Ronald Wallin With the Mackinaw City Village Council elections set for Tuesday, September 15, 10 candidates will run for the three trustee seats, and clerk, treasurer, and president positions available. Incumbent president Ronald Wallin will face trustee Jeff Hingston for the position of village president. Two trustee incumbents, James Alford and Janelle Bancroft, will defend their seats, while Lana Jaggi will leave her trustee seat open to vie for the village clerk position against Elizabeth Clemens. Challengers Steven Celez, Scott Newman, and planning commission member Rosada Mann seek election as village trustees. Village treasurer Patricia Peppler runs unopposed.

The polls will open at Mackinaw City Village Hall at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Following are interviews with the candidates for office.

Village President Candidates

The president of the village is the leader of the council. As the leader, the president presides over council meetings and is the representative of the village. The president also makes committee appointments.

Jeff Hingston Ronald Wallin

Before being elected president in 2007, Ronald Wallin served as village president from 1978 to 1986. He wishes to be reelected to continue to oversee Mackinaw City's growth.

He would like to double tourism in Mackinaw City while maintaining its small-town charm. This can be achieved, he said, by bringing in more business during the non-peak seasons.

Improving zoning laws to prevent over-building is one action that can be taken to maintain the waterfront, he said. The laws would need to be carefully examined and constructed to achieve that goal without creating unnecessary restrictions on potential business owners.

"I think we're charged with maintaining as much beauty as we can without infringing on anybody's right to conduct business," he said.

James Alford More effort needs to be made to advertise Mackinaw City as an attractive area for year-around businesses to be established, Mr. Wallin said. Without them, it is difficult to retain Mackinaw City's young residents. Without year-around jobs, they leave the village in search of stable work.

"If you're a young family, you can't make it" on seasonal employment, he said.

During his presidency, Mr. Wallin has led an effort to make Mackinaw City more appealing to visitors and residents. He feels the appearance of the village has improved as a result of that campaign and the efforts of those involved.

He has lived in Mackinaw City for most of his life. He is a graduate of Mackinaw City High School. He enjoys the energy of its residents, he said. Many villagers are eager to volunteer for the benefit of others and Mackinaw City itself, he said.

Steven Celez The development of Mackinaw City Historic Village, The Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw Museum, and and the reorganization of the local senior center made possible by the Mackinaw City Lions Club and Wawatam Area Seniors are examples Mr. Wallin cites. The efforts made by the Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau to promote the village's events are impressive, he said.

Jeff Hingston

An owner of the Candy Corner for 28 years, Jeff Hingston believes his experience in successfully running his business will aid him as president. With his son, Frank, managing the family shop, Mr. Hingston feels he can now devote the time necessary to lead the village. He is currently serving a term as village trustee.

Mr. Hingston is an active member of the village community as a member of the Church of the Straits and Lions Club for 27 years. In addition to his current term as village trustee, he has served in village government in a variety of areas, including the planning commission, chamber of commerce, downtown development authority, and village president pro tem. He is pleased with the roles he has played within the community and village government.

Elizabeth Clemens The continuous updating of ordinances is important to Mr. Hingston. Many ordinances are old and need to be reviewed to ensure they are relevant today, he said. In addition to updates, more avenues should be explored to properly enforce them.

Mr. Hingston believes that the property tax levels should be examined and other resources explored to bring tax relief to the taxpayers. He plans to address this if he is elected president.

A proactive approach to the challenges of Mackinaw City is necessary, he said. Solving potential problems before they start is one of Mr. Hingston's goals. He wants to bring residents and business owners together and open a dialogue to discuss ways to improve the village.

Patricia Peppler As a lifelong resident of Mackinaw City, Mr. Hingston is pleased with its small-town charm and natural beauty. He finds the residents' desire to volunteer and share their opinions energizing. The efforts senior citizens and retirees have made for the benefit of the village is remarkable, he said.

Village Trustee Candidates

James Alford A village trustee since 1999 and a retired teacher, James Alford is running for reelection because he enjoys the challenge of resolving the issues Mackinaw City faces.

He believes the greatest challenges facing Mackinaw City are providing year-around employment to residents and upgrading infrastructure while maintaining a low tax millage. Yearly employment is an issue shared by many tourism communities, he said, and remains one of the most difficult to resolve in Mackinaw City. He plans to address employment should he be reelected.

