Parker Wins, Library Millage wins, Whitmore Lake Schools bond crushed

From the Argus

They’re keeping the doors open seven days a week at the Howell Carnegie Library while Don Parker is keeping his Howell-area County Commission seat after Tuesday’s voting.

....

Parker, a Republican, was appointed to the District 5 Livingston County Commission seat earlier this year to replace Jay Drick, who resigned to become a county District Court magistrate.
He will now serve the remainder of Drick’s term, which expires in December 2014.
Parker, a Howell attorney also served on the board from 2002-2010 and said he would follow in the financial footsteps of his fellow GOP board members.
Democrat Mike Tipton, a Howell Township trustee, and Libertarian Party nominee Michael Brennan were unsuccessful in their bids to crack the all-GOP commission.
“I’m a little disappointed, I thought we’d do a little better,” Tipton said. “It looks like the Republican machine went out and did what it always does.”

It wasn't the "machine." Mike. There wasn't any straight ticket advantage this time with only two things and one partisan race on the ballot. This was old fashion hard work by the Don Parker campaign. Tipton worked hard, but he didn't outwork Don Parker. We didn't take this election for granted. We expected their best and was prepared for it. There would be no "Scott Brown" here. There would be no "Bill Jefferson" here. 

Ont that same note, we've heard a lot about the snide comments from Tipton towards some supporters of Parker. Well, I got one thing to say about that. Keep that trustee seat warm for us in 2016, you won't be getting a free pass this time around.


By the numbers.

Whitmore Lake Schools Bond
Yes - 406 - 31.74%
No - 873 - 68.26%

Howell Library
Yes - 3802
No - 1696

County Commission District 5

	Parker	Tipton	Brennan	WI	Total	GOP	DEM	LIB
Howell 1/2	312	214	65	2	593	52.61%	36.09%	10.96%
Howell 3	277	142	22	2	443	62.53%	32.05%	4.97%
H Twp 1/3	250	159	40	3	452	55.31%	35.18%	8.85%
H Twp 2	158	106	27	1	292	54.11%	36.30%	9.25%
Cohoctah	138	86	22	0	246	56.10%	34.96%	8.94%
Total	1135	707	176	8	2026	56.02%	34.90%	8.69%
Howell City
Howell 1/2	312	214	65	2	593	52.61%	36.09%	10.96%
Howell 3	277	142	22	2	443	62.53%	32.05%	4.97%
	589	356	87	4	1036	56.85%	34.36%	8.40%
H Twp 1/3	250	159	40	3	452	55.31%	35.18%	8.85%
H Twp 2	158	106	27	1	292	54.11%	36.30%	9.25%
H Twp	408	265	67	4	744	54.84%	35.62%	9.01%

Three Elections on August 6th 2013 in Livingston County

We have three elections coming up on August 6^th.  Don Parker, our County Commissioner in the 5^th District is facing a special election. Don is a solid conservative who has done a good job for us in both of his stints as county commissioner. One of the reasons our county always has a balanced budget and low taxes is due to Don Parker and the rest of our commissioners. He’s done good work and deserves to be retained. Since this is a low turnout special election, the rules have changed and we can not take this race for granted. If you are in Howell, Howell Township, or Cohoctah Township, we need your vote.

Livingston County did not become a great place to live by accident. It was due to voters making good choices in county leadership. In order for Livingston County to continue to be a great place to live and not follow some of the other changing communities in neighboring counties, we need to continue to elect good leadership, as we have in Don Parker.

In addition to the County Commissioner race, there are two millage/bond measures on the ballot. Those in the Howell Carnegie Library district will vote on a millage election. Those in the Whitmore Lake School District are voting on a bond issue. 

Language on the ballot:

Howell Carnegie Library:

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed on taxable property within the Howell District Library District be increased in an amount not to exceed 4/10 of 1 mill ($0.40 on each $1,000 of taxable value) for a period of 20 years, beginning in the year 2013 and ending in the year 2032, inclusive, as new additional millage for the purpose of providing funds for Library purposes? It is estimated that 4/10 of 1 mill would raise approximately $820,000 when first levied in 2013.

Whitmore Lake School District:

Shall Whitmore Lake Public School District, Washtenaw and Livingston Counties, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed $12,300,000 and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor in one or more series, for the purpose of :

Partially remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing, equipping, and reequipping school facilities, acquiring, installing and equipping technology for school facilities; purchasing school buses; constructing, equipping and developing and improving athletic facilities and play fields; and developing and improving sites?

