Editor’s note: Earlier this month, The Citizen e-mailed questions to candidates in Atlas, Brandon and Groveland townships.
Candidates were limited to 30 word responses. Incumbents (I), Republican (R), Democrat (D), No party affiliation (NPA) and Green Party (GP).
Goodrich Village Council (choose three)
Name: Sherry Moore (NPA)
Age: 42
Years in the village: 23 years as a tax payer in the village.
Number of village meetings attended in last year: Fifty percent of the meetings in person and the rest I watched on-line and have spoke with many people that have attend the meetings.
Education: High School and some college.
Occupation: Wife of 23 years and stay at home mother to five children.
What are the top three issues facing the village in the next four years? Roads, division and negativity within the village and businesses leaving the community.
What would you do to improve business in the downtown area? I will work with local businesses in the village. I would really like to see the village thrive in this area, but also keeping village atmosphere.
How would you improve transparency for all village records? Inform residents that some information is currently available on line and they should feel free to ask Village staff questions. Promote that they are our friends, not our enemies!
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Name: Doug McAbee (NPA)
Age: 71
Years in Village: 50 years
Number of Village meetings attended in last year? Ninety-five percent of regular council meetings, Parks and Rec meetings and special meetings
Education: Goodrich High School graduate class of 1965, attended Mott Community College
Occupation: Retired
What are the top three issues facing the village in the next four years? Finances, streets and maintaining our small town charm
What would you do to improve business in the downtown area? I would encourage shopping locally. We have lots of small businesses that we need to support!
How would you improve transparency for all village records? We must put all records and transactions online. Make sure our social media presence is accurate and up to date.
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Name: Wendy Ciaramitaro (NPA)
Age: 50
Years in village: 10
Number of village meetings attended in last year: I have attended most of the meetings, as I also represent the Village of Goodrich Parks and Recreation Committee
Education: Bachelors degree with dual majors in Management and Marketing from Northwood University.
Occupation: Early Childhood and Expanded Learning Data Manager
What are the top three issues facing the village in the next four years? A unified council and village office. Maintenance of roads. Budget revision.
What would you do to improve business in the downtown area? Work with the current landowners to see what their needs are and with the community as to what their wants are. I feel with marketing we can make the village viable, while still maintaining our small town feel.
How would you improve transparency for all village records? I support open meetings. I also believe that a council should come together to make decisions, not come in with predetermined decisions. If it becomes necessary, as a council member I would assure the village office complies with FOIA requests.
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Name: Jacob Vick (NPA) (I)
Age: 39
Years in village: 13
Education: Goodrich High School Graduate. Mott Community College. 12+ years of Labor Union Training in Leadership, Diversity, and Parliamentary Procedures.
Occupation: Customer Service Specialist Telecommunications
What are the top three issues facing the village in the next four years? Infrastructure takes highest priority; our roads, drains, and dam are of utmost importance to the residents. Preserving Goodrich’s small-town rural atmosphere while supporting positive business development is a must.
What would you do to improve business in the downtown area? Show this community that our village hall no longer has to be a place where blood pressures boil. We can have genuine conversations about our concerns and work together. We need to collaborate across all fronts in the community and the Village of Goodrich is the core of that collaboration.
How would you improve transparency for all village records? In my 4 years on this council I have worked very diligently to ask the questions and shift the previous dynamics. Transparency is about protecting the integrity of the village as much as it is about working for the residents. This is an area I have personally strived to see all the way through and I am extremely proud of what I have been able to accomplish so far.
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Name: Tim Barraco (NPA) (I)
Age: 42
Years in village: 5
Number of village meetings attended in last year: 36
Education: College
Occupation: Relationship Manger Chase Business Banking
What are the top three issues facing the village in the next four years? Road Repair, Parks and Recreation progress, Drain Reconstruction.
What would you do to improve business in the downtown area? Have Parks and Recreation create more events downtown. Revitalize the roads and walk ways for beautification purposes.
How would you improve transparency for all village records? Make agendas clear and easy to understand. Keep the community informed with more online and digital updates.
Goodrich School Board 6-year term (choose two)
Name: Ashley Herriman (NPA)
Age: 33
Years in district? 3rd year in District
Do you have children in the district? Yes
Number of school board meetings attended in last year: 6
Occupation: Branch Manager
Would you support a school liaison officer? Other school security? Absolutely yes, in the world that we live in today anything that makes our children safer is a great thing.
What are the top three issues facing the district in the next four years? School Safety, Educational Design Making sure our facilities and practices are aligned with the needs of the 21st century student, In today’s world schools being a partner in helping parents raise their children supporting them to grow to be the best they can be.
What would you do to attract new students to the district? Create a district and community culture that is positive and safe and encourages each and every student, parent and administrator to be the best version of themselves they can possibly be.
