Q&A with Chippewa County commissioner candidates
SAULT STE. MARIE — The upcoming Aug. 2 primary election includes three contested races for Chippewa County Commission seats.
The contested races are in the 3rd, 4th and 5th districts of Chippewa County. The Sault Evening News reached out to all candidates and sent them a questionnaire. Marc Kelly, candidate in the 4th district, did not respond to the questionnaire by press time. All of the candidates received the same questionnaire.
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Third District
There are three candidates running in the 3rd district, two of them are Democrats and one is a Republican.
Thomas Farnquist (D)
Q: Introduce yourself. How long have you lived in the community?
A: I've been a Chippewa County resident my entire life. I graduated from Northern Michigan University with a bachelor of science, I majored in biology and became a school teacher in Sault Area Public Schools. I taught middle school, mostly life sciences.
Q: Have you ever run for public office before?
A: No, but I've been appointed by the county commission to several different boards, including the Chippewa County Health Department and the Hiawatha Behavioral Health Board. Over the last 15 years I've been on various boards.
Q: Why are you running for office?
A: I think Chippewa County Commission needs some changes, there are people on the board that have been there for quite a while and I think new blood can really make a difference. I think there's a lot of opportunities for grants that could improve opportunities in Chippewa County.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today? What could the county government do better?
A: Fiduciary managing money that has been given to the board by the federal government such as the COVID relief money that came to Chippewa County. I think there was $7.2 million given and they're basically sitting on it, they put it in the general fund and not really utilizing it.
Q: What are the county’s greatest strengths? What is the county doing well?
A: I think there's a diversity of people here, there's a lot of talented people in Chippewa County, which is a tremendous asset. We have employees in the hospital and prison system and tourism related businesses that can do better with help from the county attracting business.
Q: What will be your top priorities, if elected?
A: My top priority is learning more about the county government and how it functions. I've attended county commission meetings and there's not a lot of discussion about going after any particular funding for certain projects.
Jim Page (D)
Q: Introduce yourself. How long have you lived in the community?
A: My name is Jim Page. I retired as middle school teacher in 2010 from the Sault Area Pubic Schools. I have lived in Chippewa County for 35 years. However, my family is from Chippewa County. Both my parents were born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie. I am 64 years old (young).
I was raised in Mt. Clemens. I served six years in the United States Marine Corps. I graduated from Macomb County Community College with an AA degree and Central Michigan University with a BS in education. I taught math and computers for 28 years.
After retiring from the public schools, I worked at Kmart as a sales associate until it closed. I then accepted a position at Meijer’s where I worked as a receiving/salvage clerk. I am currently employed by the Shipwreck Museum as a part time historical interpreter.
Q: Have you ever run for public office before?
A: I have been a union member for most of my career. I have served as a union steward, a union representative and the president of the SEA. I have previously run for the 107th District State House and the 37th District State Senate.
I am a member of Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, and the Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club.
I am a hunter and a fisherman and I believe we should protect and fight for a cleaner environment.
Q: What are the county’s greatest strengths? What is the county doing well?
A: The strength of our community is the people of our community. We can improve our community with more affordable housing options, and increase our economy by expanding broadband access throughout the county.
I am running for office because of my desire to protect our democracy, starting at the local community level.
Damon Lieurance (R)
Q: Introduce yourself. How long have you lived in the community?
A: My name is Damon Lieurance and I moved to the area to go to LSSC in 1986 for an opportunity to shoot competitively on the rifle team while majoring in biology. I have since married my lovely wife, Suzanne, and chosen to raise our two boys here. After spending many years as a cook in Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac Island, I currently own two small businesses and serve as the president for the Chippewa County Shooting Association. We love the area because of all of the outdoor recreation that is available including fishing, hunting, rock collecting and camping.
Q: Have you ever run for public office before?
A: I currently serve as a Precinct Delegate and ran for the 107th Michigan House of Representatives in 2020 and have since been redistricted to the 108th. I still have a desire to serve the local community through elected office so I have thrown my hat into the ring to serve the third district of the Chippewa County Commission. The personal relationships that I have built by working with Lansing on gun owners' rights, taxes and regulations will be helpful as I put those resources to work for our community.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today? What could the county government do better?
