A couple of important local Lapeer County races will be decided on Aug. 7 (unless, ahem, some hot Independent files or a write-in declares and gets enough votes in time for the Nov. 6 general election). Thus, if you want to have a say in who becomes Drain Commissioner or Road Commissioner, it would seem you have to vote a Republican primary ballot regardless of where you stand on the parties. Really? Yeah.
If, however, you live in the newly re-districted County Commissioner District 1, you have a dilemma. There are two candidates for the District 1 seat and they are both Democrats, Cheryl Clark and Dennis Harrand. So District 1 people need to vote a Democratic primary ballot to choose their commissioner. Kinda sucks, doesn’t it, that people in District 1 basically have to choose which races they’d rather have a say in?
Another thing that kind of sucks? The lack of candidates on the Democratic ticket. I like choices. I like diversity. I like options. I like to see an engaged community. I don’t want to just choose from a Republican or a Republican. So, come on, people, next time around, let’s be engaged and step up.
Okay, so the bottom line is this: on Aug. 7, voters will likely select the next road commissioner from among three Republican candidates: Michael Hemmingsen, Gary Howell, and Jerry Hudson.
Voters will also select the next drain commissioner from among three Republican candidates: John Freeman, Michael Smith Jr., and Joe Suma.
Voters will select the District 1 county commissioner between the two Democratic candidates, Cheryl Clark and Dennis Harrand.
In the freshly re-districted District 3 county commissioner race, there are two Republican candidates and one Democrat. Thus, District 3 voters will settle whether Republican Dyle Henning or John Lagalski will face off against Democrat Les Jackowski in November.
The other hot race, of course, is the sheriff’s race where we have two Republican candidates and two Democratic candidates. This race seems to be going along fast and furious (hehe), with signs galore plastering the county. Even my April 4 post about the Sheriff’s forum continues to generate plenty of views and comments.
Mike Gepfrey is definitely giving incumbent Ron Kalanquin a run for his money on the Republican ticket. On the Democratic side, Jeff Fick has clearly established himself as a contender. Ike Eickholdt is the other Democratic candidate.
Oh, and, let’s see, we will also make decisions on library millage renewals.
I plan to follow up with more info on the candidates and issues.
And harking back to that April post on the Sheriff’s forum, I do not appreciate the less than respectful comments aimed at other commenters or candidates. Respect is big issue with me, so please restrain yourselves so we can continue to have commenting here. Also, please refrain from passing yourself off as more than one person. Thank you very much.
lapeer clik 
All candidates claim they will answer any questions, but unfortunately some are deleting and/or blocking citizens from their web/facebook pages that have legitimate questions. Here is a link for an open debate for the upcoming Sheriff election. Voice your opinion! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lapeer-County-Sheriff-Election-Debate/424702114235756
This is unfortunate because there are a lot of issues not even addressed by some candidates. One has facts and stats to back up his campaign, another puts his ideas out there and states how he plans on doing it, the third simply puts a lot of signs out and has addressed no real issues, the fourth..well..haven’t heard much at all. I would like to know more about qualifications, plans (detailed) to attack our drug and crime problems and less about promising things that are not possible. I will be watching this site and hoping the candidates make an appearance themselves. At this point, if they are not full of b.s. then they will answer some questions and debate! I love the idea!
To address the double dipping claims: Mike Gepfrey continues to twist the facts and numbers in attempt to fool the tax payers of Lapeer County. He wants you to believe that the so called pension shortfall in the county is due to people retiring then rejoining the workforce. HE IS WRONG. The charts that he is using clearly show that the vested former members are indeed 100% funded. http://www.lapeercountyweb.org/finance.htm Actuarial Reports 2010 valuations page 19 chart 13. It does show a 2.5 million dollar shortfall in active employees and this is exactly where Mike Gepfrey is attempting to fool the public. He fails to explain why and expose the real circumstances surrounding this figure. The actual facts surrounding this figure are found in same link “Actuarial Reports 2010 Lapeer County Projections” pg. 4 1st paragraph:
“The dramatic price declines across the world financial markets in 2008 led to increased volatility unlike any experienced in decades. The following two years, 2009 and 2010, have been more stable and MERS’ portfolio recovered with investment returns of over 17% and 14%, respectively. While economic worries continue to haunt investers world-wide, equity markets have rebounded, particularly in the United States. MERS maintains the 8% annual return assumption on investments in the belief that over long term this is achievable.”
