of them individually and collectively.
Politics is not a bad word, it is simply a word that describes or blankets many into one negative judgment that others often adopt; or one can re-define it by electing human beings who are willing to step up to the honorable position and make a difference.
There are no perfect human beings, no perfect politicians; we are all individuals on a journey to learn and build bridges for others to cross. The following is an acronym that in my opinion peeks into the inner human character of Curt Carson.
C-cultured
U-upstanding
R. respectful and
T. tactful
C-caring
A-bout
R-real
S-simple
O-order
N-naturally
Maria Rotondo Mark
Independence Township

Fire millage needed

Dear Editor,
It’s been quite a while since I have needed the services of our Independence Township Fire Department.
When my mother Iola was alive, she became a familiar face to our boys in blue. They were here at least once every other week for the better part of two years, whether it was for transport to the hospital, or to help her out of the car upon her arrival back home, or a quick evaluation, or to just help her up off the floor.
During that time period, we definitely cashed in on the services we had paid for, and then some. Since her passing several years ago, my address has become a distant memory to most of those men and women, but their care, concern, and professionalism will not become a distant memory to my family and me.
As I get older, I am certain I will once again call on them for help. I want them to be around just as they were for my mother years ago. Please join me in voting yes to both millage questions on Aug. 7 and keep our boys in blue working for us.
Richard Herbert
Independence Township

Fortuna favored

Dear Editor,
We need a real leader with no hidden secrets.
I am voting for Terry Fortuna for the obvious reasons that may not be so obvious. Terry has been successful in every area of his life from family to business to government service and there’s no doubt he will be successful for all of us, if we elect him, and I hope we do.
Terry’s track record is impressive and consistent, with his law enforcement career at all levels of government including a position as a special agent with the DEA but what you may not know is that Terry has operated several very successful businesses one being a sales and marketing company representing several national brands including Bushnell Sports Optics which employed 35 individuals. He also operated on the management team as the director of corporate sales for Bavarian Village Ski and Golf.
Let’s pick a new leader with a real track record, who can prove it.
Vote for Terry Fortuna for township supervisor.
Craig Martin
Independence Township

Wallace makes his case

Dear Editor,
On Aug. 7, we vote to select our Independence Township leaders for the next four year.
I ask that you vote for me, Neil Wallace, to be your Independence Township supervisor.
Unique among the candidates for this important leadership role, I have been involved in our community, dedicated and active in making it an even better place.
No other candidate for supervisor has the knowledge and experience with township government that I have, nor have they demonstrated by initiatives and accomplishments that they can tackle the challenges we face as a community.
It has been my privilege to serve you in many ways for many years. There is more I can and will do to improve our community and the efficiency of our government.
So I need your support and your vote on Aug. 7.
Thanks,
Neil Wallace
Independence Township

Fracking key issue

Dear Editor,
By now hopefully most of Independence Township residents are aware that the Jordan Development Company, a gas/oil exploration company, has purchased the mineral rights to over 14,000 acres in Oakland County for the purpose of Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing, Fracking, for methane gas.
I have been involved with the Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan, a petition drive to amend the Michigan State Constitution to ban the practice of Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing in Michigan. The deadline of July 9, 2012, for the petition signature requirement has been extended four months and will be placed on the November 2014 ballot if enough signatures have been attained. This will allow the registered voters of Michigan to decide if a ban on fracking should be included in our state constitution.
This November 2012, citizens will go the polls to cast their vote for various candidates campaigning for office. Commissioner Tom Middleton, who is my Fourth District commissioner for Oakland County, voted ‘no? on a moratorium introduced a month ago to stop hydraulic fracking in Oakland County, a moratorium to conduct studies about the harmful effects that fracking will do to our drinking water, lakes, and streams. Commissioner Middleton belongs to several conservation groups and is lake board member of one of the very lakes that is going to be fracked.
How can a member of a conservation board have the conscience to vote against a moratorium to stop fracking? Another politician who is trying to be reelected is Rep. Eileen Kowall, my 44th District representative of Michigan, who was appointed to the Michigan Energy Committee following her 2010 reelection, was interviewed December 2009, stating that she would eliminate the Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ, if she had the authority.
The DEQ is the agency that gave authority to the Department of Natural Resources, DNR, to conduct the May 2012 mineral rights auction. Could there be a conflict of interest with Rep. Kowall and the DEQ? Was the DEQ given an ultimatum that if they did not expedite fracking permits, then their agency would be dissolved?
I spoke with Neil Wallace, who is a candidate for Independence Township supervisor and is against fracking in our township and said he will do everything in his power to stop this in our township. The choice is yours this November 2012 to cast your vote for someone who has the best interest in preserving the quality of our drinking water, lakes, and streams, or someone who is only concerned about their pocketbook being lined by greedy corporations that want to exploit the pristine resources of Michigan?
Tim Heming
Independence Township

