Tuesday, May 15, 2012
There are races for Supervisor in York and Lodi townships while the primary election will be quiet in Saline and Pittsfield townships.
The filing deadline for August primary election candidates has passed. Here’s how the races shape up so far: Pittsfield Township There are no contested primary battles in Pittsfield Township, where all the candidates are Democratic. All but one candidate is an incumbent. Running for Supervisor again is Mandy Grewal. Alan Israel is seeking re-election as Clerk and Patricia Scribner is seeking the Treasurer’s office again. Trustees seeking re-election are Gerald Krone, Michael Yi and Stephanie Hunt. Frank Lotfian is the only new candidate on the ballot. Four seats are open. Trustee Andrea Brown-Harrison is running for state representative. Karen Zera, Cleveland Chandler and Patricia Stanton-Kawalec are Democratic candidates for Park …
Friday, May 11, 2012
A hiring committee will interview the semifinalist for and recommend two or three finalists for the police chief's position to city council
A special hiring committee will interview the final five finalists for the Saline police chief job and recommend two or three candidates to council. Interim Saline Police Chief Mike Lindman, of Garden City, made the final five. Also making the cut were: • Retired deputy chief and interim police chief Gregg Brighton, Dearborn; • Retired chief Larry Hrinik, Davison Township; • Deputy chief Robert J. Kerr, Canton Township; • Police captain Gerald S. Scherlinck, Troy. The five finalists will be interviewed by a hiring committee comprising Mayor Gretchen Driskell, City Council members David Rhoads and Brian Marl, Chelsea Police Chief Ed Toth and Saline city manager Todd Campbell. “The hiring committee has been very impressed with the high …
42.16847
-83.77927
City of Saline Police Deptartment
100 N Harris St, Saline, MI
/articles/lindman-makes-final-5-for-spd-chief
1559073
/locations/6994204
At a kickoff event at Stone Arch, Brian Marl outlined a platform of public safety, financial stewardship, economic development and accessibility.
Brian Marl kicked off his mayoral campaign at Stone Arch Arts & Events Thursday night. In front of a gather of supporters that included farmers, family, business owners, teachers, politicians and friends, Marl promised an engaged mayoral campaign and outlined a platform of public safety, financial stewardship, economic development and accessibility. Marl, currently serving his second term on city council, explained to the crowd why he wants to be mayor. “I am really passionate about this community. I think I have the right ideas, the right vision, experience and passion to make it happen,” Marl said. “Most of you know that I really love this community. I was born here. I was raised here. I went to school here. I continue to live here. I …
42.16649
-83.781202
Stone Arch Arts and Events
117 S Ann Arbor St, Saline, MI
/articles/marl-promises-engaged-mayoral-campaign
1888312
/locations/6989275
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Olson surveyed the political landscape and concluded re-election was close to impossible, even as a Democratic candidate.
State Rep. Rick Olson, R-York Twp., announced Thursday he will not seek re-election in 2012. As late as Wednesday, Olson was considering a run as a Democratic candidate in district that had become 65 percent Democratic after being redrawn in 2011. In a press release issued Thursday, Olson said he had been assessing the political landscape ahead of Tuesday’s filing deadline for the election. He was hoping for a contested race for his position on the Democrat ballot and little, if anything, on the Republican primary ballot in August. With a share of the Democrat vote and help from Republicans, he saw a path to returning to serve the people of the district, according to the release. That, however, is not how it is shaping up. There will be a …
State Rep. Mark Ouimet says cell phones and other hand-held Internet devices can potentially be used for stalking or assaulting children.
As technology continues to evolve at breakneck speed, the Michigan House of Representatives today unanimously voted to define smartphones, iPads and other handheld devices as computers to better protect Michigan residents from serious Internet-related crimes. The state's current law prohibits the use of computers or the Internet to commit crimes such as sexual assault, kidnapping, bomb threats, stalking and sex-related crimes involving minors. "Today's huge technology changes have essentially given us a desktop computer that fits in the palm of our hand, and we must update our laws to better protect Michigan residents and children," said Rep. Mark Ouimet, R-Scio Township. House Bill 5284 updates the law to define handheld devices as "…
The York Township Republican is considering the switch after redistricting turned the 55th district into a Democratic stronghold.