Maintaining the infrastructure of Mackinaw City is especially important, he said.

"It's like a car: If it breaks down, then it's going to cost a lot more to fix," Mr. Alford said.

Infrastructure is essential to better serve the many tourists who pass through Mackinaw City, he said, and he points to the ambulance hall near Dairy Queen as an example. The building houses ambulances, serves as living quarters for EMTs and paramedics, and contains public restrooms.

"When you have 25,000 to 30,000 people roaming around, you need to have facilities for them," he said.

Mr. Alford is proud of the village improvements he has supported. He has backed the new sidewalks on the east and west side of Mackinaw City High School, the improvements made to the smaller parks dotting the village, and the updates at the marina.

A new fire station must be built to house the fire engines, Mr. Alford said, and he plans to continue working toward that goal. It is an ongoing project, he said, and he cautions that it will take awhile to complete. Money is the major factor, he said, as well as securing the appropriate permits and land.

Mr. Alford notes nothing in the village can be accomplished without the combined effort of everyone on the council, staff, the planning commission, and the input and aid of residents.

Mr. Alford is the father of two children, Nicholas, 25, and Sara, 25. A resident of Mackinaw City for 15 years, he works part time at Mancino's restaurant while serving as a trustee.

Janelle Bancroft

Serving on the village council has been one of the many ways Janelle Bancroft stayed involved in Mackinaw City's community. While her children Alyssa and Ian were young, Mrs. Bancroft served as a Girl Scout leader, a Sunday school teacher, or in any other position where she could be involved in her children's activities. She also helped establish the preschool program offered at Church of the Straits and served on its founding board.

By serving on the village council, Mrs. Bancroft has learned even more about the village, she said. Taking part in managing ordinances, participating in property purchase discussions, and being an active member of the facilities committee has enabled her to see the inner workings of the village and play a part in what transpires.

While on the council, Mrs. Bancroft has supported actions in sidewalk replacement near the Mackinaw City school and improvements to the historic village. Credit for these accomplishments extend to all trustees, she said.

Mackinaw City is in need of year-around employment, she said. Attracting new business is important, but retaining the small-town essence of Mackinaw City is crucial, as well. It is a difficult situation, she said, and the best approach is still being researched.

A lifelong resident of Mackinaw City, Mrs. Bancroft enjoys the sense of community shared by the residents. In times of disaster, she said, the villagers have always helped each other recover.

Mrs. Bancroft declined to have a photograph taken.

Rosada Mann

As a member of the Mackinaw City Planning Commission, Rpsada Mann says she understands what is attractive about Mackinaw City to visitors.

"People come here because they can hike, walk, and swim," she said. "We're a family-oriented place."

To that end, maintenance of the village's walkability and water are among her concerns. Ensuring the waters around Mackinaw City are properly maintained is important, as it is a major draw for visitors, she said.

Mrs. Mann helped improve bicycle trails in Mackinaw City with the other members of Trail Committee. The committee would like to connect the village trails with trails in other areas of the county, like Petoskey and Harbor Springs, to provide an even better experience for cyclers and hikers.

Frequently attending the Mackinaw City Village Council meetings has helped her learn about the council and the issues Mackinaw City faces.

She often sees residents state their concerns at meetings and then leave, and would like to encourage them to stay for the entire meeting. She also wants to encourage more people to attend village meetings.

"We don't know it if they don't show up," she said of how residents feel about the issues.

Year-around employment is another challenge Mackinaw City faces, Mrs. Mann said. Efforts need to be made to create more jobs to keep younger residents from leaving Mackinaw City, she said.

Mrs. Mann has lived in Mackinaw City for more than 20 years with her husband. She has four children and 12 grandchildren.

Mrs. Mann declined to have a photograph taken.

Steven Celez

After graduation from Mackinaw City High School, Steven Celez has set his sights on serving the residents of Mackinaw City. He believes further growth should be encouraged to develop

more jobs.

People leave Mackinaw City seeking yeararound employment, Mr. Celez said. With the cost of living relatively high, stable employment is especially important. Stimulating the growth of the village through lower taxes may help achieve that end, he said.

A member of the National Honor Society in high school, Mr. Celez also served on the Straits Area

Community Foundation's Youth Advisory Council, which provides grants to benefit area youth. Mr. Celez aided in the decision to grant money to a children's reading program as well as allocate funds to Inverness Elementary School in Cheboygan for the purchase of a Nintendo Wii game console during his two years on the council. He believes his work on the council will aid him as a Mackinaw City trustee.

