Brunner, Elder Said Jockeying for State Rep. Post Run in 2010
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Infighting for the next election cycle is well underway and is as fiery as usual in Bay County politics.
So, what else is new?
This is the home of legendary political organizations like that of Republican County Chairman Ben Calvin in the 1940s and 1950s and Democratic County Chairman Tony Bielawski in the 1960s and 1970s.
As the story goes, Calvin kept control for the GOP by staging all-you-can-eat chicken dinners/beer fests at every township hall. Cost $2.
Bielawski, coming to town in the mid-1950s, caught the drift and did Calvin one better: all-you-can-eat Democratic chicken dinners/beer fests at township halls for a buck.
Therefore, the county that travels on its stomach made a huge shift to the Democratic Party, taking nearly all the county offices in 1960. Ideology may have had little to do with the political winds that wafted on the delectable scent of roasting chicken and frothy foam from beer kegs.
Of course, the charisma of John Fitzgerald Kennedy among the heavily Catholic population in the Presidential election of 1960 may have had something to do with the Dem domination, too.
That organization has stayed strong and has barely been threatened by the Republicans since then, to the dismay of conservatives.
Word on the street now is that Bay City Mayor Charlie Brunner and County Commissioner Brian Elder are jousting for position for the state representative post.
The recent narrow victory for Democratic County Chairman by incumbent Tony Pawelski over challenger Mike Gray was believed to be part of the Elder-Brunner positioning.
Supposedly Elder was backed by Gray and his forces and Brunner's camp included the Pawelski cabal. Control of the party, and its purse strings, was said at stake and could be critical in any run for a state post.
The conflict between competing groups was reported to be so volatile that Circuit Judge Joe Sheeran had to mediate during succeeding meetings needed to settle the matter. Issues included eligibility and seating of voting delegates amid charges of "packing" the meeting. More than 130 votes were cast, as it turned out. Hard feelings may remain on both sides that no doubt will be more helpful to Republican challengers than to party unity.
What sets all this up is the fact that Rep. Jeff Mayes, 36, is term limited in the House and is expected to make his move to the State Senate.
The applecart could be upset, some observers theorize, if State Sen. Jim Barcia, 56, decides he likes Lansing and steps down to run for a House seat. His consistent popularity, pols figure, would be hard to beat by a newcomer.
On the city side, commissioners in wards 1,3,5,7 and 9 are up this year. Incumbents in those posts are Commission President Chris Shannon, 1st Ward; Vice-President Wendy Legner, 3rd Ward; M.J. Gorney, 5th Ward; Marie T. Kurzer, 7th Ward; and Sergeant-at-arms Kellie Snyder, 9th Ward.
A sign that city politics may be shifting is in the claim by insiders that conservatives now control the commission 5-4. Because of shifting allegiances on a variety of votes it is impossible to say for certain who is on what side and that the political position may depend on the issue.
Hard times and fiscal problems have been central to the debate over staffing in police and fire departments, making up the lion's share of the budget.
Filing deadline for the city posts is 4 p.m. May 12 so we will probably not hear much about the potential candidates for a few months.
Meanwhile, Donald J. Tilley, 9th District county commissioner, has moved into several more powerful committee posts including chair of the Personnel/Judicial Committee headed last year by Kim Coonan.
Mr. Coonan takes over Mr. Tilley's post as head of the Human Services Committee. Tilley also moves into vice chair of Ways and Means replacing Coonan.
The departure of longtime commissioner Richard Byrne of Pinconning opened the way for Commissioner Ernie Krygier to join Commissioners Eugene Gwizdala and Brian Elder on the MBS International Airport Board.
Michael Duranczyk, a former Pinconning mayor and school board member, is assigned to the Ways and Means Committee, headed by Mr. Elder, who also serves on the Bay Future board.
Patrick H. Beson, 2nd District, retains his post as board chairman for a second year. The lone Republican on the board is Vaughn Begick, 3rd District.
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"The BUZZ" - Read Feedback From Readers! |
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alley Says:
On January 13, 2009
at 12:32 PM
Anyone seeing how Mayor Brunner has been going about things the last 9 months had to be blind not to know he is gearing up. I say more people run the better it is for Bay City. The national tide is turning as far as who is becoming elected. The good ole' boys club is still strong but new blood is slowly making it's way into politics. And rightfully so!
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Dave Rogers |
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