Last paragraph on same page:
“Remember that only three-tenths of the 2008 market losses are reflected in this projection report and your December 31, 2010 valuation results. As was true for past market downturns, MERS expects the markets to continue to rebound. By the time the 2008 market losses would be fully recognized (over the following 7 years), future market gains are expected to parly or fully offset 2008 market losses. This smoothing method is a powerful tool for reducing the volatility of your required employer contributions. However, if the financial markets do not rebound, the result would be gradual increases in your employer contribution requirement over the next 7 years (as described above). These increases would be in addition to the projected contributions in this report. Contributing more than the required contribution now will lower the required employer contribution in later years, and position you to earn investment gains as the financial markets rebound.”
See the crash of MERS investments caused this 2.5 million dollar shortfall. The retirees accounts are locked in at the value when the benefits are taken, therefore they are no longer based on the market conditions. It can be assumed that if Sheriff Ron Kalanquin had not locked in his benefits when he did, this shortfall would be even greater.
Mr. Gepfrey:
You claim you will answer questions and be more available to the public, so I ask you the following:
1) Will you continue to use this misleading information?
2) Every year since the Sheriff has filed for retirement, has the County of Lapeer had to pay for his medical insurance benefits or pay into the MERS private retirement system for him?
3) Has the County of Lapeer actually saved $16,500 annually from this?
4) Along with your unrealistic evaluation of all of the above information and using it for the basis of your campaign against Sheriff Ron Kalanquin, how could you have a campaign co-chairman and other supporters that are “double dipping”?
Sources = 6
Lapeer County Finances Lapeer County Press 2008
lapeercountyweb.org Craig Horton statement to County Press
Lapeer County Board of Commission Attorney General ruling (approval)
I am quickly trying to come up to speed. As you know I entered the race late. This has been hugely educational for me.
If this were more of a dialog type of site I personally enjoy discussing a topic in a more open forum. Some might think that odd but you can learn a lot from the process.
“The drug problem”
Not to come off as a politician but, as a person, I would have to come right back and ask “I’d like to answer that but would like some more definition around drug problem”. Some might think I am being trite here…
As you know there are many aspects when it comes to drug problems.
Would we focus the discussion around drug related crimes?
Would we discuss how much of the budget is spent currently? over the past number of years? What are the main problematic points of geography in Lapeer County?
Do we discuss what is being done to help folks who have drug problems?
Anyway, this is a great topic.
I am sorry that I have gotten in so late, and that I am not plastering myself all over the visual spectrum of Lapeer but, I am out there talking to folks every chance I get.
Sometimes it is as simple as the nice woman I spoke to in Meijer.
I was looking for the spray starch. She smiled and said “you really brought me back, I remember starching my husbands shirts”. I am getting ready to go to my past home town and perform a military funeral with my fellow American Legionnaires.
I agree with Ike, this is a great community that we live in. I do not know why there is so much misleading information being spread. I would of thought that a deputy would be more respectful in answering questions from the public. I find it terrible that he deletes honest questions. I have a lot of questions surrounding his campaign but unfortunately I would be wasting my time asking. I will not allow him to disrespect me as a citizen of Lapeer County. I watched the conversation unfold about the double dipping and was shocked to see when the facts came out, he deleted the entire conversation. So much for honesty and respect. I just have to decide between Jeff Fick or Sheriff Kalanquin. These Facebook pages have opened my eyes.
