Meet the candidates for Otsego County commissioner
GAYLORD — As the Aug. 2 primary election approaches, the Gaylord Herald Times will publish candidate profiles for contested races in Otsego County.
Featured today are the candidates for Otsego County commissioner in districts 7,8 and 9. All of the candidates are Republicans and because no Democrats have filed to run, the winner in August will assume office next year unless there is a successful write-in candidacy in November.
Republicans vying for District 7 include challenger Wayne Monusko and incumbent Doug Johnson.
In District 8, incumbent Jason Caverson is being challenged by Dana Wingo. In District 9, Kyle Yohe is opposing incumbent Bruce Brown.
All candidates received the same questions. The Herald Times reserved the right to edit responses from the candidates to account for space, grammar and Associated Press style guidelines.
District 7
Doug Johnson
Q: In no more than two paragraphs, please describe your background (educational achievements, work history and how long you have lived in the area etc.) and if you are an incumbent state how long you have held the position?
A: I was born in Escanaba, and have been a Gaylord resident since 1960. Married for 51 years to my wife Sherry. We have three children and nine grandchildren. I graduated from Gaylord High School and attended Ferris State University where I studied business administration. I owned and operated a commercial printing business for 41 years, Mid-North Printing, Inc.
I have been a county commissioner for 42 years, served as chairman for three years, and vice-chairman for several years. I have served on most of the committees during my tenure as a commissioner. I am currently the president of the Michigan Counties Workers Compensation Fund, and a director of the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority, a self insurance pool, both which serve the county.
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Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today and what can county government do better?
A: Affordable housing and jobs that provide a living wage is an area the county may be able to work on with the assistance from state and federal agencies. The county is not in a position to do it alone but may be able to facilitate some joint effort to address this need. The last several years have been a real challenge with COVID-19 and working around all the mandates. I hope people can respect one another and their views and find common ground to work together for the good of all our citizens.
Q: Does the county need a new jail?
A: Absolutely — a new jail is needed because the 34-bed jail we currently have is constantly over crowded. Because of the growth in our area and the challenges the law enforcement team encounters, our present jail built in the 1960s, isn’t adequate. We have worked with the courts and law enforcement to provide alternative programs and they are operating well, but this still isn’t sufficient to eliminate the problem.
Wayne Monusko
Q: In no more than two paragraphs, please describe your background (educational achievements, work history and how long you have lived in the area etc.) and if you are an incumbent state how long you have held the position?
A: I have lived in Gaylord all of my 54 years, currently married for 25 years. I have four daughters and have worked for 30 years in and around the county and have been retired for about five years.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today and what can county government do better?
A: County government can be more wise with taxpayer funds.
Q: Does the county need a new jail?
A: Yes we could use a new jail but let’s take care of it and not put all of the burden on the taxpayers.
District 8
Jason Caverson
Q: In no more than two paragraphs, please describe your background (educational achievements, work history and how long you have lived in the area etc.) and if you are an incumbent state how long you have held the position?
A: I have been a resident of Otsego County since 1997 when I moved here to accept a position as a surveyor for Wade-Trim. I graduated from Ferris State University with a bachelor’s degree in surveying and civil technology and I am a licensed professional survey and office manager of Wade Trim here in Gaylord. I have been an Otsego County Commissioner since 2020 and I also sit on the Otsego County Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, library board, Budget and Finance Committee and I am also the liaison to the Otsego County Sheriff’s Department. I am married to Jenni Caverson, owner of executive office services and community relations specialist for Camp Grayling JMTC. I am the father of three amazing children.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today and what can county government do better?
A: I believe the biggest challenge the county is facing is the housing shortage we are experiencing. Without available and affordable housing options, we are limiting our ability to attract and retain new businesses and sustainable jobs. As a county, we need to assign a task force that can help identify areas within the county that can offer and support low-cost housing projects. We need to look at what we can do to entice developers to invest in Otsego County.