The following is for informational purposes only:

The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2013, under current law, is 2.50 mills ($2.50 on each $1000 of taxable valuation). The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is 20 years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 2.17 mills.

(Pursuant to State Law, expenditure of bond proposals must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administration, or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)

 

A good start, but the one that counts is August

Yesterday was the special primary election for County Commissioner district 5 which covers Howell, Howell Township, and Cohoctah Township. It was uncontested race on both sides, so we already knew the winners. Don Parker and Mike Tipton were unopposed. While turnout was low, the percentages were promising going into the August campaign.


http://livingstonlive.org/lcit/clerk/may2013/5StatementofVotesCastReportComm.pdf

Overall

2013 Primary	Parker	Tipton	Total	Diff	GOP	DEM
Cohoctah Twp	66	37	105	29	62.86%	35.24%
Howell	173	98	274	75	63.14%	35.77%
Howell Twp	178	122	303	56	58.75%	40.26%
				0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Total	417	257	682	160	61.14%	37.68%

This is a good start. It is nothing more than a good start and something to build on with my election analysis for August. The one that counts is August. We'll be ready. We won't get caught looking. That's a promise.

Our main opponent as Republicans is complacency. Just because districts usually vote Republican does not mean that will always be the case. We do not want the democrats to gain any foothold here in Livingston County in their push to turn every county into a Wayne County with all the Ed McNamaras, Mike Duggans, Kwame Kilpatricks, Jennifer Granholms, Monica Conyerses, and Bob Ficanos that go with it.

Our commissioners overall do a good job. Instead of being on Charlie LeDuff's news show, they balance the budget every year. They have the highest bond rating. Livingston County is a safe community. Livingston County grows while Wayne County shrinks. Livingston County Republicans planned ahead and handles the economic crash well. Other communities get emergency financial managers.

We need to remember that Livingston County being the bright spot in SE Michigan is no accident. It's partly due to good leadership, and that is the leadership in this county by Livingston County Republicans. Don Parker is part of that leadership from his previous (and current) tenure as a County Commissioner. We need to make sure Don Parker wins in August and we need to Keep Livingston County Republican.

Two Elections May 7th (Livingston County)

While there isn't a lot of election activity compared to old days in Livingston County, we still have two elections.

The first is the primary for the County Commissioner, District 5 covering Howell, Howell Township, and Cohoctah Township. There is no contest in this primary barring a last minute write in as Don Parker (R) and Mike Tipton (D) are on the ballots for each party. The winners face each other and a libertarian in August.

The other is a millage renewal for Hartland Schools.:

NOTICE TO THE ELECTORS OF THEvHARTLAND CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT

LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGANFOR THE SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD

MAY 7, 2013 

 

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the special election of the Hartland Consolidated

School District will be held Tuesday, May 7, 2013.The electors of the above

School District will be voting for the following proposal:

HARTLAND CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS OPERATING MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL

EXEMPTING PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE AND OTHER PROPERTY EXEMPTED BY LAW

18 MILLS FOR THE YEAR 2013

Full text of the ballot proposal may be obtained at the administrative offices of

Hartland Consolidated Schools, 9525 East Highland Road, Howell, Michigan 48843, telephone: (810) 626-2100. 

 

THE POLLING LOCATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Brighton Charter Township

Precinct 6 Brighton Township Fire Hall, 1580 S. Old US-23, Brighton

Precinct 7 Hartland Farms Middle School, 581 Taylor Rd., Brighton

Deerfield Township

Precincts 1 & 2 Deerfield Township Hall, 4492 Center Rd., Linden

Genoa Charter Township

Precinct 11 Genoa Township Hall, 2911 Dorr Road, Brighton

Hartland Township

Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 Former Hartland High School (Hartland Education

Support Service Center), 9525 Highland Rd., Hartland

Oceola Township

Precinct 4 St. John Catholic Church, 2099 N. Hacker, at M-59, Howell

Tyrone Township

Precinct 4 Tyrone Township Hall, 10408 Center Rd.,Fenton

All of the above polling locations provide voting access for individuals with

disabilities and contain voting instructions in alternative formats, including audio

and Braille.

Applications for absent voter ballots are available

for the May 7, 2013 Special

Election and may be obtained by contacting your Township Clerk’s Office.

Please call ahead for office hours. Requests for absent voter ballots must be in writing.