I’m curious as to the relationship of County PA Byron Konschuh to Mike Gepfrey and Sheriff Kalanquin. From the Gepfrey side, I’ve seen photographs of the candidate with Mr Konschuh. I’ve also seen an immense billboard north of Lapeer on M-24 featuring Mr Konschuh and the Sheriff. I’ve heard from supporters of Mr Gepfrey that the relationship between the PA and Sheriff is at best strained; that they haven’t spoken to each other since the PA requested an opinion from the State AG on the Sheriff’s ‘retirement’ issue. From people on the Sheriff’s side, I’ve heard that the PA is actually pulling the strings in Mr Gepfrey’s campaign, and is fueling the fire by providing information that Mr Gepfrey’s campaign would otherwise not have access to. I’ve also heard that the PA is behind a whispering campaign regarding morale issues at the Sheriff’s Dept.
So… Where does Mt Konschuh stand in this race? Is he going to step up and choose a candidate whith whom he believes he can work effectively with in order to protect the citizens of Lapeer County? Or are we going to be left to draw our own conclusions based on whispers, vague inuendo appearing in the social media, and mud flung in direct-mail flyers? I’d like to know.
The anti-providing alcohol to minors billboard north of Lapeer on M-24 was photo-shopped due to the fact that Mr. Kalanquin refused to pose in a photo with me in a collaborative effort to raise awareness of that issue in the community. I had been working in a multi-county collaborative effort through our respective health departments on the project and the Sheriffs and Prosecutors of all three other counties agreed to get together to show support for each other and the cause. I called and e-mailed Mr. Kalanquin several times to obtain his cooperation to no avail. This is a common occurrence during Mr. Kalanquin’s reign. This should be a major concern to citizens. I am the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in this County and the Sheriff will not return my calls. He finally sent his campaign photo in to the Health Department for the billboard campaign but refused to get together with me to support the effort. I am supporting a candidate with a proven work ethic, who will be on duty, answer my phone calls, work in a collaborative manner rather than just giving that concept lip service. Above all I want a Sheriff who wants to do the Sheriff’s job, not just hold the title. Therefore, I am supporting Mr Gepfrey. -Byron Konschuh, Lapeer County Prosecuting Attorney
Mr Konschuh, Thanl yopu for expressing your opinion. Let me ask you a couple questions about your canidate and why you would support him. Mike has little education and experience in law enforcement. How is that qualified? As a court security officer and a businessesman do believe he would be qualified for your position? As Chief law enforcement officer doesn’t Mike’s private businesses show a clear conflict of interest? And besides lack of qualifications and experience, how can you back this canidate after being proved to be puting out mis-leading, false information, appears to have broken state gaming laws, was late on turning in required election reports, and negative campaign style has brought Lapeer politics to a all time low?
To the people of Lapeer County…
First and foremost, I’d like to thank you all for coming out to vote !
As you know I ran for the Lapeer County Sheriffs position on the Democratic ticket.
Some might smirk at my little 338 vote count but am am very happy in that I have not spent any where near the money, nor did I have the campaign time that my fellow candidates had.
I do not take your votes lightly. It is now my intention to continue to help energize the Democrats of Lapeer County. We make up a good percentage (~44% is my understanding) of the County vote.
Of the total votes that came out for Sheriff (~10.7k) 20% of those votes were for the Democratic party (Fick and Eickholdt votes combined).
I know this is early but it looks like congratulations are in order to both Jeff and Ron and I wish them both the best of luck in November.
They are both good men and I am hoping that means that both will run a good fair campaign.
May the best man win!
Me, I will be attending the Democratic Party meetings on a monthly basis, diving deeper into the issues that the people of Lapeer want to see brought forward and honing my skills.
I have met a lot of new wonderful people here in Lapeer and I look forward to meeting many many more as time goes on.
Thank you again for your support and God Bless – sincerely,
Immanuel “Ike” Eickholdt