Decision day arrives in contentious city election

by Peter Jakey

Managing Editor

Presque Isle County voters head to the polls Tuesday, and while it may be considered an off election year, there are some important issues to be decided.

Voters in Onaway are being asked to answer questions about whether to remove the mayor and two commissioners, or keep them in office.

In a separate question, voters have to decide who will fill two, two-year seats on the commission.

It has confused voters because many of the names on the recall/retain part of the ballot are the same ones running in the regular election.

On the recall/retain portion, voters will decide if they want incumbent Gary Wregglesworth or challenger, former police chief James Gibson, to finish the mayor’s term until the end of 2014. They also will decide if incumbents Jessie Horrocks and Charles Abshagen will complete the final two months of their old terms, or if James Grainger or Roger Marsh should.

Then, voters still have to decide the regular election, with a list of six candidates, including Horrocks, Abshagen, Marsh, Grainger, along with former commissioner Brad Porter and Richard Norman. See a preview in this week’s edition.

In other issues, there are two countywide millage requests on the ticket.

Among the two is the controversial Presque Isle Courthouse project. The county board of commissioners is seeking up to .524 mill for 15 years to build a new addition.

The annex building would remain under the proposal and the oldest portion, which was built in the late 19^th century, would eventually be razed.

The board originally believed it had enough funding coming in to go ahead with the project, but realized

it did not have enough funding to pay off the bond over 15 years.

That, along with a vocal opposition throughout the communities, has put a negative cloud over the proposal.

The Presque Isle County Council on Aging is requesting one-quarter of a mill to supplement transportation costs. State funding has been stagnant, while gas prices have gone up. There is a preview story in this week’s edition.

In Case Township, voters are being asked to confirm a 30-year irrevocable electric franchise with Presque Isle Electric and Gas Coop.

Polls open Tuesday at 7 a.m.