Four trustee seats opened in China Township – The Voice

China Township voters will select four candidates to serve as trustees on the China Township Board on Nov. 5.

Eight Republicans ran in the August primary, and the top four vote-getters advanced to the general election. Incumbent Dan Turke was the top vote-getter, followed by incumbents Edward Neiman and Ronald R. Beier and challenger Lauren Martin.

Democratic candidate Barbara Golan will join the four Republicans in the general election. Incumbent Catherine King, who placed fifth in the Republican primary, is also listed on St. Clair County’s website as a write-in candidate with no party affiliation.

Questions and answers with candidates

The Voice sent questionnaires to all candidates running in the contested race, asking them to provide a biography and answer two questions. Answers were limited to 75 words. Some answers have been edited for length.

Q: Biography: Please provide information about yourself, including your age, education, profession and any previous political experience.

Ronald R. Beier: Age 66. Education, Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University. Self-employed in producing agriculture for 48 years. Currently Trustee on the China Township Board, Board Representative and Secretary to the Planning Commission, first appointed in 1998, Board Representative and Secretary to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Town Representative to the St. Clair River Sewer and Water Authority, Member of the Township Election Commission. From 2000 to 2008, he was a trustee of China Township and a member of the St. Clair Area Fire Authority Board.

Barbara Golan: I am 70 years old. Married to John. I have four children with spouses and seven grandchildren. After 30 years I have retired from Mercy PH. I was the director of emergency, emergency management and occupational health. I have served on many state, local and federal committees. I was a member of the election team and the recreation committee and actively participated in community events.

Lauren Martin: I am 40 and have lived in China Township for six years. I was born in St. Clair and have lived in the area almost my entire life. I am a mother of five children. I have always been committed to society and have also become active in the political community in recent years. I have been serving in the ZBA for the past few months, volunteering extensively and attending countless community and political meetings.

Edward Neiman: Edward Neiman, AIA. China Municipality Trustee. I am a multi-state licensed architect with NCARB certification. Married, four sons, wife Dianne, born and raised on a dairy farm in China Township. My formal education includes: Master of Architecture, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Bachelor of Science, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Associate of Science, SCCC, Port Huron.

Dan Turke: I am a lifelong resident (age 52) of China Township. My wife and I own and operate the last remaining dairy farm in the community and I work full-time off the farm as a millwright for FCA. Over the past 10 years, I have chaired the China Township Parks and Rec Committee, sat on the Zoning Board of Appeals, served as a clerk and trustee, and ran for state representative.

Q: If elected, what specific topics, areas or projects would you most like to work on?

Ronald R. Beier: If elected, I will continue to work to ensure our rural township in China remains the best place to live.

Barbara Golan: If elected, I would like to work on cleaning and beautifying the community. This is a wide range of streets, houses and shops. This includes our waterway, the Belle River. Like many farming communities, we have a lot of disease. I think a lot could be achieved with pride in the owner. I also believe there are state and federal funds that could be utilized.

Lauren Martin: One issue my community is currently facing is the push for heavy industrialization. I believe that the majority of residents want to continue to make the rural aspect of our community a top priority. I think we also have some transparency issues that need to be addressed. I would like every meeting to be recorded and made available on the church website.

Edward Neiman: I believe I can provide a voice to “local” government where dollars and results are still accountable to taxpayers. I worked with the fire department and helped write our local cemetery ordinance.

Dan Turke: I am actively working to address the environmental issues at the closed Marine City landfill on Indian Trail Road.

Q: Is the China Township Board of Trustees on the right track? What fine-tuning would you like to see, or what different policies or directions would you like to pursue?

Ronald R. Beier: I believe the township government is on the right track by maintaining our streets and ditches, having ample recreational opportunities, maintaining a balanced budget, being fiscally responsible with township funds, and adhering to our existing zoning map and our future land use map Our Master Plan.

Barbara Golan: The board was on a better path, but I think it will return to stagnation with the new government. I believe that all policies should be reviewed and revised as previous governments did not follow many policies or regulations.

Lauren Martin: Our board has some good members who care about the well-being of the community and its residents. I think they did a pretty good job, but there’s always room for improvement. One of my goals is to put together training materials and protocol measures for each community position. Many people get a job in the community because they want to help or make a difference, but then don’t fully understand how to carry out their tasks.

Edward Neiman: I believe I bring local historical understanding, life experiences, business knowledge and common sense to the role of trustee. Our fellow board members must remember that we serve the entire community and “growth for the sake of increasing tax revenue is not good planning.” Monitored growth and preservation of rural character are key elements for China Township.

Dan Turke: We must focus on implementing our master plan and protecting the rural qualities of our community.