Unofficial results by the county report that all three recall elections for Sanilac County have successfully unseated the incumbents, with only one Fremont Township trustee keeping their spot, and Speaker Township and the Sandusky Community School District to soon see changes to their boards.
Voted on by 12 townships and Sandusky, the Sandusky Community School Board election saw incumbents Jane Jacobson, Dan Gerstenberger and Jason Trepkowski running against, and losing to, Kelly Trowhill, Katie Tovar and David Heberling, respectively. While the terms Tovar and Heberling are taking over are slated to end in December 2024, Jacobson’s term was to end in 2026, giving Trowhill a longer term than her counterparts.
The school board recall came after the Sandusky School District changed its mascot from the controversial ‘Redskins’ moniker to the Wolves, with some community members protesting the change. After the board voted for the change during a 4-3 vote in November 2022, petitions for a recall election began against the three board members who voted in favor of the change. (The fourth vote was from Susan Dreyer, who finished out her term in December 2022. Her seat is now held by Justin Radloff.)
Voters in the 12 townships and Sandusky decided the fate of a school millage’s renewal, renewing the measure with 1,114 votes in favor. The proposal sought to renew the current millage rate of 18 mills ($18.00 on each $1000 of taxable value) for another 9 years, from 2024 to 2032, for operating costs. The millage was set to expire with the 2023 tax levy, with renewal seeing the district collecting a little more than $1.4 million in 2024.
Speaker Township’s election saw four incumbents unseated following controversy connected to alternative energy sources. Speaker Township’s clerk Dawn M. Cubbitt, treasurer Tracy Sheldon and trustees Thomas Murray and Charles Stanley were recalled, with their respective challengers— Michelle Brown, Rochelle Stevens, Fred Moss and Jeremie Risdon— to take their positions on the board.
The recall was pursued for board actions seen in favor of/helping Algonquin Power (MI Energy Developments) LLC, also known as Liberty Power, in their efforts to install wind turbines in the area.
Though originally running unopposed, due to challengers missing the deadline to file for candidacy, supervisor Jeff Furness, clerk Reta Gardner and treasurer Patti Shinn found themselves ousted by write-in challengers Mark Kenward, Sonya Francis and Jessica Onufrak.
Of the Sanilac County incumbents vying to keep their seat, only Karen Kovach, Fremont Township trustee, did so, beating out challenger Debra Diane Allen. The other incumbent trustee, Michael S. Noll, did not fare as well, being bested by challenger Kevin O. Bradley.