For Mr. Celez, Mackinaw City's small community is appealing. He enjoys being able to talk to people and receive their insights on topics and issues.

Mr. Celez is manager for the Starlite Budget Inn. He plans to attend North Central Michigan College in Petoskey in the fall to study business management.

Village Clerk Candidates

Elizabeth Clemens

Incumbent Elizabeth Clemens earned an associate's degree in office administration at Lake Superior State University , and worked as a receptionist in Mackinaw City from 1992 to 1997. She served briefly as the village treasurer in 1996 before moving to Cheboygan, where she served for eight years as city treasurer and another two years in the Cheboygan County Equalization Department.

She returned to Mackinaw City and became its clerk in 2007.

Mrs. Clemens believes her combined experience as a public servant has greatly aided her in serving residents of Mackinaw City as their clerk. She cites her experience with property appraisal and the skills from her service in the equalization department.

"I feel I have a wealth of information from all that," she said.

She also enjoys the tasks involved, interacting with the public and obtaining the information they require. She notes that while some business owners are concerned that there is not enough parking in Mackinaw City, most are optimistic about business and are happy to see so many people visiting here.

She said it is important for everyone to support each other during difficult economic times.

Mrs. Clemens, who says she is a "social" person, enjoys Mackinaw City for its tight-knit community. The modest population makes it easy for her to become acquainted with many villagers and socialize with them, she said.

Mrs. Clemens has three children, Noelle, Bradyn, and Alexandra. Two have left for college, while the other is in grade eight

Lana Jaggi

Lana Jaggi has decided not to pursue an additional term as a village trustee and has set her sights on the village clerk position instead.

Her governmental and office experience qualify her for the position, Ms. Jaggi said. In addition to her six years as village trustee, Ms. Jaggi has been employed at Darrow Brothers Excavating offices for five years and at Arnold Transit Company offices sporadically for 11 years. Overall, Ms. Jaggi has 20 years of office experience.

Being a trustee has given her a good feel for the infrastructure of the village, Ms. Jaggi said, that will aid her if she is elected as trustee. She is particularly proud of aiding the study performed by the Chesapeake Bay group. The study's goal, she said, was to ascertain what residents and business owners believe is important and should be addressed in Mackinaw City. The study helped her gain an insight into the thoughts and feelings of the villagers, she said.

A major challenge Mackinaw City faces, she said, is year-around employment. Addressing that issue is not simple, she said, but she has supported the Economic Development Corporation's efforts.

The villagers' willingness to aid each other is an element of Mackinaw City that Ms. Jaggi loves. Their innovation in making the village a better place, such as with the erection of the windmills, is also impressive, she said.

If elected, Ms. Jaggi plans to take a course called Clerking 101 offered by the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks.

Scott Newman

Candidate Scott Newman agreed to an interview for this story, but, unfortunately, was unavailable before deadline.

Village Treasurer Candidate

Patricia Peppler

Mrs. Peppler has been the village treasurer for 12 years and has been learning more to accomplish her tasks during that time. With so much data that must be handled properly, Mrs. Peppler's job is a technical one, she says.

Payroll, billing, taxes, and accounts receivable information requires exact accuracy, Mrs. Peppler said, as all the information she works with affects other departments.

"Everything you do here is going to affect someone," she said.

Working as village treasurer is enjoyable, she said, because she likes working with numbers and learning new software. The programs receive updates or are changed each year, so

she is constantly learning.

Many of the village audits have been favorable, which is a source of pride for her. She is also pleased with how well the village's financial records are documented.

Mrs. Peppler has been a member of the Economic Development Corporation since it was created. She has cooperated with other members of the board to promote business in Mackinaw City and maintain its natural appearance. She is proud of her work with the Wawatam Area Seniors to reestablish their program at the Lions Dan Russell Building.

Mrs. Peppler is running unopposed this year, but she would still like to see people vote for her. A strong voter turnout will show her that she is doing a good job in the eyes of the residents, she said.

Mackinaw City has been Mrs. Peppler's home for most of her life. She has two daughters, 16-year-old Kelsey and 24-year-old Kortney and a husband, Bill. What she enjoys most about the village is simple, she said: It is home.