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Name: Greg Main (NPA) (I)
Age: 50
Years in district? Do you have children in the district? 50 years in district except for 4 years in college. Yes, Justin graduated in 2017 and Abby is a Junior
Number of school board meetings attended in last year: All
Education: University of Michigan
Occupation: Accounting and Finance
Would you support a school liaison officer? Other school security?
I support looking into any and all options regarding the safety of our students, a school liaison officer is certainly an option but whatever direction the district goes it will have to make practical and fiscal sense.
What are the top three issues facing the district in the next four years? Keep our eye on the future of learning and strive to be the leaders in new and innovative ways of learning.
Keep moving in the right direction fiscally while investing in updates to both the physical campus and new curriculum.
Research ways to update and ensure the safety of the district.
What would you do to attract new students to the district?
If we focus on updating physical structure and stay among the leaders in new and improved ways of instructing our young people while staying fiscally responsible, I believe that will be a strong draw for any families looking to either move their students to the district or even move into the district to raise their family.
Goodrich School Board 4-year term (choose one)
Name: David Cramer (NPA) (I)
Age: 46
Years in district? Do you have children in the district? 15; 2, a senior and a sophomore
Number of school board meetings attended in last year: All but 1
Education: Bachelors Degree from the University of Michigan Flint and a Masters of Taxation from Walsh College
Occupation: Tax Director at Serra Automotive
Would you support a school liaison officer? Other school security? Yes, under a fair cost sharing agreement. top three issues facing the district in the next four years? Budget/School Funding, Preparing Students to be ready for the world that awaits them after graduation, School Safety
What would you do to attract new students to the district? Continue to improve the curriculum that challenges and creates opportunities for students to get them ready for the next chapter in their life whether it is college or trade school.
Goodrich School Board 2-year term (choose one)
Name: Kurt J. Schulte (NPA) (I)
Age: 57
Years in district? Do you have children in the district? 12 years in the district. My wife and I have 3 graduates of Goodrich Area Schools (class of 2011, 2014 and 2017).
Number of school board meetings attended in last year: As an incumbent board trustee I have attended all meetings in the last year including all regular, special, workshop and committee meetings.
Education: Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oakland University.
Occupation: Program Leader for Ford Motor Company.
Would you support a school liaison officer? Other school security? Yes, I support a school liaison officer position in the district in conjunction with the safety actions identified in the grant submitted by the district to the State and continued awareness educational training for the district staff, students and community.
What are the top three issues facing the district in the next four years? Continued refinement of the budget forecast process with sound budget decisions by the board and district leadership ahead of changes in the year-to-year foundation funding from the State and changes in the district enrollment. Recruiting and retention of staff members required to provide the full resources needed to meet the educational requirements for all students at every level of the district.
What would you do to attract new students to the district? Continue to expand on the current district culture that offers a safe and inclusive learning environment with educational offerings and resources for students of every ability.
51st District House of Representative (choose one)
Name: Mike Mueller (R)
Age: 44
Years in the 51st district? Life long resident of Fenton Twp
Education: 1992 Linden High School; 1999 Eastern Michigan University, with honors. 1999 Washtenaw County Community College Police Academy, class vice president and awarded the Outstanding Recruit Award from the Michigan Commission of Law Enforcement Standards.
Occupation: Deputy Sheriff, Farmer (Mueller’s Orchard and Cider Mill), small business owner (Birchview Outdoor Wedding and Event Center).
Government related experience: U.S. Navy Veteran, earning the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal, amongst others. I have been a Deputy Sheriff for over 18 years and was awarded deputy of the year in 2016 and the Hartland Optimist Law Day Award in 2017.
What can you bring to the district that your opponent can’t? I bring 22 years of service to my country and community, which has given me real life experience and exposure to many of societies current issues including the opiate crisis and mental health of our veterans and police officers. I am committed to smaller, smarter government to keep Michigan moving forward.
If elected, what will be your top priority in office? Quality of life: Residents need better roads; lower insurance rates and senior pension tax relief. I will advocate for skilled trades in our schools to prepare our youth for a career, not just college.
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Name: David E. Lossing (D)
Age: 55
Years in the 51st district? 22 years
Education: Ph.D. Candidate Education Specialist (Ed.S.) Bayh College of Education, University of Michigan-Flint Indiana State University April 2012, (Expected completion 2018) Masters of Public Administration Bachelor of Arts, Rackham Graduate School Political Science/Economic,University of Michigan University of Michigan-Flint, May 2008 August 1987,
Occupation: Ph.D. candidate at Indiana State University
Government-related experience:
I was an elected official with the City of Linden for 18 years: 6 years as a City Councilor (1998-2004) and as Mayor (2004-2016).
