Voters will get a chance to pick four Lake Orion Village Council members out of a slate of seven candidates in the March 10 general election.
Incumbents who are seeking another term include Mark Brancheau, Bill Siver and Harry Stephen. Keith Campell, Charlotte Patton, Ed Roberts and Ken VanPortfliet are the other candidates.
The top three vote getters earn a two year term. The candidate who garners the fourth highest total in voters will be on the council for one year.
All candidates were asked by The Lake Orion Review to respond to a candidate’s profile.
MARK BRANCHEAU
Lives On: South Broadway
Age: 38
Family: Brancheau and his wife Jennifer have two children.
Education: BA degree in Marketing from Eastern Michigan University
Occupation: Is in sales at Budweiser
Clubs & Organizations: Member of the Lake Orion Lake Association, village’s park and recreation committee and the LO United Methodist Church
Why Running for Office Again: Brancheau said he would like to continue to serve the residents of the whole village as he has been doing for the past three years.
“I want to continue the improvements in the parks, protect the lake and stop over development. “I’m against raising taxes.”
According to Brancheau, he supports infrastructure projects within the Downtown Development Authority area.
Important Issues: Brancheau would like to see a new DPW yard and a new village hall or police station built, paid for by the DDA; boat docks at Green’s Park.
“I would like work to be done at Green’s Park according to the Master Plan. I want a friendly administration for all residents. We need to update outdated ordinances and have better communication with residents and businesses.”
Do You Support the DDA? Yes.
Brancheau believes the role of the DDA is to use captured tax dollars to benefit the entire community.
“We should be using these monies to improve and maintain our aging infrastructure. Public works projects, which are located within the DDA, should also be addressed.
“Road paving or storm drains improvements in the downtown neighborhoods are areas that need to be addressed.
JAMES KEITH CAMPBELL
Lives On: North Shore Drive
Age: 45
Family: Campbell and his wife Patty have four children.
Education: Tradesman/Journeyman Plumber
Occupation: Plumber
Clubs & Organizations: Member of the LO Men’s Softball League for over 10 years.
Why Running for Office: Campbell believes the village administration and council members should be more accountable to the residents.
“The council members should listen to the concerns of the residents in an open and friendly environment. Make the village manager accountable to the council.”
Important Issues: If elected Campbell says he would like to work more closely with the LO Lake Association to improve the quality of Lake Orion, which he describes as the village’s most important asset.
“I want to work with the parks and rec to keep improving the park system and encourage the use of funds for parks and lakes enhancement.”
Do You Support the DDA? “I think it’s important to have an organization to support social and cultural events in the community, but I feel the council should have more input and review over expenditures.”
CHARLOTTE PATTON
Lives On: West Church Street
Age: 49
Family: Patton and her husband Jack have three children.
Education: BA degree from Central Michigan University
Occupation: Teacher at Learning Options High School in Lake Orion
Clubs & Organizations: Patton is a Partner-In-Service with her husband in the LO Lions Club. She’s a member of the LO United Methodist Church, formerly active in Boy and Girl Scouts and a volunteer in schools.
Why Running for Office: Patton would like to see the downtown continue to move forward and realize its full potential.
“I would like to see Lake Orion properly used, while being sure to protect the lake and its residents. I want to have a woman’s point of view on the council.”
Important Issues: One of Patton’s high priorities is improved parking for the downtown area.
“I want to see continued improvements on our parks. I want improved communication between the village council and all of the committees working to better our village.”
Do You Support the DDA? Yes: Patton said she fully supports the DDA.
“Any improvement in the downtown will improve the economic health and quality of life for the entire village.”
ED ROBERTS
Lives On: Peninsular
Age: 61
Family: Roberts has been married to Janice for 38 years and they have three children.
Education: BAA Cum Laude in accounting from the University of Detroit, post graduate classes at Ohio State University and the University of Dayton. Graduate of the General Electric Financial Management Program
Occupation: Was employed at GE Carboloy in various positions, GE Industrial Diamond, SECO Tools and SANSVIK Hard Materials. Was manager of finance at SANSVIK before retiring in 2002.
