Nowak and Lamb to join council; Lakeview infrastructure not backed

Rogers City clerk/treasurer Theresa Heinzel said it was one of the worst election-day mornings she can ever remember. The heavy rain and windy conditions kept voters away — but only for a while. A strong field of candidates and two ballot questions had to be voted on and as the day progressed, voters started showing up.

By the time the polls closed at 8 p.m., 28 percent of the registered voters, 701 of the 2,465 voters, turned out to have their voice heard. The vote tally seemed to say voters wanted someone with experience, although the lone incumbent lost, and somebody new.

GARY NOWAK, who served for 15 years on city council before winning election to the PI County Board of Commissioners for two terms, was the leading vote getter with 397. Nowak, along with newcomer Patrick M. Lamb, 367 votes, captured the two available seats on Tuesday. Incumbent Deb Greene, who is completing her 14th year on council, was gracious in defeat but is leaning toward a recount, as she trailed Lamb by 26 votes, with 341.

?I?m not that disappointed,? she said late Tuesday. Greene said being voted off council will give her time for other things in her life. Greene had considered not running but may ask for a recount: ?what do I have to lose?? Milton Very, an active senior in the community, with a lot of credentials in government from his days in California, was back in the pack with 238 votes. Mayor Beach Hall, running unopposed, received 580 votes. Councilman Ralph Baker decided to not seek re-election. The terms for council are for four years. ?I?m really happy,? said Nowak, after being asked what he thought of his return to council. ?I won?t let them (voters) down.?

?I?m very excited and happy people supported me,? said Lamb. The candidates were well qualified, but voters were ?ready for a change.? Lamb ran one of the most active campaigns, talking with as many people as he could, placing an ad in The Advance, and sending out informat

ion in the mail.

THE TWO QUESTIONS being asked of voters were a bond referendum and a charter amendment. The referendum, which was placed on the ballot after a successful petition drive, was to issue $300,000 in bonds to defray the cost for infrastructure improvements in the city, including the Lakeview residential development. It was defeated by 59 votes. There were 315 voters who said ?yes? to the question, while 374 said ?no.? Greene, who assisted with the petition drive, said she was ?glad it went down.? She said the state is in a budget crisis and the city has spent enough money on the development.

The second ballot issue, a charter amendment, was easily approved and changes the deadline to pay city taxes without penalty and interest from July 31 to September 14. The vote total was 592 ?yes? and 102 ?no.?

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