MONROE COUNTY — In the Aug. 6 primary, voters in Monroe County have more than 30 contested races. The Monroe News has sent questionnaires to candidates in the contested races. Profiles of the candidates in the contested primaries will be published in the coming days.
Republicans Chris Curry, Tim Mata and Carl Whitson are running for Ida Township trustee. No Democrats have filed.
Their responses are printed as provided, although they may have been edited for clarity or truncated if responses exceeded the given word limits. Mata did not respond by the deadline provided.
Voting in person is possible on Tuesday 6 August from 07:00 to 20:00. Ballots by mail can be requested from the clerks of the municipality.
Chris Curry
Age: 41
Occupation: Senior Budget and Planning Analyst – Consumer Energy
Spouse/children: Holly Curry, wife of 18 years, and four children, Ella (13), Chase (12), Isabel (9), Asher (7)
Government experience: Four years as Ida Township Trustee and Zoning Board of Appeals
Experience as a volunteer/social service provider: Member of the Young Life Southeastern Michigan Committee, coach for Ida club soccer and Ida club wrestling
Why are you running for this position? I am running to uphold the values of a small town, to be financially responsible with the funding we receive, and to ensure support for our fire department and all that they serve.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Frenchtown Township and what can be done about it? The state is taking away local control over wind and solar farms. We need representatives who prioritize the concerns of the people affected by their decisions and respect the wishes of the people.
Why should people vote for you? I am grateful to serve as a Township Trustee at this time. I will continue to use my financial background to spend money responsibly to benefit the township while remaining financially responsible in the long term. Additionally, I am committed to supporting our fire department to ensure the safety of all they serve. I am committed to preserving the small town values that I grew up with here.
Carl Whitson
Age: 67
Occupation: I am a retired UAW worker and currently a real estate investor
Spouse/children: Wife, Kristy Svatek-Whitson, three sons: Jason, Ethan and Aaron, and four daughters: Melissa, Jennifer, Heather and Amanda.
Government experience: I recently joined the Monroe County Republican Party and have also been involved in several committees including executive, events, and fairs. I became concerned about the county after our 2020 elections and felt the only way to make a difference is to get involved. Previous government experience includes serving on the New Bedford Academy school board.
Experience as a volunteer/social service provider: I currently volunteer as an usher at Compelled Church and have been for over 10 years. I have taught Royal Rangers, a children’s group, at our church for a few years and also on several mission trips.
Why are you running for this position? The reason I am running for trustee of Ida Township is for ballot initiatives and transparency on revenue growth. Ida Township voted in favor of a school mileage slush fund last election cycle. This was the only item on the ballot. The residents of the Township were never notified. The voter turnout was very low, with proponents of the school mileage winning by a landslide.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Ida Township and what needs to be done about it? Why should people vote for you? That is why I am running for Ida trustee, just like I got involved in politics, the only way to improve my current situation is to get involved. I want to try to solve this problem and provide transparency to our residents and taxpayers. Citizens need to have a say in the proposals that affect their lives and their pocketbooks. They need to know when a proposed increase in their tax bill is coming and not have it shown to them after it has been voted on. I am all for lower taxes. If I can fix this I will, so please vote for me, Carl Whitson, in the primary on August 6th.
For more information about the Monroe County primaries, visit co.monroe.mi.us/409/Elections.
— Contact reporter Lisa Vidaurri-Bowling at lvidaurribowling@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Curry, Mata, Whitson for Ida Twp. trustee
