FeedsExecutive board unopposed for re-election
The executive portion of the Northville Township Board of Trustees will remain intact for the next four years.
When the 4 p.m. filing deadline came and went on Tuesday, nobody had submitted petitions to challenge Supervisor Mark Abbo, Clerk Sue Hillebrand or Treasurer Dick Henningsen.
“I think it’s a sign of faith from the community,” said Abbo.
The four incumbent trustees will face opposition, however. There are seven candidates seeking the four open spots: incumbents Marjorie Banner, Marv Gans, Christopher Roosen and Brad Werner will defend their seats from Mindy Hermann, Steven Lomske and Carol Poenisch.
Hermann, a lieutenant colonel in the armed services, was the grand marshal of the July 4 parade last year. Lomske, an architect, has previously ran for the Northville Public School Board.
Poenisch has helped out on several township millage campaigns and been active in other areas of the community, too. A teacher in Detroit, she is the only Democrat on the ballot.
Township offices are four-year terms that all come up for election at the same time. Voters will face other issues this year, too.
State Rep. Marc Corriveau (D-Northville) has three challengers to beat to win a second term in office. Plymouth residents Abe Munfakh, Jerry Vorva and Joe Van Esley filed petitions on Tuesday, although Munfakh has also filed to run for the office of Plymouth Township Supervisor and will have to withdraw from one of the contests.
Wayne County Commissioner Laura Cox (R-Northville) has a challenger, too, in CPA Susan Clark, a Plymouth resident that formerly headed up the Fall Festival board (see related stories).
Not all candidates could be reached by press time on Tuesday, but all candidates will be profiled throughout the summer.
Last month, the township board of trustees set the compensation levels for elected officials. They revisit the issue prior to every township election. Board members decided to keep compensation levels at their current rates: the supervisor will earn $24,000, clerk $75,000, treasurer $17,000 and trustees $5,000. Trustee salaries will increase to $6,000 in 2011 and 2012. The clerk is the only full-time elected position in the township.