Schroeder led on issues

Dear Editor,
The Clarkston community has an important primary election coming up on Aug. 7 and I’m calling out to my neighbors to please do your homework before you vote, in order to put the best candidates on the slate for our Independence Township Board.
I would like to endorse Andrea Schroeder for township trustee. Many of us know that Andrea has already spent years working hard for this town, in her various volunteer roles:
As a PTA leader, she successfully unraveled a wrong done to three different school parent groups, by one individual, and spent hours of her own time researching the details and working to achieve justice for over 1500 families effected by this wrong.
Andrea was instrumental in “finally” getting a traffic light adjusted at a dangerous intersection in the approach to the High School. She collaborated with our district leadership and was thorough in her preparation, resulting in a benefit to the whole community.
Mrs. Schroeder was the driving force behind a successful “NO Spice/K2 Clarkston” campaign . Her efforts resulted in the elimination of all sales of Spice and K2 from retailers in our township, long before our Federal Government recognized and acted on these dangerous drugs.
Above are just a few examples of how Andrea’s CAN DO attitude has benefited our township. She has the education and the experience, but she stands out because of her efforts for our community – let’s make it official and vote her in as Independence Township Trustee.
There are four seats to fill and only one incumbent. But with 11 people running and turnout for primary elections typically low, literally every vote matters – Please take the time to vote on August 7, 2012!
Kimberly Trombley
Independence Township

Support for Brown

Elect a financial professional for treasurer ? Paul Brown!
When Paul casually mentioned one evening that he was considering leaving his CFO position to run for treasurer, we were thrilled. We can’t think of a more qualified person for the job!
Paul has been our next door neighbor for many years and you surely could not ask for a better one. Paul is always someone you can call for assistance, no matter the time of day or night. He will never ask what or why, just when and what you need. He is like that with everyone. Paul always has a wave and a smile and takes time to stop and visit with everyone. He has made his house a beautiful home and what once was a strained and unfriendly neighborhood on Thendara on Walters Lake has now become an enjoyable place. We believe it has a lot to do with Paul’s personality and friendliness. Never have we heard him speak unkindly about anyone – he always finds the good in people and situations. He is a throwback to the days long ago that we all remember and yearn for.
The township has not had a professional financial manager in place, and it shows. Oakland County has a three year balanced budget ? the only county in the country to do so. The reason is simple ? efficient financial professionals with prudent long-term planning and goals. Not only does Paul have the same mindset, but he has an accounting degree from Oakland University, is a Certified Public Accountant and a business consultant, an expert in process improvements and is the CFO of a large medical company.
While Curt Carson is a very nice man and has had a long career as a realtor, those are not adequate qualifications. Real estate is a far cry from managing and budgeting the finances of a large township where millions of dollars handled.. We need someone that has the experience with fiscal organization and management on a large scale with a long-term vision for the years ahead. Paul has been doing just that successfully in the private sector for years. Isn’t it time we have a financial professional handling our money in the treasurer’s office?
As our treasurer, he will be a fabulous asset to our township by being a positive representative on our behalf as an honest and hardworking employee of both residents and business owners. We have no doubt that with his vast experience as a CPA, he will quickly solve problems of careless spending and find the best ways to utilize our funds in an efficient manner and also address ways to increase our assets. He will undoubtedly create a system that can be used for many, many years to come that will keep our township running like a successful corporation.
Paul has made a commitment to the community he holds dear to work hard to use our money in the most responsible ways possible. More importantly, Paul has no political agenda. Enthusiasm and honesty is ‘catching? and desperately needed, not only in Independence Township, but everywhere. We truly believe that because of his passion for his profession, his decency and sincerity, Paul will help other elected officials put their personal and political agendas aside and work together for the good of the township, its businesses and the residents.
Paul loves his community and is proud to tell everyone he is ‘from here and for here?. Get excited about our future and vote for Paul Brown – he will make us all proud!
Kind Regards,
Al and Jody La Londe
Independence Township

