Greene, Sinclair win council seats in Tuesday election
Voters in Rogers City preferred a familiar name, or experience, when they went to the polls on Tuesday in the race for city council as incumbent Jim Sinclair and multi-term former councilwoman Deb Greene easily outdistanced three newcomers. Five candidates were running for two seats on the board in the only contested race in Presque Isle County. Deb Greene, who failed to retain her council seat two years ago, was the leading voter-getter with 333 votes and was followed by Sinclair with 257 votes. Sinclair will begin his third four-year term on January 1, while Greene will continue a government career that spans nearly a decade and a half when she is sworn into office. Election results are unofficial until certified by the board of canvassers.
?I?M EXCITED that I won. I was a little worried, but I?m looking forward to working with the rest of the board,? said Greene Tuesday night. Other than councilman Patrick Lamb, who was involved in the race two years ago that pushed Greene out, the 14-year councilwoman has worked with all of the other council members. Greene would like to continue to push for improvements to downtown Rogers City, work to bring in new businesses, keep existing businesses, and assist the council in bringing in jobs to the Industrial Park. With a death in the family, Sinclair was not available for comment.
Mayor Beach Hall will begin his third two-year term on January 1. He received 432 in an uncontested race. ?I?m looking forward to working with the new council, although they are not unfamiliar faces,? said Hall. ?I?m glad to see Jim back and it?s good to have Deb return.? WILLIAM BRUNING topped the newcomers with 180 votes and was followed by Cassandra Bruning with 177, and Eric Brege with 130. William Bruning was strong in both precincts one (75) and two (79), although Cassandra Bruning edged t
Greene received the most votes in both precinct one (170) and two (127), but Sinclair edged the other five candidates with 43 votes in precinct three. According to clerk/treasurer Theresa Heinzel, 24 percent of the registered voters showed up for Tuesday?s election, which is 565 of the 2,439 total registered voters. This was the first year the city was able to use new voter equipment which Heinzel believes streamlined the process. ?It went very well,? she said. ?The ladies did an excellent job.? The city had about 14 election workers assisting in the process this year.
The November 2006 election should be a lot busier with the race for U.S. Senator, governor, as well as local races for county commissioner.