Further, I worked for the University of Michigan for sixteen years on both the Ann Arbor and Flint campuses.
What can you bring to the district that your opponent can’t? Given the nature of term limits in our State, newly elected officials without any legislative experience will have to spend an inappropriate of time learning the legislative process.
I have first hand experience of how it works and will be effective on day one.
If elected, what will be your top priority in office? My message during this campaign is about investing in our communities, our schools, and our students.
I want to restore the underfunded State’s revenue sharing to our communities in the 51st District and the State of Michigan. Our communities have been underfunded, as a whole, by $8 billion over the past sixteen years by both the current and prior Governor.

14th District Senate (choose one)
Name: Ruth Johnson (R)
Age: 63
Years in the 14th district? Lifetime resident
Education: Oakland Community College, Oakland University, Wayne State University
Occupation: Michigan Secretary of State
Government-related experience: Oakland County Commissioner, State Representative
What can you bring to the district that your opponent(s) can’t? I have a track-record of results. In our community I took on the Oakland and Genesee County Intermediate School districts where dishonest administrators were robbing tax dollars from our classrooms. The Oakland ISD Superintendent ended up going to jail for the corruption my investigation uncovered.
I got my start as a young citizen activist working with my neighbors in northern Oakland and southern Genesee counties to successfully stop a large foreign corporation (Stablex) from building a toxic and hazardous waste facility that would have polluted our air and drinking water.
If elected, what will be your top priority in office?
My passion as a public servant has always been to fight waste, fraud, and abuse. I will continue to demand accountability in government so that people get the best value for their tax dollars.
Another priority will be to make sure that our children have many different options to get a good education. To do this, we must focus on strengthening both college track and skilled trades learning opportunities for our youth so they have multiple pathways to good paying jobs.
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Name: Jessicia Smith (GP)
Age: 31
Years in the 14st district? 0 ( I have lived in Genesee and Oakland counties all my life)
Education: Graduate of Mott College
Occupation: Clinician at Lindamoodbell Learning Process
Government-related experience: I have been an election inspector for the last 10 years in Genesee township. My past jobs also include 2 decades of work in the service industry.
What can you bring to the district that your opponent(s) can’t? Compassion, Humility, and I will put the service back in public servant. I promise to be active in our communities and attend regular local city events, city and township meetings.
If elected, what will be your top priority in office? Making sure your voice is heard. I want to make easier for every citizen to vote, and I will be available to hear you.
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Name: Renee Watson (D)
Age: 43
Years in the 14st district? 20 years
Education: Masters of Public Administration, Bachelors of Science in Family Science
and Psychology from Central Michigan University, Mayo Clinic Medical School Wellness
Coach and Reiki Master Teacher
Occupation: Candidate for State Senate, District 14
Previously, Director of Residential/Program Development at Whaley Children’s Center and most recently Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce Economic Development
Government-related experience: Grand Blanc Community School Board of Education, appointed as Treasurer, Michigan Certified Board Member, Rick Snyder campaign for Governor, Barack Obama campaign for President, Poll Watcher, Election Challenger Delegate
What can you bring to the district that your opponent(s) can’t?
My opponent is a career politician. I’m bringing a fresh perspective. Listening to the concerns of citizens in District 14 and bringing those issues to Lansing and getting results.
If elected, what will be your top priority in office?
My top priorities are working with colleagues in both parties on the issues of human trafficking, education, protecting our water, ensuring equal pay, equal rights, and equal opportunity for all.
46th District House Representative (choose one)
Name: Mindy Denninger (D)
Age: 53
Years in the 46th district? Nineteen
Education: Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Michigan State University
Occupation: Automotive Engineer
Government-related experience: A political newcomer!
What can you bring to the district that your opponent can’t? The intellect, ability, and desire to understand and represent constituents whose perspectives and concerns may differ from my own. I will be objective, compassionate, and transparent as a lawmaker.
If elected, what will be your top priority in office? To make decisions using data, facts, and financial prudence. Priorities should be set by the needs of the people, instead of influence from corporations, lobbyists, or party insiders.
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Name: John Reilly (R) (I)
District: 46
Education: automotive technology engineering associate’s degree (Oakland Community College)
What you can bring to the district that your opponent can’t?
I’m not interested in attacking my opponent’s capability. It’s not a question of what she can do, but what she will do. Will she vote to cut the state income tax, as I did? (No Democrats did.) Would she vote to reform our auto insurance policy? (I was the only representative from Oakland County that did.)
What would be your top priority in office?
I’ll continue to fight for freedom and choice in energy over the monopoly control we have now, to bring lower electric prices and better grid reliability for all Michiganders. We pay the highest energy prices in the Midwest, which is unfair to families and devastating to manufacturers.