Pick Pallotta for clerk

Dear Editor,
As a volunteer in the offices of the Independence Township Clerk, I found Barbara Pallotta to be an amazingly well organized, efficient and people-oriented person. As an Election Inspector, I received detailed training including a manual and power point presentation, both written and presented by Mrs. Pallotta.
In addition, Mrs. Pallotta undertook the huge challenge of re-aligning voting precincts so as to avoid using schools as voting places ? obviously enhancing the safety of our children. As a result of this realignment, approximately 26,000 registered voter information cards had to be corrected, notifications sent to the voters and new voter identification cards distributed. Those volunteers helping with this effort were given detailed instructions on how to accomplish this task, while maintaining the integrity of the documents and privacy of Independence Township voters. Mrs. Pallotta’s honesty, integrity and dedication is without question.
In all my years of active involvement with, and in, politics, this is the first time I’ve written a letter of endorsement, and I do so with absolutely no hesitation.
Mrs. Pallotta gets my vote, and she deserves yours.
Diane Clark
Independence Township

Kittle requests votes

Dear Editor,
When I told my buddies my intentions to run for Independence Township supervisor, their immediate responses were ‘Are you nuts? You’re retired. Relax,? ‘Haven’t you been reading the papers? Independence Township is the laughingstock of Oakland County? and ‘the supervisor’s position is the most thankless job in the township. You’re outta your mind!? And that’s exactly why I put my name in the hat to run.
As a homeowner and 13 year resident of Clarkston, I’m frustrated with the current political machine and all the negative press in the media. A dysfunctional local government hurts property values and causes potential residents and businesses to question if Independence Township is the right choice for them. I feel it’s time someone with a set of fresh eyes and a new perspective takes charge with no hidden agendas or skeletons in the closet.
Once my friends realized I was serious they asked, ‘so what makes you think you have the right stuff to be supervisor?? I quickly replied. ‘How about 32 years? experience with a major automobile manufacturer with the last 10 years in the Executive Ranks responsible for an $80M budget, training 3,500 dealers and 150,000 dealer personnel ? and never being over budget. How about the past three years as the Oakhurst Homeowner’s Association President improving Cash Reserves and Capital Improvement Funds five-fold without cutting services. Or how about someone who continuously communicates with the 511 Oakhurst property owners keeping them informed how their money is being spent and seeking input on issues before they become problems. These same basic business and management principles can be applied to our Township, just on a larger scale. And to take Independence Township to the next level, we need to put a big sign out front of Town Hall that reads ‘OPEN FOR BUSINESS? to attract the commercial services of a McLaren Hospital and welcome the new investment and the jobs, homebuyers and shoppers that come with it!?
After much debate about the pro’s and con’s of local politics — and my sanity — my buddies finally closed with, ‘We still think you’re nuts, but we’ll support you.? And you know what? I can’t ask for any more than that.
I hope the residents of Independence Township agree with my buddies and also vote for me in the Independence primary election on Aug. 7.
Pat Kittle
Independence Township

A call to vote for Kunse

Dear Editor,
I support Joette Kunse for Independence Township trustee because Joette will be a fresh voice on the board. Joette will bring civility to the board and use her problem solving skills to get things done.
Joette is a good researcher and with her vote, she will offer a good analysis of the problem.
She is conservative in her spending and has a variety of experiences managing million dollar budgets.
She says the township is carrying a higher than needed fund equity. Her thoughts are that some of the fund equity should be used to fund a capital outlay plan for equipment and infrastructure or paying down the debt to the water department for the township hall loan.
I know Joette is interested in the Vision 20/20 plan and feels it needs to be updated by citizens to reflect the current economic state and the foreseeable future. Joette is a collaborator in her professional life and in her activities in the community. Joette has talked about collaborating with the chamber of commerce, working to full some of the empty store fronts in the township. She is impressed with the work Oakland County is doing with other communities to make themselves small business friendly.
Joette’s experience with technology applications would be useful to the township. She has researched what other communities are doing to make government transparent and open to the comments of all.
She has proven she is dedicated to the community by the work she has done for local organizations and the township over the 40 years she has lived in the township. She and her husband Bill have raised their two daughters here and have been active citizens. I hope you will vote for Joette Kunse for trustee on Aug. 7.
Rae Luallen
Independence Townships