Margaret M. Dunleavy

Livingston County Clerk 

 

---------------------------

 

Don Parker and Mike Tipton file for Commissioner vacancy

We'll have a May/August special election to fill the position by Jay Drick's promotion to magistrate.

From the Argus:

The race to fill an unexpired Livingston County Commission term is set.
Republican Don Parker, who was recently appointed to the seat, and Democrat Michael Tipton, a newly-elected Howell Township trustee, were the only candidates to filed Tuesday for the District 5 commission seat.

That means we probably won't have a real contest in the primary barring an unexpectedly strong write-in. There will be a contested special general election in August. We're going to need to be ready for that as Tipton did win his last race (unopposed). Parker's been there before, so he's not a stranger to elections. Parker was my commissioner when I lived in Howell and I thought he did a good job there.

The Special Primary is MAY 7th. The Special General is AUGUST 6th. Throw out most of the conventional rules with special elections. They are always about turnout. We can not beat ourselves this August.

Interesting blurb on the open County Commissioner seat

As Jay Drick resigned to become magistrate, a county commissioner district is now open.

I saw this on WHMI.com and it was quite interesting.

1/29/13- Interviews for an interim commissioner were held at last night’s meeting for the Livingston County Board of Commissioners. The seat became vacant when Jay Drick stepped down from his District 5 position to accept an appointment as magistrate. Candidates were asked a number of questions that educated the board on their intent as a commissioner, their experience and skills, and their involvement in the community they wish to serve.Candidates for the seat include Pastor Tom Huff, educator Mike Brennan, Howell Township Trustee Michael Tipton, and Howell attorney and former commissioner Don Parker. Parker (pictured on the left) served on the board from 2002 to 2010. The candidates will be reviewed by the board and voted on at Monday, February 4th’s scheduled meeting. (SO)

We'll have a special election for this spot. About the names mentioned.

Don Parker (R) - He was the commissioner here before Jay Drick took office in 2010. He wants his spot back now that it's open. I personally thought overall he was a good commissioner during the time I lived in Howell.

Mike Brennan (L) - He's a  Libertarian and runs a tutoring program.

Tom Huff (?) - Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church. I don't know much beyond that as I'm not Lutheran. He does have some name recognition in the area being a pastor. His wife donated to Shanda Willis (D) for state house, Bill Rogers opponent.

Mike Tipton (D) - I'm a little surprised that Mike Tipton's angling for a promotion to a temporary gig as commissioner literally right after he takes office at Howell Township. Tipton was unopposed for Howell Township trustee and won. Maybe this is due to making sure there is at least more than one interview. It'll be interesting if he runs for the special election. He doesn't have to give up his township spot to run, but would have to give it up if he won. Don't laugh when I say "if he won". He won once already in a shutout. I will however make sure that an R files for this seat this time.

One of these four will be appointed barring a surprise. There will also be a special election primary and general for the remainder of the term. We'll see who files likely in February.

New Livingston County Commissioner on the way

I heard about this awhile back (although this all developed after the November election - and I was one of the early ones to know), but didn't get a chance to post due to time constraints along with being asked to keep it quiet because it wasn't a done deal when I first heard about it. Jay Drick will be resigning at the end of January to become the new county magistrate, and we'll be having a new county commissioner in the 5th District. From a political side, Jay will be missed, but I think he'll do a very good job as magistrate. He has the right temperament to be a judge and certainly knows the law. Those who argue in front of him better have their facts and law straight. Congratulations to Jay.

The 5th District covers the City of Howell, Howell Township, and Cohoctah.

Don Parker announced that he was interested in the position. He was the commissioner before Jay Drick and did not run for re-election in 2010. He was the commissioner there back when I lived in Howell. Don Parker's a safe pick because he held the office previously.

Here's what's likely going to happen:

1. An appointment.

2. The question is this. If Parker, or somebody else is appointed, when is the election? While County offices aren't usually voted on in odd number years, other offices are voted on in odd number years. It SOUNDS like the appointee will finish Jay's term unless it is interpreted that November of 2013 (and August 2013 primary) is going to have to have a special election for the position. I'm not sure when Parker was first appointed to county commission off of city council, although he was unopposed election time that year.

--------------------------------------

Updated and Edited 1-16


There's some conflicting statutes and I talked to a few people including Margaret Dunleavy and Joan Runyan. It looks like there will be an appointment next month, along with a primary and general in May and August. The filing deadline for a May primary is February 12th, so we need to be ready as soon as that special election is called.