I believe another challenge we have as a board is providing answers, not only during meetings, but also on a public forum. I would like to see answers/responses to questions posed from the public during our meetings, posted on an answer board on our website along with the minutes from the meeting. It is our responsibility as a board to be transparent, and providing answers is a good start.
Q: Does the county need a new jail?
A: Yes — I believe we do need a new jail and based on recent millage results, we need to sharpen our pencils and look at alternative approaches to achieve the capacity we need now and the capacity we will need in the future. We need to plan for low cost and seamless expansion as it becomes necessary. We cannot just build a jail for today and think the problem is solved, we have to plan for tomorrow.
Dana Wingo
Q: In no more than two paragraphs, please describe your background (educational achievements, work history and how long you have lived in the area etc.) and if you are an incumbent state how long you have held the position?
A:I have been a resident of Otsego County my entire life. I am a wife, mother, and small business owner. I currently own Custom Creators which helps other small home businesses pool resources to rent one space to sell their merchandise. Prior to that I worked out of our home for 12 years and I also am a caretaker for my husband's mom and have been for 10 years. I have attended county board meetings for the past two years, including various committee meetings.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today and what can county government do better?
A: I want a county board that recognizes that with record high gas prices and inflation, their citizens are struggling. We need to be very careful when spending taxpayer money. I promise to ask question and get answers so I can make solid decisions to defend both the rights and wallets of Otsego County residents.
Q: Does the county need a new jail?
A: I am open to a discussion, but it has to start with an honest assessment of what the needs of this county truly are and what cost taxpayers can actually afford. This discussion would include things like population trends, the effects of criminal justice reform, expert recommendations, and a thorough study of the outstanding warrants. For a very long time, it seems commissioners have prioritized cosmetic wants over pressing needs.
District 9
Bruce Brown
Incumbent Bruce Brown did not respond to the Herald Times questions.
Kyle Yohe
Q: In no more than two paragraphs, please describe your background (educational achievements, work history and how long you have lived in the area etc.) and if you are an incumbent state how long you have held the position?A:
A: I have lived in Gaylord for 32 years and graduated from Gaylord High School in 2001. I started working for the family business Yohe Enterprises, Inc. in 2006 and purchased it in 2018. Yohe Services employs and supports 18 families in Northern Michigan. My wife owns her own salon in town. We have two beautiful daughters. I have been the chairman of Otsego Wildlife Legacy Society (OWLS) for six years and an active member for 16 years. I also served as the chairman for the American Petroleum Institute's Northern Michigan Chapter (NMCAPI) for six years and have been an active member for 12 years.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today and what can county government do better?
A: The biggest challenges facing Otsego County are financial. We need our county commissioners to treat running the county more like running a business. After reviewing the minutes and attending meetings, it is clear that the current spending will leave future generations buried in taxes and debt. For example, the commissioners recently entered into a lease for the property at 1165 Elkview Dr. to house the commission on aging. The lease is for $15,000 per month for a term of 20 years with a five-year extension. This amounts to $4.5 million for a building county assessed at $475,000. Records indicate the building was purchased by the current owners at roughly the same time for a little over $1.1 million. Despite public opposition, there was little discussion and only one dissenting vote on this issue. While this is a great deal for the new owners of the building, it seems to be a very bad deal for county taxpayers. I will use my business background to make sure taxpayer funds are spent responsibly.
Q: Does the county need a new jail?
A: With all the data collected from the campaign and talking with our sheriff, we have needed a new jail for over 20 years. In this time they haven’t set aside any substantial funds to help with the costs of this project. They have chosen to spend a lot of money on nearly everything but the jail. If the jail is so crucial and a safety hazard to its officers, why was this project never a priority? We do need a new jail, but the county needs to consider the needs of the community and the costs. They need to be fiscally responsible when putting forth proposals.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Meet the candidates for Otsego County commissioner
