2012 Primary: Three Candidates Vie for Lima Township Supervisor Seat

Three candidates are running for the Lima Township supervisor position in the 2012 primary, while Clerk Arlene Bareis and Treasurer Nanette Havens are running unopposed.

Patch.com sent out a questionnaire to the three supervisor candidates, and the following are their responses:

Candidate name: Kenneth Unterbrink

Office sought: Lima Township Supervisor

Political affiliation: Republican (past vice chairman of Washtenaw County Executive Committee)

Current occupation: Lima Township Supervisor (third term)

Education: Ongoing Michigan Township Governance Academy (A.A.)

Previous leadership: Lima Township Planning Commission,

What are two key issues in your community? Roads and bridges; Planning for the future that is fair and equitable to all citizens of the township.

How will you address those issues?

1) While the funding is not there in the state or county government systems for the roads or bridges, it may be necessary for the township official’s to ask the residents for a solution of financing.

2) While the economy has stifled development, Lima Township sits just west of Ann Arbor with I-94 running through the center, and when development will find Lima Township. When this happens, the township Master Plan and ordinances should have been updated to meet the need for the new
development.

Candidate: Craig A. Maier

Office sought: Lima Township Supervisor

Political affiliation: Republican

Current occupation:Retired, U.S. Army Reserve Engineers (2000) and Public Works Superintendent City of Chelsea (2010).

Education: Two years of college

Previous elected office(s): None

What are two key issues in your community? Road and bridge maintenance, zoning issues, and neighborhood integrity.

How will you address those issues?

Carefully manage the township budget to obtain the most road services possible, and work in harmony with planning and zoning staff to address residents issues and concerns. I would also like to create interest to expand the current Neighborhood Watch program.

Candidate: Robert Spink

Office sought: Lima Township Supervisor

Political affiliation: Republican

Current occupation: Senior Project Engineer – The Environmental Quality Company

Education: University of Michigan (B.S.)

Previous elected office(s): None

What are two key issues in your community?

1) Infrastructure (roads, bridges, and the township hall have all been neglected for years).

2) Excess legal spending over the years.

How will you address those issues?

1) I was part of a two-man committee that acted as a liaison with the
Washtenaw County Road Commission that resulted in two of the four closed
bridges over Mill Creek being redecked and reopened. This broke an impasse between the township board and the Road Commission. I pledge to make township infrastructure a top priority and work with the Road Commission closely to reopen the remaining two closed bridges and budget a gravel program for the gravel roads. I pledge to work with the board to budget to make repairs and improvements to the township hall to enable township offices to be moved back and save more than $12,000 per year in rent.

2) I pledge that the township will not get involved in major legal action without the support of the township residents.