A: As a county, we face many issues but, a few stand out. I think we need to make Chippewa County a more welcoming community for business. We need jobs that will keep our families together as their children reach adulthood and seek opportunities to raise our grandchildren. We must be willing to facilitate the infrastructure that future businesses will need. Mental health is another issue that I think we all know needs some improvement. Some of the most vulnerable members of our community are forced to move away from their family support system for treatment. Election integrity is the hot button issue of the day and must be addressed. It is important that every citizen have faith that their legal vote was counted and not diluted by fraudulent ballots so, the process must be completely transparent.
Q: What are the county’s greatest strengths? What is the county doing well?
A: Our county is doing a lot of things right and we should continue to lower the size and scope of local government. Regulations and fees are a necessary evil and the county is doing a good job of eliminating redundant boards and committees and streamlining processes. We must continue down this path and refrain from going back tho the old ways. The biggest responsibility of a commissioner is to spend the county's money wisely.
Q: What will be your top priorities, if elected?
A: I am looking forward to working with the townships to help them help their residents. I see this as a position of opportunity to cooperate with other elected officials to improve the lives of residents across the county. Our families need good jobs and the county needs good families. If elected, I will work to increase opportunity and liberty in Chippewa County.
Fourth District
There are four candidates running in the 4th district of Chippewa County, one of them is a Democrat and the other three are Republicans. One Republican candidate, Marc Kelly, did not respond to the questionnaire request.
Bruce Johnson (D)
Q: Introduce yourself. How long have you lived in the community?
A: Bruce Johnson, 59 years old, married 39 years, two daughters, one son-in-law and granddaughter, raised on farm in Stalwart, retired Captain-Department of Corrections 28 years, Raber Township Fire Chief 31 years, Raber Sportsmen Club member.
Q: Why are you running for office?
A: Bring the needs of my community to the attention of the county, such as emergency services as top priority, leadership and decision making skills.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today? What could the county government do better?
A: Emergency services in rural communities, serving needs of senior citizens and veterans, citizen support, emergency services, road commission staffing nights/weekends, relationship building, networking.
Q: What are the county’s greatest strengths? What is the county doing well?
A: Size, diversity.
Q: What will be your top priorities, if elected?
A: Emergency services, veterans, senior citizens.
Emil Mattson (R)
Q: Introduce yourself. How long have you lived in the community?
A: Emil Mattson, age 46. Lived in the community off and on for the past 27 years. Spent 2018-2019 taking care of my dying father in Arizona. I am a 100 percent disabled U.S. Air Force veteran. I am also a former Arizona police officer (2007-2011) and hold an Executive Juris Doctorate.
Q: Have you ever run for public office before?
A: I ran for sheriff in 2012 and recently ran for Kinross Township supervisor in 2020.
Q: Why are you running for office?
A: I am running for office to have transparency, accountability and to bring more services to the area for our veterans and elders that do not know how to or just don’t have the means to navigate the red tape of our government.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today? What could the county government do better?
A: The biggest issues facing our county today would be accountability. When you walk into the county building and file a complaint unfortunately it is never handled properly with an ethics committee. If I am elected, a real ethics committee will be formed and all citizen complaints will be dually investigated through that committee. The county could do better for our veterans. Right now the Veteran Service Officer is located on the third floor of the county building, which makes the veterans who have wheelchairs to have access issues. It is hard to navigate in the old building so the veteran is not getting the proper resources they are entitled to. That will change if I am elected. I will propose a new office location through grants and VA funding sources.
Q: What are the county’s greatest strengths? What is the county doing well?
A: Right now the county lacks on strengths. I know some will see that as a bad thing for me to say, but if you look at the totality of all the circumstances lately with civil lawsuits and complaints not being handled properly, then the strengths are short coming and change is what is needed.
Q: What will be your top priorities, if elected?
A: My top priorities will be #1 veteran services #2 senior services #3 accountability by all departments and most importantly #4 a real ethics committee formed to ensure our citizens are heard in this community. We work for the citizens period. We need to as elected officials listen to the complaints and handle those complaints ethically and not just look the other way. When you swear an oath of office you swear to the Constitution to protect the citizens of your community from unethical behavior and I believe it is time our county gets someone in office that truly believes in ethics.
