2013 VOTERS GUIDE

Adrian, Monroe to select mayors

11/2/2013

ADRIAN — Voters in two southeastern Michigan county seats — Adrian and Monroe — will decide mayoral races among other issues and races on Tuesday.

In Adrian, the mayoral race in the Lenawee County city pits an incumbent against a former mayor who once served in the state Senate.

Adrian Mayor Greg DuMars, 66, a former city commissioner elected mayor in 2011, faces Jim Berryman, also 66, who was the city’s mayor before serving from 1990 to 1998 in the Legislature.

Among big issues is the handling of oil royalties from city-owned property.

Mr. Berryman filed a Lenawee County Circuit Court lawsuit in October seeking an injunction to stop the city from depositing any more oil-related revenue into a recently formed 15-year trust. He wants a public hearing on the issue and is worried about restrictions the trust imposes on withdrawing funds while he said the city battles budget constraints.

“I think it was rushed for political reasons. I think they wanted to get it done before the election,” Mr. Berryman said of the trust’s creation.

Mr. DuMars called the trust fund “an opportunity to leave a legacy for the future.”

“We’ve always said from day one that we didn’t want to put these oil revenues into operations because you never know how long they are going to last,” he said.

Mr. Berryman said saving money in the trust will make it difficult to convince voters to pass a Headlee Amendment millage restoration proposal for the city’s operating expenses.

The funding request also is on the ballot. It asks Adrian voters for a 1.3707 mill increase to restore the rate to its original 15 mills. The city currently collects 13.6293 mills.

The increase would generate an estimated $514,098 in its first year.

Adrian voters also will elect three new commissioners from a field of six that includes incumbents Milo Warren and Chuck Jacobson as well as John Dudas, Andrew Munson, Jeffrey Clark Pardee, and Jeff Rising.

Lenawee County voters in Hudson, Morenci, and Tecumseh will decide council races, while Morenci voters also will choose a mayor.

In the city of Monroe, Mayor Robert Clark faces a challenge from longtime Clerk-Treasurer Charles Evans.

Mr. Clark, 59, is seeking his third two-year term. Mr. Evans, 70, has been the elected clerk-treasurer of the city for 16 years.

Councilman Jim Kansier, as well as Brian Lamour, Michelle LaVoy, and Harold Caldwell are in the race to fill the clerk-treasurer office.

Monroe voters will have choices in five of the six precinct City Council seats.

Bronco McKart is challenging incumbent Councilman Jeffery Hensley in the 1st Precinct.

Jerry McKart, the councilman in the 2nd Precinct, is opposed by John Iacoangeli, a former Monroe mayor.

Willie Hall, who was recently appointed to council, is running against Kellie Vining in the 3rd Precinct.

Incumbent 4th Precinct Councilman Jeremy Molenda has a challenge from Matt Vititoe. William Sisk, a former Monroe County commissioner, is running against incumbent Brian Beneteau in the 6th Precinct.

In Luna Pier, incumbents David Hutchinson and Derrick Welton, along with challengers Richard Murray, Jr., and John Zarb, are seeking election to three seats on council.