Republican State Rep. Rick Olson, of York Township, has a big decision to make by Tuesday. Olson is seriously considering switching parties to run as a Democratic candidate. It’s not because he has a change of heart or philosophy. “I don’t think people can change who they are. That’s not what this is about,” said Olson. “I went to Lansing to solve big problems like school pensions and find ways to fix our roads and bridges. Those are the issues I’m interested in tackling. And while Michigan has made progress, we’re not done yet.” But Olson is likely done if he runs as a Republican and he knows it. In 2010, which was a good election for Republicans, Olson edged out Mike Smith in a tough race, 7,605 to 7,397. In 2011, when the districts were…
Rep. Rick Olson said the state is bailing water without plugging the hole, while Rep. Jeff Irwin called for Republicans to stop making the problem worse.
The rising cost of paying into the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System was the biggest factor in Tuesday night’s bleak budget projection by Saline Area Schools finance director Janice Warner. Today the district pays 24.46 percent of its payroll to the state, which then pays for the pensions and benefits to retired school employees. In 2004, that number was just 12.99 percent of payroll. It is expected to rise to 27.27 percent next year, 31.21 percent in 2013-14. That’s close to an extra $2 million a year in costs for a district already grappling with a structural deficit. Superintendent Scot Graden said it’s an issue that the community needs to understand. “Our costs have doubled as it relates to the pension, in the last …
42.182158
-83.788272
Saline Area Schools
7265 Saline Ann Arbor Rd, Saline, MI
/articles/democratic-republican-legislators-debate-school-employee-retirement-issue
1968796
/locations/6984541
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
UAW President Bob King says the auto industry revival wouldn't have happened if Romney was making the decisions.
Michigan union leaders are chastising Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for taking credit for the revival of the auto industry. During an interview with Cleveland's WEWS reporter Chris Flanagan at an Ohio manufacturing plant, Romney was asked (at 1:50 of the video) if it could be argued that the plant survived because of the federal bailouts for the auto industry. Romney said President Barack Obama and the federal government followed a plan, similar to the one he recommeded, to take General Motors and Chrysler through bankruptcy. "So I’ll take a lot of credit for the fact that this industry has come back,” Romney said. United Auto Workers President Bob King said Romney has no business taking credit for the revival. "None of …
Gretchen Driskell, candidate for Michigan's 52nd House District, says the state should restore nearly $1 billion cut last year from K-12 funding.
Education reform was on the mind of Saline Mayor Gretchen Driskell on Monday. Driskell, a Democratic candidate for the 52nd House District, held a press conference at the Dexter District Library urging Gov. Snyder to restore nearly $1 billion in school aid funding to local schools. "The priorities of Lansing Republicans are out of step with our families in Michigan," Driskell, a mother of three, said. "We need the politicians in Lansing to listen to the people and recognize that a higher-quality education system is essential to our children's future and our state's economic recovery." The Legislature has set a target date of June 1 to send a budget to Gov. Snyder, and Driskell said both the House and Senate versions strip money from the …
Here's a quick wrap up of Monday's Saline City Council meeting.
Here’s a quick recap of Monday’s Saline City Council meeting: Council Meets Faurecia Officials An official from Faurecia North America spoke to City Council Monday night. Raymond Boufford, Director of Special Projects for Faurecia NA, introduced members of council to the company, which recently acquired the Ford/Visteon business at the Automotive Components Holdings facility. Boufford said he knew it was difficult for council to hear that Saline facility will be downsized from 2,100 to 1,100 workers as Faurecia and a partner shift work to a newly formed company called Detroit Manufacturing Systems. But, he said, Faurecia is committed to building a world class manufacturing plant in Saline. He invited members of city council to tour a …
42.16847
-83.77927
Saline City Government
100 N Harris St, Saline, MI
/articles/city-council-meets-faurecia-official-at-marathon-meeting
1558563
/locations/6958240
john Waterman
4:04 pm on Friday, May 11, 2012
Thank you for responding. My question was to point out that many individuals who scream that teachers are overcompensated feel no one has a right to question the compensation levels of individuals in our society who are taking the most. Our tax dollars do benefit businesses and corporations through tax abatements, infrastructure, Pure Michigan Ads, and bailouts. My taxes have supported companies … more ›