James Traynor (R)
Q: Introduce yourself. How long have you lived in the community?
A: Operating Engineers Local 324, Raber Township supervisor 1996 to 2008, retired. I am 64 years old and run the family farm. I have lived here my whole life.
Q: Have you ever run for public office before?
A: I served three terms as Raber Township supervisor and have run for Chippewa County Commissioner several times. Served on the Building Authority for Chippewa County for several terms. I have been attending the county board meetings for over 20 years to keep up on what is going on in the county.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today? What could the county government do better?
A:The biggest challenge is keeping the county financially sound and replacing Sharon Kennedy. I have not seen any area that needs improvement.
Q: What are the county’s greatest strengths? What is the county doing well?
A: The county seems to be on the right track and has great people in charge of the main branches. Keeping Kelly Church at the helm where she has earned what she has made of herself, she deserves what she has. There are some great elected officials at the helm of many of the offices and we are lucky to have them.
The county is managing the finances very well.
Q: What will be your top priorities, if elected?
A: If elected, I would work to keep the (county) in the financial shape it has been in for years and keep the quality of employees that they currently have.
Fifth District
There are two candidates running in the 5th district of Chippewa County, both of them are Republicans.
Raymond Johnson (R)
Q: Introduce yourself. How long have you lived in the community?
A: My name is Raymond E. Johnson (Rudy). I live in Strongs, Michigan and have lived here my entire 71 years. I have been married to Billie Jo Johnson for 48 years, a just retired ER nurse/paramedic at War Memorial Hospital for 25 years. We have three children and 10 grandchildren. I have owned and operated Easy Logging & Lumber for many years and also the Furlong Company Timber Brokerage Company. Founder and chairman of Tri-County Veterans Board and founder and manager of the Hiawatha Forest Clean-Up for 25 years. Member of Masonic Lodge 400 McMillan.
Q: Have you ever run for public office before?
A: I have been on the Brimley School Board for two years, Chippewa Township trustee, and Chippewa County commissioner for two years.
Q: Why are you running for office?
A: I like being involved in trying to make Chippewa County a better place for everyone to live and prosper, regardless what part of the county you live in. I believe the outlying townships need more attention from our commissioners.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the county today? What could the county government do better?
A: Like every county, drugs and crime are a big problem but I strongly believe we can do better. We could make programs available for our young people and get them more active in our communities.
Q: What are the county’s greatest strengths? What is the county doing well?
A: Our greatest strengths is we have room to grow and have some of the best vacation spots in the entire state of Michigan.
Q: What will be your top priorities, if elected?
A: My top priorities are make our schools as safe as possible and getting our veterans all the help that is needed. We need to get EMS back in the outlying communities because in the last six-10 years many of our smaller communities have lost their ambulance and/or fire services. We should be doing all we can to keep these services in place.
Robert Savoie (R)
Q: Introduce yourself. How long have you lived in the community?
A: My name is Robert (Bobby) Savoie and I am a life long resident of Chippewa County. I grew up on a dairy farm (third generation) in Rudyard, attended and graduated from Rudyard High School. Shortly after, I was drafted into the U.S. Army and earned a combat infantry badge on Vietnam. Returning home I married my high school sweetheart, Dinah. We have two lovely children and seven grandchildren. Sadly, Dinah passed away three years ago from cancer. I worked many construction jobs until I joined the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office in 1978. It was absolutely a great career serving our citizens. I was 21 years as undersheriff under two sheriffs and elected sheriff retiring five years ago. In addition, I served 19 years as an EMT and 12 years on the Rudyard School Board.
Q: Have you ever run for public office before?
A: After retirement, I was elected as District 5 county commissioner and served two terms. Now I am up for re-election and have dedicated my entire adult life to our citizens. In addition I have been very active in the veteran organizations, VFW, Pickford American Legion and the Raber AmVets. I participate in annual events, fundraisers and funeral honor guard services. I also was appointed and active on the county veterans board.
Q: What will be your top priorities, if elected?
A: If reelected I will continue to make the county financially stable and provide sufficient services. My vision is long term needs and a path to accomplish those issues. I love our county, the citizens and bring 44 years of experience. Thank you for the support and opportunity to serve.
Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@Sooeveningnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Q&A with Chippewa County commissioner candidates
