GRAND HAVEN, MI – Two new members of the Grand Haven Board of Light and Power shall be elected by voters throughout this 12 months’s normal election.Grand Haven voters will select from amongst 4 candidates who’re in search of the two six-year seats.The 4 candidates, chosen from amongst 5 who ran in August’s major, are Andy Cawthon, Andrea Hendrick, Geri McCaleb and Michael J. WestbrookIncumbents Jack R. Smant, the board chair, and John F. Naser will not be running for reelection.The election is Tuesday, Nov. 2, and absentee ballots at present can be found.To assist readers study the candidates, MLive despatched every a questionnaire asking for details about their background and candidacy.Background data is offered under in alphabetical order. Westbrook didn’t reply to MLive requests for data.Andy Cawthon, 72, is retired after a 35-year profession promoting pc {hardware}, software program and providers. He has served 11 years on the Grand Haven Main Street Promotions Committee, 5 of them as chair; 13 years on the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival Committee, two as chair; and six years on the Grand Haven Musical Fountain Committee, 5 of them as chair. Cawthon has a bachelor’s diploma in zoology from the University of California Santa Barbara and a grasp’s diploma in life sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle. His household consists of spouse, Joyce, and three stepsons.Andrea Hendrick, 37, works as a principal planner and GIS analyst for I Site Consulting Group. She beforehand served on the Grand Haven Planning Commission. Hendrick has a bachelor’s diploma in geography from Grand Valley State University and certificates in geographic data methods know-how and sustainable and regional planning. She has 4 kids.Geri McCaleb, 74, served as Grand Haven’s mayor from 2011-19 and on the Grand Haven City Council from 2001-09. She is secretary of the North Ottawa Recreation Authority Board. She has a bachelor’s diploma in earth science from Grand Valley State University. McCaleb is married with two kids.Below is how candidates responded to questions on their candidacy. Their responses haven’t been edited by MLive.Why ought to voters elect you?Cawthon: I’ve been following and taking part in the discussions and selections relating to retiring the SIMS plant and subsequent website remediation for over 6 years. I’m accustomed to the main points going through the BLP together with remediation of Harbor Island, economics of vitality manufacturing versus buy from the grid, renewable vitality sources/sorts and storage points. Based on years of voluntary service in the neighborhood, I’ve important working relationships with the BLP Board and workers, the Grand Haven City Council, Mayor and workers and many retailers and producers who’re important BLP charge payers and stakeholders.Hendrick: I’m running as a result of I imagine the vitality selection that we make at this time may have a profound impression on our youngsters, our companies, and our neighborhood for generations to come back. Ensuring that now we have reasonably priced and sustainable vitality is important to our financial system and our surroundings. As we all know, in Grand Haven the atmosphere and financial system go hand in hand. As a mom of 4, I wish to be sure that Grand Haven stays a fantastic place to dwell, work, and elevate a household. I’m dedicated to participating this neighborhood in a critical and complete dialog about how we construct our vitality future in the most sensible and information pushed method potential.McCaleb: In my years as Mayor of Grand Haven I gained first-hand understanding of many of the points going through each the BLP and the City. I’m in a superb place to hitch the BLP board with a fundamental understanding of points and the challenges of at this time’s vitality market. I’ve had the privilege to work with the BLP Board Members, administration and workers in addition to Grand Haven City Council. All of life is an schooling and the biggest satisfaction is gained working collectively to face challenges, clear up issues, and discover workable options.If elected, what shall be your prime three priorities?Cawthon: 1) Conclude the negotiations on Harbor Island remediation with EGLE and the US EPA since they’ll decide extent of and final price ticket for this exercise 2) Get considerably extra and extra educated enter on ratepayers’ willingness to fund a Harbor Island peaking plant 3) Better educate stakeholders on the flexibility of the proposed RICE (Diesel) engines together with their capacity to run on gasoline blends that embrace fuels similar to hydrogen ought to they grow to be economically accessible throughout the subsequent few yearsHendrick: 1) Protect ratepayers from pointless expenditures and charge will increase 2) Ensure the neighborhood leads the selections made by the Board of Light & Power 3) Promote vitality sustainabilityMcCaleb: Top precedence is to be half of the crew that addresses the energy wants of BLP prospects massive and small to maintain energy to our prospects dependable and reasonably priced. The environmental points on Harbor Island should be assessed and addressed. The elements contributing to the environmental points span Grand Haven’s historical past from the lumbering period; the use of the land as the metropolis dump website; in addition to changing into residence to the Sims energy plant. The pure penalties of the varied makes use of of the island we now see the intermingling of pollution. This shall be an advanced and costly subject to be handled and will impression the future use of the island. Snow soften is a crucial half of Grand Haven’s downtown and the partnership with the BLP to provide warmth to the snow soften system, by Sims, made the preliminary challenge potential. Now that the metropolis has made the funding in snowmelt, It is necessary to fulfill the wants of the snow soften system for the monetary well being of the downtown and the safety of that funding. It is necessary to all who use the clear sidewalks and streets to buy in addition to stroll or run safely in the winter months.Do you imagine extra public enter is required to find out the greatest technique to meet future energy wants in Grand Haven? If so, how would you collect it?Cawthon: More public enter is certainly wanted. I’d first make the outcomes of the BLP’s annual buyer surveys accessible on the BLP web site and publicize their availability by press releases to the Tribune, mLive, WGHN/WMPA and WLAV. I’d additional discover shows to neighborhood teams similar to The Chamber, Rotary and to teams in Senior Housing/Assisted Living Facilities. Additional stakeholder teams could possibly be political social gathering conferences and church teams.Hendrick: Absolutely. That’s why I’m running. The Grand Haven BLP has utterly missed the alternative to develop and be taught from the collective information of the residents of Grand Haven. Specifically, if elected I’d name for a complete stock of present metropolis belongings earlier than we make ANY selections about our future vitality wants. Additionally, the know-how and innovation occurring in the vitality business is altering quickly. Without absolutely understanding our present asset and the future advances in vitality manufacturing and supply, Grand Haven ratepayers won’t ever get the greatest worth for their cash.McCaleb: I’m accustomed to a spread to research already performed by the BLP board over the final years with a quantity of consultants. The conclusions of the research have introduced us to the level the place we’re at this time as the greatest resolution to the wants of the BLP prospects into the future. There have been many public conferences and alternative for the public to weigh in and there’s a wealth of data on the BLP’s web site that addresses questions which were raised. There comes a time when the questions have been answered and a choice have to be made. It is time to maneuver ahead.Also on MLive:Woman, 18, drowns in a single day in Lake MichiganFour sheriff officers to face trial in inmate’s dying at Muskegon County JailMichigan House passes GOP-led payments to make voter ID legal guidelines stricter
Meet the candidates running for Grand Haven Board of Light and Power
