New candidates stress respect, transparency-League meeting fills township hall

July 17, 2012  PLYMOUTH VOICE

Special to   PlymouthVoice.com   By: Don Howard.

Despite resistance by the township supervisor and plans to lock out the League of Women voters from holding a candidate forum at Plymouth Township hall, the show went on Monday night to a large crowd of concerned residents and voters.

The vacillation, threats and finger pointing between the Township Supervisor Richard Reaume, his clerk and their lawyer didn’t stop Plymouth Township voters from turning out in record numbers as they filled the township’s hall to a capacity standing-room-only crowd.

Amid speculation that none of the incumbent candidates would participate in support of Reaume’s assertion that the township had a policy against “Political meetings of this kind,” proved to be wrong when all but one trustee, Kay Arnold and the Supervisor himself failed to show up.

Reaume’s absence left a conspicuous hole in the meeting, as there was no official to introduce the League’s president and officers, who were in-fact guests of the Township.

Township Clerk Joe Bridgman attended, but could not participate as his opponent, Nancy Couzelman, was absent.

Paula Bowman, Vice President of the League’s Northwest Wayne County branch described the record-breaking support in one word, “Marvelous”, saying she was extremely pleased at the interest of the voters.

The usual campaign rhetoric was flying high, but the one common theme was that almost all candidates said they wanted to see more respect, transparency and accountability with less spending.

Jennifer Mann, a Republican Candidate for Trustee stated her concerns concisely, saying, “Every single person in this community has a voice, and should be respected and heard”

Almost all candidates touched on the issue of fire department staffing, recalling laid off firefighters and re-opening the Lake Pointe fire station.

Incumbent Ron Edwards, when asked what he thought was the most important tasks for his Treasurers’ job said, “Number one issue is public safety, with what (the amount of resources) we have, and number two is roads, and fire department responding.”