Clubs & Organizations: Roberts has been the treasurer of the LO Lake Association since 1992. He headed a committee responsible for measuring the water quality of Lake Orion; was a charter member of the Orion Historical Society and is a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Why Running for Office: Roberts said he has a vision of Lake Orion that is being threatened by what he currently sees going on.
“I like the fact just about all our land is developed and therefore we are somewhat protected from development that doesn’t blend with our past.”
Important Issues: If elected, Roberts said he will do everything possible to stop the 108 unit stacked housing off of Atwater and on the old L&S property .
“If this does get built, we will have 10 percent of the village population crowded into this area. Do we want to be recognized as the generation that allowed this out of place structure to be built in this historical village? Incumbent Mark Brancheau and Keith Campbell share my view on this.”
Roberts said he will review the overbuilding on the lake to insure it doesn’t become a place just for the wealthy.
He would like to see a summer program at the parks for kids, using the creativity of adult volunteers, young and old, male and female.
Do You Support the DDA? Roberts feels that it’s difficult to comment because he hasn’t seen where funds are being spent and doesn’t know if merchants are questioned as to their feelings with regards to its effectiveness.
“I feel the taxpayers need to understand its operation and that the DDA/Main Street committees need to communicate better. As a start, their 9 a.m. meeting time needs to be changed so that working residents are able to attend.”
WILLIAM (BILL) SIVER
Lives On: East Shadbolt
Age: 49
Family: Siver has two children.
Education: High school graduate and one year of college
Occupation: Siver is a self-employed painting contractor and has been in the business for 22 years.
Clubs & Organizations: President of the LO Lions Club and a member of the LO American Legion Post 233.
Why Running for Office Again: Siver wants to continue his efforts for the quality of living in a small town, for both the residents and the merchants.
“I want to see unity with the council, management, various boards, committees and the DDA.”
Important Issues: If reelected, Siver said he wants to address water rates that the village pays to the township; the storm water management plan, building inspector issues. “I want to continue our corrections for the water drainage programs from the resurfacing of the roads.”
Do You Support the DDA? Yes.
“Between the DDA and its committees, they are encouraging private development and improvement for the commercial district. The tax revenues we can capture through the year 2020 (over $8.5 million) will help the DDA meet its projected goals as outlined in its development plan.”
HARRY STEPHEN
Lives On: North Shore Drive
Age: 61
Family: Wife Mary and one child
Education: BSIE from the University of Michigan and Executive Education at UM and Harvard.
Occupation: Retired vice president from SPX Corporation
Clubs & Organizations: N/A
Why Running for Office Again: Stephen said he likes being involved in the community and trying to improve its overall quality.
“Constituents contacted me and asked that I run again for the position of council.”
Important Issues: “I’m interested in modifying some of our ordinances in order to make them more current and applicable. “I want to push to have our ordinances enforced, ie, property maintenance, vehicle storage and safety issues.”
Do You Support the DDA? According to Stephen, in concept he does support the DDA and feels the first 15 years were effective (parks, streetlights, water, roads).
“When you work on infrastructure it’s measurable. The current efforts of the DDA and Main Street are still up for evaluation.”
KEN VAN PORTFLIET
Lives On: South Andrews
Age: N/A
Family: Wife Sara and one child
Education: College
Occupation: President, Entire Reproductions
Clubs & Organizations: LO Lions Club member, board member of the LO Lake Association, Orion Historical Society, Republican Precinct delegate alternate, past village councilman
Why Running for Office: Van Portfliet says he has a desire to serve the community and make it a better place to live. “I don’t have a personal agenda and wish to provide unity.”
Important Issues: Van Portfliet’s priorities are the DDA, Main Street, Phase II Storm Water Plan, downtown parking and parks and rec.
Do You Support the DDA? Yes. “I believe it’s meeting the obligations set before it at this time. Some changes that should occur are better communication of strategy/plan changes to the village council, a review of current projects and return on investment of dollars spent.”